Is it possible to exercise in the morning on an empty stomach? Dismantling old myths: training on an empty stomach Is it possible to exercise on an empty stomach?

Fasting training is possible in the morning before meals or throughout the day when used intermittent fasting. When the body is fasting, the concentration of glucose decreases. Thanks to this, the production of endogenous somatotropin is accelerated. This, in turn, promotes fat burning when using appropriate nutrition programs and enhances the anabolic background.

Today there is a specially developed method of intermittent fasting. It involves fasting for 16 hours and an eight-hour eating window. Within the specified time periods, you can create any nutrition plan.

The digestion process takes quite a long time and can last for six hours. In this case, food debris can remain in the intestinal tract for 15 to 20 hours. Thus, we can say that if you ate food at 11 pm yesterday, then most likely it will not be processed by the morning, and you will receive the necessary nutrients during training.

Also, the advantages of “hungry training” include the absence of the desire to take a nap, which always arises after eating. This fact is associated with the onset of serotonin production, which has a relaxing effect on the central nervous system. When the body does not need to process food, its performance will be higher.
On average, food is digested for about 3 hours and after this time the glucose concentration begins to fall. At this moment, the body is ready to synthesize anabolic hormones, and you can safely go to the gym. It should also be said that if you have not eaten for four hours, the muscle tissue will not begin to break down.

Note that when using a low-calorie nutrition program, training on an empty stomach stimulates fat burning processes. However, this is only possible if you feel hungry.

If you want to train on an empty stomach, then you need to ensure that your caloric intake and nutrient ratios are correct. Thanks to this, you will be able to replenish your glycogen stores and be able to train effectively.

Possible problems when training on an empty stomach

During fasting, you may feel weak in three cases:

• The body cannot maintain blood sugar levels;
• Lack of carbohydrates in the diet;
• You want to justify poor quality training.

If your body is unable to maintain sugar levels, you should contact your healthcare professional. This is a fairly serious disruption to the body's performance.

Carbohydrates are the fastest and most accessible source of energy. However, people often believe that this nutrient is the main cause of weight gain and remove it from their nutritional program. This results in a reduction in total calories, which is the main tool for weight control.

If your body doesn't get enough carbohydrates, you may experience a loss of energy. Consuming 50 to 60 percent carbohydrates of your total caloric intake will help you maintain adequate glycogen stores.

As you can see, training on an empty stomach has a right to exist and can even bring good results. However, there are some nuances that we tried to talk about.

More details about fasting training in bodybuilding:

02.12.2019 12:05:00

The idea of ​​training on an empty stomach seems logical. In the morning, when glycogen levels are low, that is, the body has no energy reserves, it has to choose other sources in the form of fat reserves. Thus, the process of losing weight should be much faster. Sounds tempting. Let's figure out whether it's a myth or reality.

The question of whether you should exercise on an empty stomach or not is controversial. There is no clear answer to this. It all depends on the individual, his internal metabolism, hormonal balance and his compliance with the principles of energy balance.

- When and how do we spend fat?

Getting rid of excess fat is one of the most discussed topics among those who go to the gym, and also the main incentive for people to engage in at least some physical activity. Let's see how it is formed.

When you eat food, your body produces insulin to help absorb nutrients. The hormone then redirects sugar from the blood to the muscles, liver and subcutaneous fat to store energy for use later.

Fat (lipid) is a large group organic compounds, which form a reserve of energy material. It is a kind of building material for our body. Fats in the body are stored in the form of triglycerides in adipose tissue cells (adipocytes).

Fatty acids are released from subcutaneous fat when there is a lack of calories and serve as the main source of energy for muscles. That is, first the fat that you consumed before training or the one that is already in the muscles that gets there from the subcutaneous fat when there is a lack of calories burns.

Fat burning happens all the time. The body always spends energy, taking it from fats or carbohydrates in different proportions, in which depends on the specific organism.

First, mobilization (lipolysis) occurs - fatty acids leave the fat cell. They are then transported (exited) into the bloodstream and ultimately oxidized in body tissues (muscles, liver, heart).

- The effectiveness of training on an empty stomach

The theory of increased fasting fat burning was popularized by Bill Phillips in his book Body for Life. Phillips claims that 20 minutes of intense cardio on an empty stomach immediately after sleep has a much better effect on fat loss than an hour's workout after a meal. The rationale behind this theory is that low glycogen levels cause the body to switch from carbohydrates to stored fat. Although this prospect seems tempting, not everything is so simple.


To understand whether aerobic exercise on an empty stomach really helps to get rid of excess fat, consider several experiments. In a 2011 study published in the scientific journal Strength and Conditioning, athletic trainer and scientist Brad Schoenfeld compared how athletes burned fat during training at different levels of effort. During the experiment, subjects rode a bicycle for 2 hours and some participants in the experiment ate high-glycemic carbohydrate foods.

The result was that during moderate-intensity cycles, fat oxidation did not differ between subjects whether they consumed carbohydrates or not; At the same time, the results of low-intensity tests showed that fasting fatty acid consumption was 22% higher, but this did not affect fat burning itself, because “much more fat is broken down than necessary.” After training, unused fat fuel was returned to storage.

Another 2014 International Society of Sports Nutrition study compared not the process of fat loss, but the ultimate degree of change in body composition resulting from different training strategies. The purpose of the study is to estimate the fat and lean body mass of a person in fasted exercisers and those who had breakfast. Over the course of 30 days, 20 participants completed an hour of moderate-intensity cardio 3 times a week. In both groups, the scientists reduced their total daily calorie intake by 500 calories and controlled for optimal macronutrient ratios.

The final results of the participants who occurred in the body composition were the same. The time and conditions of training do not play a role; the choice of strategy depends on the individual preferences of the person. It should be noted that any exercise will not bring the desired effect if you do not consume all the calories you receive from food during the day.

- Consequences of training on an empty stomach

This training strategy has its disadvantages:

• Pitt McCall, one of the experts at American Councilon Exercise, claims that in the morning, due to higher level hormone cortisol (this is what gives energy to wake up), excess fatty acids after training do not move back to the fat depot, but tend to linger in the abdominal area. That is, instead of speeding up fat burning by exercising on an empty stomach, we are actually helping to avoid seeing abs for as long as possible.
• draws attention to the fact that exercising on an empty stomach can help burn not only fat deposits, but also protein, which is found in muscle tissue and is used for muscle recovery and growth. This process is called gluconeogenesis (production of glucose from non-carbohydrate compounds). If carbohydrates (glycogen in the muscles and liver, glucose in the bloodstream) are not available, the body begins to use proteins as fuel and, therefore, they cannot perform their functions normally.
• Such activities can have a negative impact on your well-being: nausea, loss of consciousness, dizziness. If you prefer to work out in the morning and don't have time to eat, drink sweetened water or a drink. This will help avoid unpleasant situations.

- The benefits of exercising on an empty stomach

Exercising on an empty stomach is effective for those who have a low percentage of subcutaneous body fat. Jim Stoppani, a specialist in sports physiology and biochemistry, in his work “Cardio on an Empty Stomach” notes that over many years of experience in managing patients, he saw that morning cardio gets rid of the most “resistant” layer of fat. Over the years of training, Stoppani noticed that it is training on an empty stomach that allows you to remove the remaining fat from problem areas.


For those who want to lose weight, light exercise on an empty stomach can also be beneficial. This is a good practice for training lipid (fat) metabolism and teaching the body to burn fat better. However, if you haven’t eaten before in the evening and haven’t eaten anything in the morning, then such training can lead to overwork, so nothing good will come of it either. If you're going to do some kind of high-intensity workout or long run in the morning, you can drink sweet tea and eat something carbohydrate: a small muffin, gingerbread, peanut butter toast, or an energy bar. This will help you complete your planned workout better.

If you are determined to exercise on an empty stomach, follow these rules to avoid negative consequences:

• Don't exercise for more than 45 minutes
• Choose medium or low intensity workouts
• Stay hydrated (drink a glass of water in the morning and as needed during training),
• Remember that overall lifestyle, especially nutrition, plays a bigger role in weight gain or loss than fasted exercise.

And most importantly, listen to your body and do what you like. If you have questions about whether you should exercise on an empty stomach, consult a nutritionist, personal trainer, or doctor.

Speaking about the ability to perform physical exercises on an empty stomach, one thing can be said. Times change and what once seemed obligatory to us now turns out that this is not so. We used to be taught that we needed to eat six times a day. And consumption. I'm afraid that some of your beliefs will not stand after this article.

Recent research shows that our bodies benefit from intermittent fasting. And exercising while restricting food intake may not be as bad as we think. In fact, working out on an empty stomach helps our muscles, regulates insulin in the body and burns fat.

Is it better to exercise on an empty stomach?

If you want to hear the answer right away, it will be “Yes”

Does this mean all the talk about pre-workout nutrition was in vain? Not really.

Some studies have shown that consuming carbohydrates before exercise allows athletes to exercise longer than when training in a fasted state.

Another study found that men in a fasted state ran significantly shorter distances in 60 minutes. Compared to men who ate pre-workout. This was despite no significant differences in heart rate and perceived exertion.

But while not eating before a sporting event will not help you achieve outstanding results, training on an empty stomach for amateur sports can help in other ways. Especially for those who care more about their waistline than their marathon results.

Another of the many studies conducted on this topic concluded that men aged 18-25 who did fasted cardio exercise while eating a high-fat, high-calorie diet had improved glucose handling and insulin sensitivity compared to those who exercised without refusing food before exercise or those who did not exercise at all.

Of these three groups, only those who did the exercises on an empty stomach did not gain weight.

What happens to our body when training on an empty stomach?

Overall, the science when comparing fasted and non-fasted exercise shows that the results are not very convincing about the benefits of fasted exercise. But despite this, we know that intermittent eating triggers a different mechanism for the production of insulin in the body, as well as tissue growth hormone. It is also known that intermittent fasting can disrupt our traditional understanding of protein digestion.

Insulin

Insulin is a hormone that regulates the use of nutrients by the liver, body muscles and fat cells. Insulin is produced in response to carbohydrates entering the body. Every time you eat a banana, chew a carrot, swallow a sandwich or drink juice, your body produces insulin, which controls the absorption of nutrients.

Insulin thus helps control fat cells and food absorption. And lack of sleep, lack of mobility (or a sedentary lifestyle without exercise), and overheating of the body make our bodies less sensitive to the effects of insulin. This so-called insulin resistance makes us more prone to diabetes, certain types of cancer and obesity, which is a major health problem in developed countries.

If you decide to exercise when most of the glucose and glycogen from your last meal has been used up, your body is likely to turn its attention to fat cells as an energy source. After fasting, your body becomes most sensitive to the insulin it produces whenever you eat. This sensitivity does magical things - it uses carbohydrates, proteins and fats more efficiently, promoting body muscle growth and fat burning.

One of the explanations why the topic of insulin resistance has become such a hot topic today is the theory of “thrifty” genes. She states that our metabolism speeds up when we consciously vary periods of eating and fasting, vigorous exercise and rest. This is in stark contrast to the lifestyle of the modern average person with his sedentary lifestyle, abundance of food and constant consumption of it. The thrifty gene theory is one explanation for why a 2005 study found that intermittent fasting improved insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake in healthy men.

A growth hormone

In fact, opinions about this hormone are mixed. It is present in the bodies of children and adolescents and is declared as an anti-aging factor for older people. But while its effectiveness against aging has not been confirmed, it directly affects growth muscle mass and increased muscle strength. Daily fasting can increase the production of growth hormone in the body by 1.5 times.

A few words about another hormone

Testosterone is one of the hormones that directly affects the increase in muscle mass and burning fat in the body. And it is precisely because of this that the answer to the question of whether it is possible to do strength exercises on an empty stomach can only be in the affirmative. With a short-term refusal of food, the effectiveness of strength exercises increases several times.

Protein

After these facts, you may be thinking, “even if exercising on an empty stomach is beneficial in the short term, does fasting affect protein digestion and muscle mass?” In fact, studies in young, middle-aged, and elderly adults have found that you can take your daily dose of protein at one time without harmful effects. To back this up, it's worth mentioning that there is some evidence that eating once or twice a day is more effective for building lean muscle mass.

In general, if you are not an athlete, then your strategy can be quite simple. If you don't want to eat, then don't eat.

Speaking about training on an empty stomach, we can say the following: skipping one or two meals before training will not harm your body. Intermittent fasting can reverse the effects of a sedentary, high-fat, high-calorie diet and make more efficient use of the food you eat. Working out in the morning on an empty stomach will help you better absorb the foods you eat after your workout.

The question of whether you should practice exercises on an empty stomach to lose body weight is not as clear-cut as it seems. Although it seems that everything is simpler than that: after skipping a meal, the body has nowhere to get energy and it begins to take it by burning fat.

For example, a study at the University of Bath in the UK found that when overweight people briskly walked for 60 minutes on an empty stomach, their bodies switched to increased burning of stored fat (not carbohydrates) compared to the group that ate before. training.

“Overweight people respond differently to fasted exercise—they typically increase their metabolic rate faster than healthy people,” says Darrin S. Willoughby, Ph.D., director of the Exercise and Biochemical Nutrition Laboratory at Baylor University in Texas. .

This is confirmed by the British Journal of Nutrition, reporting findings from a 2013 study. When exercising on an empty stomach, people lost 20% more fat than people who had a small snack before exercise.

Another experiment published in the International Journal Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism showed the same result: fasted aerobic exercise reduced body fat percentage more than did pre-workout meals.

But some scientists do not agree with such conclusions.

Sports nutritionist Kelly Pritchett. “Why is excess fat burned?” - he reasons. "To perform intense physical actions such as long-distance running or weight lifting, your body must burn glycogen, or stored carbohydrates. If it used them, then there must be a power switch.

Presumably due to the excess fat that you have. But there's one catch. Your body is not a fan of exercise, and as you quickly burn fat, your body begins to regulate its metabolism and burn fewer calories. Your body goes into survival mode and uses more nutrients to store energy in the form of fat at your next meal.”

In this case, we can draw the following conclusion. Each theory has its supporters and opponents. But the theory of fasting training has enough followers who show its effectiveness. And if you are concerned about losing weight the most the best way To find out if fasting exercises are right for you, try it yourself and decide whether it helps you or not. After all, a person is individual and what does not suit one may perfectly help another.

And if, after all of the above, you ask me “is it possible to eat before training”, I will answer “Yes”. It's okay to eat, but if you try fasted workouts, you'll be able to find out exactly what's best for you.

Before starting training of any kind, you should take care of proper nutrition. Which person chooses breakfast before training, most of the success in obtaining results will depend on this - about 60-70%. And only 30% is dependent on the program and exercises, both for burning fat and gaining muscle mass.

Many people are interested in whether it is possible to train in the morning on an empty stomach. After all, the choice of energy source for use by the body directly depends on the level of intensity of exercise. The combination of carbohydrates in the morning and protein in the evening is quite often used. The quality of training affects the balance of these components. During an aerobic exercise program in order to lose weight, the energy supply in the body is evenly distributed using fats and carbohydrates.

Let's start training

Before starting training, you should find out whether it is possible to exercise on an empty stomach. Experienced athletes, when they hear the phrase “before training,” perceive the information as eating 5 minutes before the start of the warm-up. When the belly is full there is a slowdown physical activity digestive processes. This happens due to the fact that blood goes into the muscles. It is worth taking into account the appearance of drowsiness, belching, heaviness in the stomach, which will definitely become a hindrance when physical exercise. Based on such judgments, experts recommend eating no later than a couple of hours before starting exercise.

Training in the morning on an empty stomach cannot be completed at the required level and at the required pace. Because there are no resources in the body. Until the training begins, eating in the morning the day before is mandatory to get results. Even if you were unable to have a full and timely breakfast, it is permissible to eat a small portion of easily digestible and energetic food. It could be some kind of sweet, a small piece of fruit, or a gainer drink. But training in the morning on an empty stomach will clearly not bring benefits.

It is not allowed to train on an empty stomach; you should eat a small portion of low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt or half a portion of porridge at least 30 minutes before the start of training.

To understand whether it is possible to exercise in the morning on an empty stomach, it is worth understanding the processes in the body immediately after waking up:

• When a person wakes up, their glycogen stores are depleted and plasma insulin levels are low. Insulin, in turn, affects the catabolic process. The higher its indicator, the greater the likelihood of slowing down the process of fat breakdown. At the same time, a person loses weight slowly.
• When glycogen levels are low, the body has to use energy from its own reserves.
• Due to the manifestation of the instinct of self-preservation, all processes have a slow action.
• Due to low fasting sugar levels, the body's performance is low. Sometimes accompanied by dizziness and weakness.
• After overnight fasting, a high level of growth hormone appears. Released as a response to hunger. Increases the process of catabolism. But due to the manifestation of the hormone insulin, which is the opposite of growth hormone, its work slows down.

Types of loads

There are 2 main types of physical exercise:

1. Power loads. Used to build muscle mass.
2. Cardio loads. In order for the metabolic process to work more intensively, endurance and weight loss increase.

To carry out a training session with a strength bias in the form of barbells or dumbbells, you need at least the presence of vigor and strength. If you choose when to conduct this kind of training - in the morning or in the evening, then you need to remember the evidence from scientists. Namely, strength training is more appropriate in the afternoon. After exercise, muscles continue to burn calories for some time. But jogging or aerobics is ideal for the morning.

Supplements

you take it on an empty stomach in the morning to start the body. Promotes the work and construction of muscle fibers. It is also acceptable to take it before training in the middle of the day. This will help maintain amino acid levels. Taking them in the evening will prevent the onset of catabolism. The form of administration does not affect processes in the human body. Be it capsules, tablets or powder. It is allowed to drink it with both water and any juices.

BCAA is a building material for muscle fiber. The composition contains the amino acids isoleucine, valine and leucine. BCAA should not be taken on an empty stomach. It is recommended to use it during and after training. Helps saturate muscles with energy. Thanks to this, a person will be more resilient and show better results during training.

Fasting protein is essential for athletes to build muscle. It contains about 95% protein, which the body uses to build muscle tissue. Proteins are often taken in the form of a protein shake, which you can easily prepare yourself at home. To do this, you need to take the protein itself, water or milk, and apply flavorings in the form of finely chopped fruit.

Carnitine on an empty stomach can be taken regularly for about 4-8 weeks. Promotes fat burning and, by retaining protein, maintains muscle tone during a diet. Has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Helps slow down the aging process in the brain.

If strength training is carried out in the morning, the diet should be rich in supplements.

Breakfast

Breakfast before morning workout must be healthy and nutritious. In addition to whole grain porridge or oatmeal that first comes to mind, you should not forget about other products that will help you fuel your body and get carbohydrates for breakfast.

Breakfast before a workout for weight loss should include the following foods containing carbohydrates:

• Greenery.
• Fruits.
• Vegetables.
• Buckwheat, oatmeal and pearl barley porridge.

It is wise to add protein foods to lower the glycemic index and prolong the cherished feeling of fullness. It is appropriate to add fruits and berries to cottage cheese, herbs to kefir, it is better to cook porridge with milk or water with a bite of cheese.

Important! Freshly squeezed juices for breakfast are not suitable for weight loss. They are fast carbohydrates devoid of fiber. Equal to 5 tablespoons of granulated sugar.

Protein for breakfast for weight loss will come in handy if it is followed later by carbohydrate reinforcement. Best options protein breakfasts: cottage cheese with dried fruits and sour cream, egg omelet, chicken breast roll.

If you eat carbohydrates in the morning and proteins in the evening, the diet is called a protein-carbohydrate diet.

Complex carbohydrates for breakfast are mainly found in whole grains. These include pectin, fiber, starch and glycogen. Helps nourish muscles, functional organs and systems in the human body.

Red, white or green beans for breakfast help nourish all functional organs.

A protein shake for breakfast is recommended for weight loss. It acts in the direction of preserving muscle mass, taming appetite, and increasing metabolism. It is important not to abuse them.

We all come to understand that we need to eat less. This long and thorny path is strewn with incomprehensible experiments with vegetarianism, a raw food diet, separate meals and other things. A special practice is fasting. The thing is interesting and useful in every sense, especially in the context of sports.

Which is better?

How do you prefer to train? On an empty stomach or after a solid meal? I personally am only able to move in the early morning, before breakfast. Many people, on the contrary, can function normally only by eating heavily.

The debate about the best way to exercise will probably never go away. Fans of exercise on an empty stomach are squabbling with those who like to snack one more time, and it seems that the truth is still far from true. Today we will try to give a definitive answer to the question of how to exercise most effectively.

It's time to debunk old myths about food and exercise.

It is, of course, difficult to give a definitive answer. Everyone is different, and everyone achieves the best training results in different conditions. Telling a person how he should exercise is kind of like telling him what time of day to work out or what diet to follow. Everything is too individual. But there are a number of myths that people continue to believe.

Contrary to popular belief, research shows that snacking during the day does not speed up metabolic processes, skipping meals will not automatically make you fat, and exercising on an empty stomach will not invalidate your workout results. In reality, periodic meal skipping, also known as intermittent fasting, dieting alternative nutrition or the longevity diet can be incredibly beneficial.

So let's start with the good. For example, from the fact that handsome Hugh Jackman, preparing for his next role as Wolverine, practiced intermittent fasting in order to build muscle mass. Why did he choose this particular diet? The fact is that it triggers a chain of hormonal changes that are beneficial both for building muscle mass and for burning excess calories.

Exercising on an empty stomach has two significant benefits

1. Increases insulin sensitivity

Let's talk very simply. When we eat, the body produces insulin to help absorb nutrients. The hormone then redirects sugar from the blood to the liver, muscles and subcutaneous fat to be used for energy later. The problem is that the habit of eating too much and too often makes us more resistant to insulin, that is, it reduces sensitivity. In medical practice this is called insulin resistance. Low insulin sensitivity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, and also makes it much more difficult to lose weight. In short, it interferes with life with terrible force.

Reducing the frequency of meals is a good way to solve the problem of insulin resistance. The body produces insulin less frequently and, accordingly, becomes more sensitive to it. Blood flow to the muscles improves, it becomes easier for us to lose weight, and the effects of an unhealthy diet are curbed.

2. Action of the hormone somatotropin

Somatotropin is an almost magical elixir of youth that helps the body build muscle tissue, burn fat, strengthen bone tissue, improve physical function and prolong longevity.

Along with regular training and good sleep, light fasting is the best way to increase the level of growth hormone in the body.

One study found that after 24 hours of fasting, growth hormone levels in men increased by as much as 2,000%, and in women by 1,300%! The effect wears off quickly, so there are good reasons to fast regularly in order to constantly maintain the level of somatotropin, which has such a wonderful effect on our body.

Fasting and sports

When talking about beneficial hormones, we cannot ignore testosterone. It helps increase muscle mass and reduce body fat. In addition, it increases the level of physical strength, energy and libido, helps in the fight against depression and heart problems in both men and women. Fasting itself has no effect on testosterone. But there is an amazing way to force the body to produce more testosterone and growth hormone at the same time, thereby creating ideal conditions for building muscle mass and burning fat: fasting + active sports!

Exercise, especially intense exercise that targets multiple muscle groups (compound exercises like barbell squats), causes large spikes in testosterone. This is why it is useful to combine exercise and fasting. Numerous studies have shown that working out while fasting is a great way to build muscle and improve insulin sensitivity. This approach is effective not only because of hormonal reactions, but also because it helps the body absorb nutrients from food much more actively.

In short, exercise on an empty stomach helps proteins, fats and carbohydrates to be stored as fatty tissue in the smallest quantities. It has been found that people who actively exercise while fasting lose weight at a much greater rate (possibly due to increased levels of oxidative enzymes).

Such training teaches your body to use energy more efficiently and not waste it, and increases the efficiency of glycogen storage in the muscles. Periodic “fast training” further improves the quality of regular ones. Some studies have also shown that "fast training" can significantly improve athletes' endurance, which is measured by the ability to take in and use oxygen during exercise, and is a pretty smart way to measure exercise.

Not everything is rosy, of course.

It would be dishonest to gloss over the fact that not everything is rosy. Some studies have shown that exercising while fasting results in impaired performance. True, they studied mainly such traditional fasts as Ramadan, which does not allow the consumption of liquids (which is not recommended for athletes). Even the fact that most people eat before playing sports already suggests that sports after eating already gives good results. Heck, there are even studies that show that eating before workouts can lead to fewer calories consumed throughout the day. But all this does not in any way cancel the undeniable benefits of periodic training on an empty stomach.

So, if you want to try working out on an empty stomach. ↓

Action plan

We understand perfectly what you are thinking right now. Something like this: “Screw it, I won’t be able to withstand the stress without eating anything!” First, let's have a little more faith in ourselves. You can do much more than you think, you just need to arm yourself with the right attitude. Secondly, we will give several simple tips that will help you master this diet more painlessly:

1. You can drink more than just water. Don't be afraid to break your old habits and get energy from black coffee, tea, caffeine tablets, creatine and other non-caloric substances.
2. Stop fasting whenever you feel like it. Many people prefer to eat immediately after training, after a short fast has already had its effect. It doesn't make much difference if you extend your fast. Even if you exercise in the morning and don't eat until the evening, the wave of hormonal changes will last throughout the day and prevent muscle loss. No matter what you decide, your body will always support you.
3. Eat as much as you want. Notice we didn't say "eat as many calories as you want." After all, it is not at all necessary to eat a lot of food.

And finally

The habit of eating is probably the most durable human habit. We are all people, we are all human, our habits are us. Fighting the habit of constantly eating something is a noble, but thankless task. This is terribly difficult, especially for those people who spent N amount of time learning to eat regularly and at the same time. It's true: Intermittent fasting takes time to get used to. Our body must get used to the fact that it will not receive food as often as before. This uncomfortable feeling goes away over time, but if you feel that this way of eating is not for you, then there is no need to continue. Just don't be afraid to try.