There is a lot of talk about fasted cardio and the benefits of working out on an empty stomach. While I’m not going to go into details here of all the pros and cons (maybe I’ll save that for another day), what I do believe is that only you can be the judge of what works for you.
As a trainer I’ve had those sessions with clients that haven’t gone as smoothly as they should have. Waves of nausea and dizzy spells, getting lightheaded and having to stop, feeling week and lethargic before we even started. These are all symptoms that suggest maybe you’re not eating enough before you workout.
Whether you choose to workout early and deliberately skip breakfast beforehand, or maybe you drive to the gym straight from work, before dinner. Whatever the reason for not eating, please keep the above symptoms in mind and if any of them resonate, take note to try to eat a little more before your next workout and see if it helps.
Reason no.1 – Low blood sugar
Your blood sugar can drop very low when you begin moderate to high intensity exercise without being fully fuelled. When you exercise your body draws on the sugar (glucose) in your bloodstream and muscles. Once depleted, it starts to draw glucose from the your body’s reserves.
If you’ve not prepared your body by giving it a source of fuel pre workout, your brain will become starved of the glucose it needs, hence feeling dizzy.
Quick fix – Grab a snack! Go for something light with quick carbs… a banana and glass of juice for example. Experiment with snacks and see what works well for you.
Reason no.2 – You’re dehydrated
When you workout, your body temperature rises and your body sweats in response, as a way to cool itself down. During more intense exercise you can lose a lot of water so it’s important to stay hydrated.
Simple solution – drink more water before and during your workout
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At the end of the day listen to your body and do what works best for you. Don’t feel you have to eat something if you perform well without but if training on an empty stomach makes you feel ill, dizzy and/ or tired, then try to eat something beforehand. Fuelling up will mean you will be able to put more effort in to the session and work even harder for the results you’re chasing.
