Exercise in a Fasted State

There has been some discussion about exercising in a fasted state, or prior to eating breakfast in the morning. It has been said that exercising in a fasted state results in more body fat loss. This hypothesis was tested on a small group of women. All of the women were on a calorie restricted diet. 10 women were given a meal replacement prior to aerobic exercise, while the fasted group was given the same meal replacement after exercise. Both groups showed significant weight loss, but there was no significant differences between the two groups. This study was published in the Journal for the International Society of Sports Nutrition, November 2014. This is not the first nor the last word on this topic. A study looking at fat loss in fed and fasted men during Ramadan found that only the fasted men preferentially lost body fat. Another study found that exercising in the fasted state while otherwise on a rich, hyper-caloric diet, offered more protection from insulin resistance and better glucose tolerance than exercising in a fed state.