Featured article in the Winter 2016 Issue of Nutrition Close-Up; written by Pamela Hernandez, CPT
The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) reports that 78% of its participants eat breakfast daily.1 With a sample size of over 10,000 individuals who have each lost 30 pounds or more, why is the behavior of eating breakfast still a question as it relates to fat loss and fitness? Even fitness professionals vigorously debate the topic, particularly when it comes to eating before a morning workout.
One long-held belief is that exercising on an empty stomach increases fat oxidation, thereby facilitating faster weight loss. It is true that when a body is depleted of readily available glucose, the Krebs Cycle will turn to fat and protein to produce ATP to supply the bodys energy needs. However, there are two key issues to consider when recommending fasted morning workouts to a client for weight loss.
- Unpredictability of individual biology
- Impact on mood, performance and appetite through the remainder of the day
A 2009 study in the journal Metabolism2 pointed out the impact and importance of individual biology to exercise performed in a fasted state. Findings showed that everyone is different: what works for one person who chooses to fast before a morning workout may work for others but does not work for all. In this study, 55 premenopausal women participated in a seven-week endurance-type exercise program. Results found an average loss of 2.6% body fat. However, measurements in individual participants ranged from a body fat loss of 5.3 kg to a gain of 2.1 kg. . While there is some allowance for participants adherence to their overall nutrition program during the study, other factors appear to have been involved for such a wide variance.
While the study did not determine a direct cause, it was apparent that many biological factors determine the success or failure of using fasted cardio as a weight loss method. Instead of prescribing fasted cardio for all clients who wish to lose body fat, fitness professionals may wish to focus on three factors to encourage adherence and yield better outcomes: body type (endomorphic, mesomorphic and ectomorphic); carbohydrate tolerance; and variability of exercise intensity.3[i]
Advising a client to skip breakfast for enhanced fat loss may also be short sighted. A recent study published in the journal Nutrients looked at the impact of skipping breakfast on mood, cognitive performance, and appetite later in the day. This study of 24 women showed a positive correlation between a pre-workout breakfast and appetite control prior to lunch. When trying to achieve an overall caloric deficit for fat loss, it may be counterproductive to try to burn a few more calories of fat by skipping breakfast if it leads to overconsumption due to hunger later in the day. My own observations find this phenomenon to be true. Ive often witnessed women who eat too little during the day and are consequently overwhelmed with hunger and cravings at dinner and before bed. Not only does this increase feelings of failure, it diminishes performance in the gym. She may not be able to work with as much intensity as someone who has broken the fast and may therefore burn fewer calories as a result.
The better strategy is to follow a plan that prescribes a small breakfast before morning workouts to fuel longer or higher-intensity exercise to increase excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). Strength training with supersets or as a circuit will provide an additional metabolic boost during workouts and afterward during the muscle rebuilding process. Cardio in the form of high intensity interval training (HIIT) can also provide a longer caloric afterburn.
There may be highly specific situations, such as training for a bodybuilding competition, where fasted cardio workouts may be appropriate. For the general population however, eating breakfast before a workout seems to be most beneficial for overall health and long term results. Remember that the National Weight Control Registry tracks both weight loss and weight maintenance. The majority of NWCR participants who eat breakfast have maintained their weight loss for an average of five years, which convinces me that breakfast is the way to go for sustainable fat loss.
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Pamela Hernandez is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and ACE Health Coach. She runs Thrive Personal Fitness in Springfield, MO and is the author of the book The 4 Keys to Real Fitness. Her goal is to empower women with fitness and help them take control of their lives by taking control of their health.
References
- National Weight Control Registry. Version Current 11 September 2015. Internet http://www.nwcr.ws/ Accessed 11 September 2015.
- Barwell Nicholas D, Malkova Dalia et al. Individual responsiveness to exercise-induced fat loss is associated with change in resting substrate utilization. Metabolism. 2009;58: 13201328.
- Berardi J, Andrews R. The Essentials of Sport and Exercise Nutrition. 2nd Canada: Precision Nutrition, 2012.
- Veasey RC, Haskell-Ramsey CF, Kennedy DO et al. The Effect of Breakfast Prior to Morning Exercise on Cognitive Performance, Mood and Appetite Later in the Day in Habitually Active Women. Nutrients. 2015;7:5712-5732.
Key Messages:
- Skipping breakfast may enable some individuals to more effectively burn body fat during a morning workout, but evidence suggests that a pre-workout meal may help fuel a more efficient workout that will help lose and sustain body fat loss over the long term.
- Breakfast appears to offer the added benefits of improved cognitive performance, better mood, and better appetite control over the course of the day.
- Skipping breakfast may enable some individuals to more effectively burn body fat during a morning workout, but evidence suggests that a pre-workout meal may help fuel a more efficient workout that will help lose and sustain body fat loss over the long term.
- Breakfast appears to offer the added benefits of improved cognitive performance, better mood, and better appetite control over the course of the day.