From weight loss to endurance, the benefits of not munching before movement have been drilled into us for years. But as research calls this idea into question, is it time we debunked the fasted-state fallacy?
For ma ny, it ’s dow n to log istics – a nyone who can find the time to eat a protein-r ich mea l before a 7am date with the squat rack has more hours in the day than we do. For others, the idea of eating a ny thing before the email i nbox is in full, incessa nt f low is as nauseating as bur pees on a ha ngover. Mea nwhile, those of us who show up for exercise with fat burn in mind can console ou rselves with the idea that not h ing torches ca lories qu ite like a fasted workout . Or does it?
If new research is to be believed, forgoing that pre-training toast may not be the boon you think it is. A 2022 study found motivation and energy levels before exercise were lower when participants were in a fasted state, while those doing fasted workouts performed worse and enjoyed workouts less than their fed peers. It’s the latest study to challenge the idea that exercising on an empty stomach is superior to being in a fed state; in fact, researchers have been questioning this received wisdom for decades. So where should you land on the fasted/fed debate?
FAST AND THE CURIOUS
Before you pick a side, let’s be clear on the meaning. ‘Being “fed” refers to your metabolic state after eating food, when the body is digesting and absorbing the nutrients,’ explains Renee McGregor, leading sports dietitian and Women’s Health Collective panellist. She notes that this state typically lasts for up to four hours after eating, although it could last for up to six, depending on the speed of your metabolism and what you’ve eaten – high-fat or fibrous food, such as whole grains, red meat and seeds will take longer to digest than simple carbohydrates.
As such, when you wake up in the morning after an (ideally) eighthour slumber, you’re probably in the opposite state: fasted. ‘What you eat the night before will always influence your energy the following day, but it won’t be available as direct fuel because your body will have broken it down and used it for energy,’ adds McGregor, dispelling the belief that a bowl of pasta at 7pm will have fully ‘carb loaded’ you for the morning. It’s not just a dawn chorus scenario, either; eating your first meal at noon and hitting the gym at 6pm will also land you in a fasted state.
Until now, most people found themselves firmly on one side of the fence – Team Fasted if they wanted to burn fat, and Team Fed if they wanted to crank up their training, thanks to the performance benefits of the extra fuel they have taken in. ‘When you work out in the fed state, your body uses the calorie
