Among practitioners of physical activity, fasted cardio has become increasingly popular. The practice basically consists of doing aerobic exercises without eating food. Continue reading this article and find out why this habit is potentially dangerous – especially for women.
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Fasting cardio became popular because when we are not eating – mainly in the morning, after waking up – the body has low levels of insulin and liver glycogen.
These conditions supposedly help you burn more fat. That's because your body is very likely to use fat as a source of energy to keep you performing the exercise. However, it should be noted that this is not an exact science.
In an interview with Boa Forma magazine, nutritionist Dayse Paravidino stated that, as long as it is done correctly, the habit poses no risks. In addition, she stressed that the practice does not work for everyone and that each person must know their own limits.
Even fasting cardio is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women, diabetics, people with low blood pressure, as well as children and adolescents.
“Like everything in life, you have to understand that some will get a better adaptive response when training in this condition, with virtually no discomfort. While others may, at least at the beginning, feel dizzy, nauseous, fainting and pressure drop”
In an interview with mint lounge, Stacy Sims, a researcher in female physiology and nutrition science, stated that there are better choices than fasted cardio.
According to her, women's cortisol levels are higher in the morning. Thus, adding more of this stress stimulus, as is the case with cardio, can further increase the hormone response in the body.
She points out that high levels of the stress hormone are not something restricted to women. However, their bodies process high levels of stress in “cascade events”.
As a result, the hormone can indirectly affect the reproductive system, disrupt thyroid function, increase anxiety and fatigue, disturb sleep, and increase the risk of bone damage.
Additionally, it can cause an increase in abdominal fat, which is what people aim to burn when they do fasted cardio.
It is important to emphasize that each and every practice must be accompanied by a physical education professional. In addition, you should always follow up with a nutritionist and have periodic checkups with your doctor.
Graduated in Social Communication at the Federal University of Goiás. Passionate about digital media, pop culture, technology, politics and psychoanalysis.
