First, lets start by answering the “What?”.

What is Fasted Cardio?

Well…”Cardio” is Aerobic based exercise that is performed for Cardiovascular health. For example: Jogging. “Fasting” is when you abstain from consuming food and drinks for a certain amount of time. For example: While you sleep. So, when you put it together “Fasted Cardio” is performing Aerobic activities without consuming food beforehand, so basically on an empty stomach in the mornings.

Now, lets move on to answering the “When?”.

When should Fasted Cardio be done?

The obvious answer seems to be “In the morning”, right? Well…yes, that is right but more specifically I’m going to answer the question “When should Fasted Cardio be done on your fitness journey?”.

Fasted Cardio has been popular in the fitness world, surrounding the belief that it will accelerate the weight loss process. So, beginners often go from a basically nonexistent workout routine to performing fasted cardio, going full steam ahead. This is NOT an ideal training routine for a beginner. The reason this is not a good choice is because as a beginner: your body is not conditioned, your nutrition is most likely all over the place and your hydration is probably not any better. Jumping straight into Fasted Cardio with a weight loss goal is unnecessary and sets a beginner up for failure, causing low blood sugar and dehydration. This means lightheadedness, dizziness, shaking, or even passing out. If these symptoms occur, how long do you think you will stick to the routine? Its simple…you won’t. Even if you want to, your body won’t let you.

With that being said, not only will the above symptoms effect your results, but performing Fasted Cardio when your nutrition is lacking, can actually cause your body to eat away at your muscle mass. So…YES, you want to lose weight, but NO, you DON’T want to lose muscle. Before even thinking about adding Fasted Cardio to your routine, your nutrition should already be under control. Counting MACROS is a great way to get your nutrition under control and work towards your goals. (See my blog post “What are MACROS” to learn more).

Its important to condition your body and progress your fitness at a slow and steady rate. So, start by building a maintainable routine for your fitness level. Maybe, try adding a small Cardio session 2-3 times per week. For example: add 20 minutes of walking during your lunch break or an evening walk with the family. After maintaining that routine for a month, increase your Cardio by adding intensity or time. Always remember that Cardio can be performed at a high or low intensity so you always have room to grow.

Now that we know the “What” and “When”, I’m going to end by answering the question “Who?”.

Who is ready to perform fasted Cardio?

The answer to this question is: Moderate to Advanced Athletes with specific fitness goals. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to play a sport, but if you have been living a healthy, fit lifestyle for quite a while then it may be time to consider adding Fated Cardio into your routine. If your body is already conditioned, if you have obvious muscle definition, if you’re a lifter or a runner…these are all great examples of someone who may be ready.

No matter what your fitness status is, it is always important to remember to progress gradually, so even athletes should start slow and add intensity at a steady rate.