On the days I’m not training with weights I usually do cardio sessions early in the morning on an empty stomach. Because I’m not a big fan of coffee, I will only drink just a cup of green tea and then do my 30-40 minutes of fasted cardio. Fasted training definitely has its benefits and I will go over some of them in this post.
5 Benefits of doing fasted cardio
1. It increases your mental clarity and focus
Early morning cardio wakes you up, increases your mental acuity, clarity and concentration later throughout the day by releasing mood-enhancing endorphins. It will also flush out your lymphatic system, ensuring a flow of energy.
2. It mobilizes fat for energy
After the fast, the glycogen stores are depleted and the body is forced to burn fat as energy. This effect is particularly pronounced when you are on a low carbohydrates diet or doing an intermittent fasting diet.
3. Low insulin levels mean more fat is burned
Food, especially carbohydrates, cause a sudden release of insulin that interferes with the mobilization of body fat. The less insulin present during the fasted workout, the more body fat will be burned as energy.
4. Boosts metabolism
Your metabolism stays elevated for hours even after your workout is over. This means you’ll burn more calories even when you are resting.
5. Improves insulin sensitivity
Fasted cardio will greatly improve insulin sensitivity, which can have great health benefits, including improved fat loss without changing our hormonal balance.
Is fasted cardio safe for you ?
Fasted cardio is generally safe as long as you are not doing excessively long cardio sessions, or you have been fasting for more than 18-20 hours. Also, if you have a medical condition sensitive to low blood sugar or blood pressure, or if you’re pregnant, it’s best to steer clear of fasted cardio.
With summer on its way, these should be enough reasons for you to start fasted morning cardio sessions and lose the excess fat. Some of the options you have are:
1.Hit the gym before you go to work,
2.Go for a light jog if the weather is fine, and
3.You can always walk or bicycle to work if it’s not too far.
