Cardio in evening/night: A Waste?

silverwex

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Hey,

Ive been wanting to cut for a few weeks now but I havent been able to stick to it as Im always so tired/lacking in energy in the mornings.

If I did cardio (HIIT for 10-15mins) in the evening/night would it be benefical to my losing bodyfat?

Cheers.
 

isotope

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anything that burns calories is beneficial to you losing body fat
 

Warboss Alex

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If you're lacking in energy, check your diet - a diet too low in calories won't get you anywhere.

And yes, any cardio is beneficial. At one time I was doing two or three brisk walks a day, one before breakfast and one in the evening - if anything, evening cardio means that your glycogen stores are depleted for cardio the next morning (if you do it).

ANY cardio will burn calories, which is ultimately what fat loss is about.

HIIT SHOULD be done sometime other than the morning on an empty stomach, because it requires proper fuelling. HIIT on empty would make you throw up ..
 

silverwex

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thanks all, so evening cardio will still reduce my bodyfat?

Cool.
 

medjaun

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Yes it will help, calorie deficit equals weight loss, just make sure you are training with weights so you don't loose too much muscle. You might have problems sleeping though as the cardio can keep you up.
 

Warboss Alex

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Why lose any muscle at all?

Intelligent diet, intelligent cardio..
 

check_mate_kid_uk

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whilst i also belive in doing high intensity workouts for fat loss, 10-15minutes is too short. You maybe oyu should do 10-15 minutes hard followed by 5 minutes gentle, repeat this 3-4 times. Do this every other day, on the rest of the days do low intensity, so you dont over work yourself. You can take 1 day off a week so you do this 3 days a week and do gentle rides 3 days a week.
 

check_mate_kid_uk

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double post
 

silverwex

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Warboss Alex

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Well, I don't believe in cutting and bulking at all (I do both at the same time and just adjust cardio/diet if I want to strip off some bodyfat - which is rare because I take all steps to keep myself lean at all times) - like you said, a carb and fat cutoff a few hours before bed, in this window you can eat green veggies and dairy with your protein sources. For example my carb cutoff window includes two meals, for the first tends to be a lean protein source (chicken/tuna) with a huge salad or vegetables, with a big protein drink for the prebed meal (mixed with some milk).

Then, a brisk walk for 45-60 minutes in the morning on two cups of green tea (metabolism booster), and 5-10g of glutamine or BCAAs (if I can afford them, I find that glutamine works just as well).

I'll do this cardio on every day except leg training day (5-6 times a week for me), and occasionally take a shorter walk in the evening but that's more recreational.

Take some more glutamine pwo, and 30 minutes later have either a pro/fat meal (prolongs fat burning) or pro/carb (don't overload the carbs here) meal, then eat exactly as you normally would until your carb cutoff. Basically the only thing that a 'bodyfat stripping' (I refuse to call it cutting) would be different in that the rest of the time (when I'm permanently trying to grow, or 'bulking') is the increased cardio; cardio is intended to burn the fat, not a reduced calorie diet.

I don't believe in cardio beastings (your workouts will suffer and you may lose leg size) or a protein-only meal (i.e. solid food) / protein drink before cardio because likely as not it'll be oxidised as fuel anyway.

I also believe that dropping your body down to 1g of protein per lb bodyweight will do more harm than good, depending on your metabolism, current muscle mass, etc etc. It's the best way to lose muscle - you didn't BUILD muscle on 1g per lb, how do you expect to keep it on 1g per lb?
 

AbAbber2k

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Adipose tissue (fat) is broken down and used as a primary energy source primarily around 20 minutes into a moderately intense workout, so you're gonna want to be doing cardio for at least 40 minutes each session. Also, due to the way the body utilizes (burns, if you want to use marketing jargon) fat as energy, I'd recommend NOT doing anything EXTREMELY intense (ie over 70% of your maximum capacity). As your workout increases in intensity your body will enter OBLA (onset of blood lactate accumulation) which will hinder your ability to properly utilize fats as a fuel source. Burning calories is always great if you want to lose fat, but you might as well do it as efficiently as possible.
 

Warboss Alex

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Adipose tissue (fat) is broken down and used as a primary energy source primarily around 20 minutes into a moderately intense workout
this is assuming there is no glycogen to burn first. Hence, am cardio on an empty stomach, combined with a carb cutoff the night before, means that you're more or less burning fat from the off.

with HIIT, our goal isn't to burn fat as such, but to raise our metabolism for several hours afterwards, burning calories all the time, hence HIIT should be done fuelled with carbs.
 

MindOverMatter

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the evening is the PERFECT time. during the evening your cortisol levels are very very low, (lowest around midnight), and with HIIT, you can burn fat while keeping muscle loss to a minimum. supplement with some protein + glutamine + lil dextrose in cold water after, and you're set.

with HIIT, our goal isn't to burn fat as such, but to raise our metabolism for several hours afterwards, burning calories all the time, hence HIIT should be done fuelled with carbs.
Yep :up:

I have no idea how people can do prolonged slow pace cardio. HIIT makes me feel so f*cking alive, it's the best. When I go up to 90%+ man, I feel like a locomotive.
 

Warboss Alex

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Originally posted by MindOverMatter
I have no idea how people can do prolonged slow pace cardio. HIIT makes me feel so f*cking alive, it's the best. When I go up to 90%+ man, I feel like a locomotive.
This is very true, but some people (like myself!) are dreamers and would prefer a brisk walk for an hour with their head in the proverbial clouds.. gets you out of the house and whatnot.

Also remember that prolonged slow pace cardio would be more suitable for people with low cardiovascular fitness - you obviously don't have a problem here mate, but for an overweight, unfit person HIIT can be downright dangerous. Also it's much harder for people with higher (muscular) bodyweights too - can you imagine Ronnie Coleman doing HIIT?

If I had the luxury of whichever cardio I wanted though, I'd have to say HIIT swimming. I'm not a huge one for sprints (did enough of those in the army, bleugh).

Any cardio is good cardio. :)
 

MetalFortress

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Originally posted by MindOverMatter

I have no idea how people can do prolonged slow pace cardio. HIIT makes me feel so f*cking alive, it's the best. When I go up to 90%+ man, I feel like a locomotive.
Seconded. I wish my achilles tendons would let me do HIIT sprinting regularly, but there's no way I'm doing long slow paced cardio ever again.
 

MindOverMatter

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Originally posted by MetalFortress
Seconded. I wish my achilles tendons would let me do HIIT sprinting regularly, but there's no way I'm doing long slow paced cardio ever again.
Do what Warboss suggested IMO, the HIIT swims are insane, and pretty good on joints. I used to do them once or twice a week, but recently on my old campus (i still go to my university gym), is housing this giant Mexican field trip, so during my normal HIIT time, the pool is filled with 8-12 year olds and their teachers.

Also, HIIT swimming is a great place to show off your physique, and reap the benefits of your hard work. Public pools are one of the best places to sarge if you're in awesome shape.
 

Warboss Alex

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Also, HIIT swimming is a great place to show off your physique, and reap the benefits of your hard work. Public pools are one of the best places to sarge if you're in awesome shape.
You bloody posers! :p :p :p :p
 

MetalFortress

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Originally posted by MindOverMatter
Do what Warboss suggested IMO, the HIIT swims are insane, and pretty good on joints. I used to do them once or twice a week, but recently on my old campus (i still go to my university gym), is housing this giant Mexican field trip, so during my normal HIIT time, the pool is filled with 8-12 year olds and their teachers.

Also, HIIT swimming is a great place to show off your physique, and reap the benefits of your hard work. Public pools are one of the best places to sarge if you're in awesome shape.
I didn't think of that one. I live in a big suburban apartment complex so the pool is usually full of kids. The version I'm doing right now is a sort of kettlebell HIIT, which is known as the Circle of Pain. snatch 3l+3r which takes about 14 total seconds, and then jog in place for about the same length of time. Or snatch 5l-5r (takes about 22 seconds) and jog in place for about the same length of time. Or snatch 10l+10r (takes about 42 seconds) and... you get the point. Reps depend on what shape you're in. The jogging in place is your rest break.

When I'm in better shape I'm going to slice the rest breaks in half Tabata style.
 

silverwex

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thanks for the replies guys, ive only read to alex's post where he says:

you didn't BUILD muscle on 1g per lb, how do you expect to keep it on 1g per lb?
Well actually i did 'bulk up' on 1g prot per lb bodyweight so i suppose if i maintain this amount ill keep the muscle i gained... :)
 
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