Is HIIT More Effective On An Empty Stomach?

By Russ Howe


When it comes to High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT as it's more commonly known, there is a massive grey area surrounding the optimum nutrition to get the best from the fat loss aspects.

Today we will clear up a few of the myths for you and help you enhance your workouts.

For years a lot of people have believed that you should hit the gym without eating beforehand. This is more habit than fact, however, as science points in the opposite direction. Numerous studies have shown that the benefits of hitting the gym with the right nutrition inside your body will greatly enhance your performance and results.

The majority of gym users discovered high intensity interval training in the last ten years but this technique has been used in sports for over twenty years, so research into the nutritional aspect is anything but sparse. The problem is, however, most people short change themselves by not taking any time out to discover what they need to change with their diet to make the most of this new way of performing cardio for fat loss.

Most people who perform high intensity cardio are doing so because they have heard it helps you to lose weight much faster, so today we're going to specifically focus on how to get the most from the fat loss benefits. These two rules are very important:

* Ignore the theories about doing high intensity training on an empty stomach because that's all they are, theories! Studies show that people who consume a whey protein serving of around 20 grams before their gym session are able to burn calories and lose fat at a greatly enhanced rate over an entire 24 hour period compared to those running on empty before their session.

* In an age of hyped up pre-workout supplements which claim to push you to a harder workout in the gym, the best pre-workout supplement you can possibly take is actually good old Essential Amino Acids. That's right. No hype, but studies show that these are far more effective than any caffeine supplement as they actually help you hang on to lean muscle and work very well with your pre-workout protein shake, too.

Most people who are in the habit of training on an empty stomach wait until after their workout before consuming protein, amino acids or any other supplements they might be taking. Again, this is yesterday's advice.

When looking at Essential Amino Acids, for example, research concludes that having them before a workout is superior to taking them post-workout. Two groups trialed this a few years ago and while the post-workout group were able to take up 16% of the amino's the pre-workout group enjoyed a massive 42% muscle uptake.

And that's it. Pretty simple stuff in the end, right? By ensuring your body has enough essential amino acids and a nice serving of whey protein around 20 minutes before you do your next HIIT session you will greatly improve your results.




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