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Published 10:12 IST, October 22nd 2019

Breakfast after or before exercise: Which is better for health?

Should you work out before breakfast? Different types of researches indicate that exercising before breakfast is beneficial; read more for further details

Reported by: Surabhi Sabat
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Mornings are considered to be the best time to exercise according to the majority of exercise lovers. This is the best time to stretch and warm up to kick away all the lethargy and drowsiness out of your body. Exercising first thing in the morning before breakfast has proven to have major benefits for your mind, mood, and your overall well-being. Here is the list of researches that suggest exercising before breakfast.

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'Exercising before breakfast is beneficial'

Morning sunlight and BMI - According to research conducted by Northwestern University, it was found that regular exposure to morning light ensured lower BMIs in people as compared to those who received sunlight in the afternoon. That is why, it can be said that exercising in the morning, preferably at outdoors is beneficial to maintain the BMI. People can jog, brisk walk, workout in an open gym or even do yoga in the morning outdoors.

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Stress - Exercising is one of the best methods to reduce stress. Studies that were done at the Omaha VA, Creighton University, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center also state the same. So, when we work out the first thing in the morning, the stress-relieving benefits start early morning and may stay throughout the day.

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Why to workout before breakfast? Benefits of exercising in morning

Blood sugar level - According to the study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (research was done by health scientists from the University of Bath and Birmingham), eating and exercise timings strongly control the blood sugar levels in people.

Fat burning - It is evident from the above research that there is a relation between the timing of food consumption and exercising. Author Javier Gonzalez from the University of Bath also states that during their study, they found people who exercised before breakfast burned double the fat as compared to the group that exercised after breakfast.

Diabetes - According to the study done by Belgium researchers, it stated that exercising in a fasting state could improve insulin sensitivity, which could then make it easier to lose weight and thus help in reducing diabetes risk in people. Even though the study didn't show any substantial weight loss, but the fact that the people participating in the study showed improved insulin sensitivity is a positive point to be noted.

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Updated 17:27 IST, October 22nd 2019

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