Fasted cardio is often promoted as one of the best ways to lose fat, but is it really true? American nutritionist and fitness expert Jim Stoppani revealed the reality of fasted cardio in an interview. 

On March 21, 2022, Stoppani was featured in a Generation Iron interview alongside the co-founder of Generation Iron, Vlad Yudin, where he shared his thoughts on “Does Fasted Cardio Really Work?”

Fasted cardio means exercising on an empty stomach, typically first thing in the morning. The basic logic is that an overnight fast forces the body to burn stored fat rather than carbohydrates during exercise. 

But Stoppani believes that reality is more complicated.

In the interview, according to him, this form of cardio may increase fat burning during the workout and use fat as fuel, but it does not lead to significant long-term fat loss. So, what he truly believes is that one must focus on the overall metabolic impact and total calories burned. 

Which is why he favors high-intensity interval training (HIIT) as a better choice. It burns more calories and increases the metabolic rate, helping the body use energy even after the workout ends. He finally argued that workout intensity is more important than whether to eat before a workout. 

In the interview, the fitness expert also highlighted some effects of fasted cardio that everyone must be aware of. 

Jim Stoppani reveals who can benefit from fasted cardio

Stoppani believes that the most important effect of fasted cardio is that it decreases workout intensity. After an overnight fast, the body is already running on low energy, which is why some people often struggle to maintain the intensity they can achieve after eating. 

Along with that, this lower intensity can decrease the total calorie expenditure and also limit the metabolic impact, which is high after an intense workout session. 

Apart from this, Stoppani also recommends that fasted cardio can be quite effective for competitive bodybuilders, especially in the final stage of prep. They are already lean and looking to improve conditioning and muscle definition. But for normal gym-goers, the effects are too small to make a meaningful difference. 

His advice is to prioritize workout quality, consistency, and proper nutrition instead of training in a fasted state.

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi