70. Exercising before a fast can help you burn fat faster
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
Intermittent fasting has become very popular as a strategy to lose weight. In a new study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, researchers at Brigham Young University found that performing a vigorous workout just before starting a fast can start the fat-burning process about three and a half hours faster than fasting without a workout. By exercising as you start a fast, your body burns up available glucose for energy and turns to fats instead, inducing a state called ketosis. But understand that if you eat a large meal with lots of carbs before your fast, it can take days to reach this fat-burning state.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.