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Fact or fable? Exercising on an empty stomach increases your fat burning

Do you ever go for a run without having breakfast, because you think that this is how you activate your fat burning? Is it a fact or a fable?

There is no real scientific evidence:a study by the University of Leuven, for example, showed no differences in fat burning between the fasting group and the non-fasting group during exercise. Food does serve as fuel for your workout, especially carbohydrates. By eating something before you start exercising, you can exercise longer and more intensively and prevent a light-headed feeling.

Read also: 'These are the worst and best pre-workout breakfasts'

Carb burning

In addition, your body automatically compensates for that higher fat burning by putting your carbohydrate burning on a lower burner, so that you burn carbohydrates more slowly and you do not yet get rid of those sugars. Do you want to lose weight? Then simply make sure you burn more calories than you eat.