Knowing the right answer will help you burn more body fat. According to new research, you can burn up to 20 percent more body fat by exercising in the morning on an empty stomach. The study was published in the British Journal of Nutrition and conducted at Northumbria University. The researchers asked twelve physically fit men to perform an exercise regime on the treadmill at 10am, either after they had eaten breakfast or in a fasted state, where their last meal was the previous evening. After the exercise, all the men were given a chocolate milkshake. Later in the day, the men were given a pasta lunch. They were asked to eat until they felt comfortably full. The amount of calories they consumed at lunchtime was assessed and calculated, taking into account how much energy and fat they burned during their morning workout. The scientists found that those who had exercised in a fasted state in the morning did not consume additional calories or experience increased appetite during the day to counteract their earlier activity. They also discovered that these men burned almost 20 percent more fat compared to those who had eaten breakfast before their workout. This means performing exercise on an empty stomach is the most efficient way to burn stored body fat. Any exercise you do is good for your health, but if you are particularly trying to burn excess body fat, exercising first thing in the morning will offer you an advantage. Reference: avier T. Gonzalez, Rachel C. Veasey, Penny L. S. Rumbold, Emma J. Stevenson. Breakfast and exercise contingently affect postprandial metabolism and energy balance in physically active males. British Journal of Nutrition, 2013; 1 DOI: