, though, starting your workout on an empty stomach can very often lead to you struggling, aching and even heaving. “Fasted training refers to exercising without eating after an overnight fast, so not having breakfast, or having not eaten for five hours during the day,” explains sports nutritionist Rebecca Dent. But is it ever a good idea to do a fasted run?
Unless you’re running marathons on the daily then your run will probably benefit from eating before hand, anyway. “5k, 10k, park runs, half marathons, lunchtime jogs… none of these need to be done fasted,” Rebecca explains. “That’s because you will be going at a faster pace than you would be during endurance training, and to do that you need carbohydrates in the tank.
That means a carbohydrate based dinner the night before if you’re going first thing in the morning, or making sure your breakfast or lunch on the day of are full of carbs. Then, 30-60 minutes before running, eat a carbohydrate based snack. “You need it to be easy to digest, like a banana, rice cakes with peanut butter or oat-based cereal bars,” Rebecca advises. “How big your portion is depends on personal preference.