I work out in the morning, so unless I’m going on a long run I usually don’t hit the fridge before I hit the road. Little did I know my munching schedule has an effect on my body's fat-burning skills. A new study shows that working out on an empty stomach might actually help you lose more weight!

European researchers have found that cyclists who trained without eating burned significantly more fat than cyclists who ate. Apparently, eating carbs interrupts your fat metabolizing abilities for about six hours.

“When you exercise (after fasting), your adrenalin is high and your insulin is low," said Peter Hespel, a professor of exercise physiology at the University of Leuven in Belgium. "That ratio is favorable for your muscles to oxidize (break down) more fatty acids."

Performance vs. Pudge
It’s important to note that the hungry bikers may have burned more fat, but they performed worse than those who ate. So if you’re an uber athlete in pursuit of performance, maybe you should still munch before you crunch. I guess it depends on what you’re looking for. But if you want to lose pudge, skip the snack.

What do you do? What’s your favorite pre/post workout munchie?

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Labels: fat burning, lose weight, metabolism, work out

In honor of Weigh In Day* today, here are a few things you can do to grease your metabolic gears.

Some of these suggestions are pretty obvious, but I think it’s a good reminder:

Break your fast
Eat a good breakfast every morning. If you don't, your body goes into starvation mode, slowing your metabolism to a crawl to conserve energy.

Coffee!
A recent study showed the average metabolic rate of people who drank coffee increased 16% over those who drank decaf.

Pick protein
Aim for about 30 grams of protein – one cup of low-fat cottage cheese or four ounces of chicken – at each meal. It builds lean muscle mass, which burns more calories than fat.

Drink your milkshake!
Calcium helps your body metabolize fat more efficiently.

Kick it up a notch

Labels: diet, metabolism, weigh in