People have the misconception that by doing so, you automatically start burning fatty tissue.

Solution: Cited in the book The Men’s Health Guide to Peak Conditioning (Rodale Press, 1997), Ellen Coleman, R.D., nutrition consultant with The Sport Clinic in Riverside, California, has this to say about fasting before a workout: “You don’t have to starve yourself, but it’s wise to avoid eating 45 minutes to an hour before exercising. Even carbohydrates take at least an hour to digest. Fats take even longer: two to four hours. When your body diverts energy to digestion, it’s robbing muscles of power and making your workout less effective.”

The bottom line? Don’t starve yourself before a workout and, of equal importance, make sure you are properly hydrated. Training on an empty stomach or with minimal fluids is just like trying to drive a car from point A to point B with no gas. You won’t get very far into your training without any “fuel in your tank” after fasting for 8 hours or more; especially if you want to burn fat with a 20-minute high-intensity workout.

Don’t make the same mistakes professionals and beginners alike have made.