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Question
I am trying to lose weight so have started to exercise again. I go for a 20-30 minute jog in the morning before breakfast and I've heard that it's best not to eat before exercising to get the best fat burning effect but I find it a struggle to run on an empty stomach. Will my weight loss slow down if I eat before I exercise?
Rebecca
Answer
Before breakfast glycogen (carbohydrate stored in muscle) and insulin levels are low. So exercising in the morning before breakfast is likely to burn more fat than if you had something to eat before hand. BUT, the downside is that if you do exercise on an empty stomach you'll have less energy and get tired more quickly, meaning that you probably won't work out as effectively as if you'd had a small snack before.
Ultimately, weight loss comes down to burning more energy that you take in, so if you maybe swap a piece of fruit from somewhere else in the day and have it before you go for your run, it won't make a difference. Plus you'll feel much better for it.
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