Is fasted cardio better for fat loss?
No: in a trial where calories were matched, fasted and fed training gave the same fat loss.
You do burn a larger share of fat during fasted exercise. Your body makes that back later in the day, which is why the scale and the body composition measurements come out the same.
Train fasted if you prefer it, which many people do for early sessions. Eat first if it makes your session better, which it usually does for hard or long efforts.
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- Schoenfeld, B.J. et al. (2014). Body composition changes associated with fasted versus non-fasted aerobic exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 11(1). 20 women, 4 weeks, same deficit and same training: both groups lost weight and fat, with no difference between them.
- Hall, K.D. et al. (2012). Energy balance and its components: implications for body weight regulation. Am J Clin Nutr 95(4). Fat loss follows the balance across days, not the fuel burned during one session.