Skipping Snack Before Evening Workout Burns More Fat But Feels Harder
Fasting Before Evening Exercise Reduces Net Energy Intake and Increases Fat Oxidation, but Impairs Performance in Healthy Males and Females
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
People who didn't eat for 7 hours before an evening workout burned more fat and ate less food overall during the day, but felt less motivated before and less happy after the workout, and couldn't exercise as hard.
Surprising Findings
Despite higher post-exercise hunger, participants ate less overall—defying the myth that hunger after exercise leads to overeating.
Common belief: skipping meals before workouts triggers binge eating. This study shows the opposite can happen, especially in women.
Practical Takeaways
If you want to reduce daily calories and burn more fat, try skipping a snack before an evening workout—but only if you’re not training for performance.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
People who didn't eat for 7 hours before an evening workout burned more fat and ate less food overall during the day, but felt less motivated before and less happy after the workout, and couldn't exercise as hard.
Surprising Findings
Despite higher post-exercise hunger, participants ate less overall—defying the myth that hunger after exercise leads to overeating.
Common belief: skipping meals before workouts triggers binge eating. This study shows the opposite can happen, especially in women.
Practical Takeaways
If you want to reduce daily calories and burn more fat, try skipping a snack before an evening workout—but only if you’re not training for performance.
Publication
Journal
International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism
Year
2023
Authors
Tommy Slater, William J.A. Mode, Mollie G. Pinkney, John Hough, Ruth M. James, Craig Sale, Lewis J. James, David J. Clayton
Related Content
Claims (8)
Skipping a meal before working out in the evening makes people eat less overall during the day, even if they feel hungrier right after exercising.
Working out on an empty stomach before an evening workout makes you less able to push hard during a short, intense effort.
Working out on an empty stomach in the evening makes your body burn more fat and less sugar during the workout.
Skipping a meal before an evening workout makes people eat less overall during the day, even if they eat a bit more right after exercising.
Working out on an empty stomach before an evening workout makes you feel less motivated to start and less satisfied afterward, which might make you less likely to keep doing it.