When To Workout When Intermittent Fasting ?

Are you trying to lose weight , but have no idea when to workout when intermittent fasting ?

Well , you're lucky , because today you'll get the answer that you're looking for .

But first , let's answer the most common question when it comes to when to workout when intermittent fasting .

Is there actually a right and wrong time to workout while intermittent fasting , and what about fasted training ? Is it better ? Is it worse ?

Well , in fact there's no right or wrong time to workout when fasting .

It's just that the time in which you place your workout can make the fasting process a bit easier or more difficult .

This is especially true if fasting is already a difficult task for you .

Stay Away From Morning Fasted Workout 

Let's face it , the majority of people hate working out , and they just do it because they have to .

So in order to get rid of it and focus on other stuffs later on the day , they schedule their workout in the morning .

Well i tend to agree and disagree with them at the same time .

You see , morning workouts are great , they sets you up for the day , and you can focus on other goals .

But when you factor in fasting , now it's a different equation , as the physical activity from working out increases your appetite .

The appetite increase will make the following fasting hours a true mental battle .

Let me explain , you see the most popular intermittent fasting schedule that people tend to prefer is the 16/8 .

With this schedule , you are basically skipping breakfast , so your fasting will last anywhere from 4 h to 8 h after waking up .

So for example , if you wake up at 8 am then you will break your fast either at 12 pm or 4 pm. 

This means that if you have a morning workout , let's say at 9 am , you will have to wait 3 to 7 hours before you consume your first meal
, can you imagine that ?

That would be so hard to do , I mean just fasting without working out is already hard , and now you're making it even harder .

If you think about it for a minute , you'll see that adding a morning workout will only make you hungrier and more tired , making the whole process a lot harder .

When To Workout When Intermittent Fasting 

So , now you might be wondering , what is the best time to workout ? ... When to workout when intermittent fasting ?

The answer is simple : just before your first meal .

For example , if you will break your fast at 2 pm , workout at 12 or 1 pm .

If you break your fast at 4 pm , workout at 2 or 3 pm , and so on .

This is considered to be the best time frame , ideally , you shouldn't space the end of your workout and the first meal by more then an hour .

Another alternative would be to place your workout one hour after your first meal .

So maybe you break your fast by eating a small meal let's say at 2 PM , workout at 3 pm and finish at 4 pm .

This way when you return home it will be the perfect time for your second , larger meal

I Can't Workout In The Afternoon , What Should I Do ?

If you follow the guidelines that I mentioned above , then your workouts would be in the afternoon the majority of time .

But i know that this is unrealistic , because most of you work a traditional 9 to 5 job .

So if that's the case , you can always schedule your workout in the evening .

This way , your workouts would be before your second or final meal of that day , which will eliminate all of the hunger issues .

But it seems that working out in the evening is a taboo for most people nowadays .

They consider it to be less effective , because it is claimed that it lead to sleep problems and that it messes with your body's rhythm.

To be honest with you , I don't even know where these claims are coming from

Working out in the evening has it's own benefits .

The gym is less crowded , and you have all the time to workout at a pace that's suitable for you , which will increase your focus during your workout .

Plus your work capacity increases in the evening according to studies , which will lead to a more productive workouts .

I Can Only Workout In The Morning , Now What ?

Don't worry if the morning is the only time you have to workout . 

The following points will show you how to keep your hunger under control .

Note : if you are a person who prefer to workout in the morning (instead of the evening), then i certainly recommend a pre-workout supplement to help you with you workouts .

Control your post workout hunger with these simple tips

So now you might be wondering how will you be able to resist your hunger feelings that will be increasing as time goes by ? 

Sure , you can resist and get through if you have enough will power , but this is not an easy thing to do , and it may even be impossible to do on a daily basis .

Luckly for you there are some other easy ways that will help you relieve your hunger .

For example , you will be surprised , how keeping your body hydrated can suppress your appetite and delay hunger .

So try to keep a small bottle of water next to your desk and sip it every few minutes , as often times , your body may mistake dehydration for hunger .

You can also use another liquid form , low calorie drink instead of water .

Sparkling water can makes this a lot easier as the carbonation will help you to feel full for longer periods of time .

Another simple yet powerful strategy is to drink one or two cups of bone broth , which is very satisfying although it contain only about 50 calories per one cup .

You can also add a piece of your favorite fruit to the equation, and this will calm your hunger till you break your fast .

A piece of fruit , What ? Won't this break my fast ?

Fasting does not mean that you should completely avoid calories .

Limiting calories to around 100 cal won't get you out of the fasted state .

IF is more like a strategy to restrict calories for fat loss other than anything else (although fasting has great health benefits as well , which we'll discuss in another article ) .

Some other people have also reported decreased appetite when taking a BCAA supplement before exercising .

Just like broth, BCAAs also contain few calories and may help you to manage your hunger after you finish your workout .

Workout When It Suits You The Best

So now that you know the pros and cons of training fasted in the morning or after you break your fast , it all comes down to what works best for you in terms of when to workout when intermittent fasting .

If you prefer to workout fasted in the morning and post workout hunger is not a problem for you , then by all means train in the morning .

It's not always the case , but hunger is usually more prevalent once the body fat start to get really low .

This is why I prefer and strongly suggest that you schedule your workout later in the day if possible .

So now it comes down to you , just measure your hunger levels and see what is possible , and what will work best for you .

Final Thoughts 

You know now the right way to combine IF and working out for rapid fat loss results , and you know exactly when to workout when intermittent fasting .

You see , IF has a lot of great benefits when it comes to weight loss , but sometimes even such healthy habits and diets can come with some problems .

And scheduling a morning workout will only make the fasting a lot harder on you .

So if you can , move your workout session to the afternoon or early evening .

This will make sure that you won't spend the rest of the day daydreaming about the meals that you'll have later , which I hope they'll be healthy ones .