Exercise and Fasting
Can I? And should I do them together?
The short answer is – absolutely! Your body will access stores of energy (glycogen and body fat) to get what is needed while you exercise, so you don’t need to fuel up before you exercise.
Fasting combined with exercise helps to support:
- Improved mental clarity
- Management of stress & anxiety
- Healthy blood sugar and insulin levels
- Healthy body fat metabolism
Rule 1 – Always listen to your body
If you find exercising while fasting easy – that’s great, keep on going! Although if you feel unwell for any reason you should stop, rest and listen to what your body needs.
Rule 2 – Hydration is key!
During a fast, you are not getting hydration (from both salt and water) from foods so it’s important to properly hydrate before and after a workout.
Remember
Always drink fluids before and/or after working out; and listen to your body – if you aren’t feeling well, or you’re not feeling sure about the fast, then stop and get some help or advice. You can always try again, so don’t put pressure on yourself and get into a sticky situation.
