Morning vs afternoon session

[Josh]

Dear all, how do you compare between doing weight training in the morning (empty stomach/before breakfast) vs in the afternoon/evening?

I've read somewhere that doing weight sessions in the morning will help to cut fat but can't be in full intensity because there is not enough energy yet, while the reverse is true for afternoon/evening sessions. Is this true?

- Josh

 

[ZECH]

Hmmm? Don't know...I work out at lunch time!

 

[Leslie]

Pretty much - When you train should be in accordance to what your goals are. If you are opting for fat loss- first thing in the morning would be a better choice-since you will be lifting w/ light weight high rep. If you are trying to add mass- training an hour or so after eatting something will provide you with energy to lift heavier thruout your workout. This will help becaus eyou would be lifting heavy weight at low rep. But some of us can't choose when we train- so you just hae to make the best of it, Training in the am or pm is better than NOT training at all!!

 

[Arnold]

I do not believe in that. I think it is pretty much the same regardles of when you work-out.
Bill Phillips helped popularize the cardio first thing in the morning on a empty stomach. If I were to do that I would throw-up then pass out.

 

[LAM]

I've never heard of weight training in the morning on an empty stomach (as a known training principle) all though people do it. I would always eat (meaning having to get up even earlier) before weight training in the a.m. However test levels are highest in the am vs any other time of the day, hence the "morning wood" experienced by young males.

Just like doing am cardio, weight training in the a.m will jump start the metabolism and raise the resting metabolic rate and keep it elevated for several hours "which" could help excelerate fat loss.

 

[barc77]

I seem to have a better WO when lifting after work or in the afternoon after I have had some food. I feel alot weaker in the morning when I try to lift. It might all be in my head, I don't know?? Anyway, I have better workouts when I lift at night which is 99% of the time.

 

[Fade]

I think doing cardio is good for the morning but I'd rather hit the weights after I've had some nutrients. I've always been stronger in the evening than in the morning.

 

[Scotty the Body]

If I could do either, i'd work out in the morning around 2 hours after I've had breakfast, I'd be full of energy, wide awake and ready to go.

 

[TJohn]

If you're cutting, lifting on an empty or semi-empty stomach will help you burn fat. Personally I like to have no more than 400 cals b4 a workout.

TJohn

 

[Fade]

Like most aspects of weight training this will depend on the person.

I can cut after eating all day and working out at night. All I do is adjust my carbs and nothing else. Some people may need to do the low or no cal thing before to get the same results.

 

[TriZZle305]

I read at this link that you could maximize your weight loss if you do your cardio in the morning because your body doesnt have any carbs yet so it starts to burn stored body fat. i dunno just thought i might add

 

[SonnyB]

1st thing in the morn? Well your body could go for a muscle too? I've done this b4. I was 190 and dropped to 164. I was on a strict,strict diet. Even lower than 2000 cals. No sweets . Maybe that caused muscle loss. I saw one more post (somewhere) this guy putting up a whole bunch of info why doing cardio on empty stomach isnt a great idea.

 

[LAM]

doing long sessions (45-60 min) of intense cardio is not a good idea on a empty stomach...

60 minutes at 50% of your VO2Max is the optimum range for fat buring w/o sacrificing LBM.

 

[SonnyB]

VO2Max? max hr? Thats what i did Lam (doing long sessions (45-60 min) lost lots and lots of muscle . Thanks for the info.