Exercising While Intermittent Fasting: Dos and Don’ts

Some athletes believe intermittent fasting help improve their athletic performance. However, there are a few concerns related to working out while fasting. Below are tips on how to exercise safely while fasting.

Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : December 21, 2021 11:58 AM IST

Are you ready to try intermittent fasting? Whether you're doing it for weight loss or for the other benefits, you will probably want to maximize your results. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to get as much benefit as possible from your eating regime. Mukul Nagpaul, Fit India Movement Ambassador and Founder of Pmftraining, shares a few tips to speed your weight loss journey with intermittent fasting, as well as how to exercise safely while fasting.

Exercise during intermittent fasting: Things to keep in mind

There is some research to show that if you exercise while fasting, there are additional benefits. There is an impact on your metabolism and muscle biochemistry. This is linked to your insulin sensitivity and blood sugar level. If you exercise while fasting, your glycogen or stored carbs are depleted. This means you'll burn more fat.

To get the best result, eat protein following your workout. This will build and maintain your muscles. It will also promote better recovery. You should also follow up strength training with carbs within a half hour of your workout.
It's wise to eat food close to any modern or high-intensity exercise session.
You should also drink a lot more water to stay well-hydrated.
Keeping up your electrolyte level is important. Coconut water can be useful for this.
You may feel a little lightheaded or dizzy if you work out while fasting. If you experience this, take a break. It's important to listen to your body. If you're doing a longer fast, gentle exercise like pilates, yoga or walking are better. They will help to burn fat without making you feel unwell.

Benefits of working out while fasting

Some athletes swear by intermittent fasting as a way to improve their athletic performance. However, there is mixed research on the subject. Some evidence suggests that if you don't consume enough carbohydrates, the duration and intensity of your training will suffer. Meanwhile, other research suggests that intermittent fasting offers benefits for athletes.

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Some of the potential benefits include:

Growth hormone increases due to intermittent fasting. This helps to boost muscle, cartilage and bone growth. It also improves your immune function all good for athletes.
It improves your metabolic flexibility so you can adapt more easily between energy sources. Your body will be better able to use carbs or fat as a source of fuel. It will also allow you to burn fat for much longer before your body switches to carbs. As a result, your insulin will stay low, and your post-exercise recovery will improve.
Intermittent fasting reduces inflammation. This aids your post-exercise recovery. When you exercise, you incur a large amount of inflammation that you must recover from. However, the faster that inflammation subsides the better. Intermittent fasting can speed the process up.

Cons of fasting and working out

There are a few concerns, though. Fasting could cause a testosterone drop that is problematic because it impacts on muscle protein synthesis. You may also find it difficult to eat sufficient calories to allow you to gain muscle.