Is fasted cardio better than cardio after meal?

Often we can hear some people that say how faster cardio works better because they think they will spend much more fat than after meals and they keep telling this story to everyone.

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The last wave of those greatest optimists is now under way to prepare for the summer, but we think that now it is too late. Still, it is never late for education so let’s educate ourselves!

How to burn fat?

That’s what we all already know, because we talk about it for months. Calorie deficit, lower energy input than we need. The body then compensates the difference in energy by using its own fat tissue and a lower percentage of proteins.

The fats that the body consumes during cardiovascular exercise does not come from subcutaneous fat but primarily from the muscle triglycerides, and the longer we train, the body relies more on them as a source.

Also, it is important to note that fasted cardio increases the chance of loss of muscle mass compared to cardio after meals. The effect may not be great, but it should be considered whether it is worth the risk. Probably for the average person there is no fear.

What does the science says?

Studies did not find significant differences in the energy expenditure of fasted cardio in comparison to cardio after meal. One group had cardio before meals, and the other group had cardio after meals, and the differences in energy expenditure were indeed minimal. You can find links to studies at the bottom of this article.

Conclusion

There is no significant difference between fasted cardio and cardio after meals, there may be negative side effects due to muscle mass consumption, but that is another topic. If you want to run in the morning, run in the morning, if you want to do it after a meal, run after a meal, it is important that at the end of the day you are inside your calorie intake that needs to be consistent with your goal and you don’t have to worry.

Sources:
https://weightology.net/fasted-cardio-an-undeserved-good-reputation/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23723099
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25429252

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