Morning cardio to burn fat?

[Maxtro H & F]

A bunch of threads I’ve read say to do morning cardio without eating something, or eating very little so you can burn fat and not muscle.

What I haven’t found is..

How many days a week do you do it? Every day including lifting days?

How long should the session be? What intensity level? Is there an amount of calories you want to burn?

How soon after should you eat?

Any idea how long it will take for body fat levels to go down?

I want to gain about 15 lbs of muscle while trying to gain as little fat as possible. I'd actually like to lose some fat in the process.

 

[j0n024]

For me personally the best thing to lose weight would be to fix up your diet, if you eat healthy your GOING to lose bodyfat plus the addition of weight training you will look good in a couple of months.

There is different opinions on eating or not and for me personally.

I take this "BCAA Boost," and run maybe 2 miles in the morning (The supplement makes me burn fat) and then afterwords I eat some protein.

On lifting days I might take it easy on the running and make sure to eat healthy and get full enough to not crap out on my lifts.

The best thing to do though is to fix your diet...but cardio DOES help.

 

[Alle_Gory]

I want to gain about 15 lbs of muscle while trying to gain as little fat as possible. I'd actually like to lose some fat in the process.

I'm working on this exact thing. You need to manipulate your body inside and out.

Look into insulin sensitivity. Insulin is THE bodybuilding hormone. It determines which part of your body gets energy, where and how much fat is stored, energy levels... etc.

Most bodybuilders suggest eating a higher fat, lower card diet. The carbs you do eat have to be lower GI, glycemic index, so as to not spike the insulin levels and store fat. More fats because its hard to eat low GI foods, they tend to be high in fiber which is very filling so you'll be lacking in calories. Your body will get used to burning the fat from your diet to make energy, and in turn increase fat ocidation efficiency using up some of the stored fat as well. You transition to something like this gradually. Your body can't just begin instantly. Takes a few weeks. And should you choose not to continue, you transition out gradually otherwise any spike in carbs and/or insulin will put on some more fat.

There's more to it, but that's pretty simple explanation. Look into insulin sensitivity and resistance. Insulin sensitivity is good.


Don't take my word for it. Visit either T-nation or Iron Addicts. IA's forums are more serious.


Or stick around sosuave.net. Maybe you'll get some workable advice through the noise eventually.

 

[Quiksilver]

4-6 days a week, low intensity 45-60 minutes.

Eat something very small, like 5-10 almonds, a cup of tea, or a small piece of cheese.

If you find yourself fretting over it too much, don't eat anything at all.

 

[search1ng]

i sprint in the morning, 6 - 8 times (sprints), 3 -4 times a week. It's incredible, my squats have gone up, my vert jump has increased and my stamina is climbing as well. (which reminds me, what other exercises involve the whole body? Chest, back etc. Hell is sprinting will make my squats/leg work go up like this, i want exercises that use my chest and back so they'll go up as well) Anyway, fats also coming off, it's great!

p.s multivitamins are awesome.

 

[Jay kay]

You get much more benefits out of doing moring cardio than doing it during the day or evening.

I use to get up at 6am during the summer when it was just getting bright outside and go for a 5-6 mile run. I don't do that anymore, instead do it in the evening time but the benefits aren't quite as good as a morning run. You feel completly energized when you get home and don't feel like going back to sleep.

Jay

 

[Maxtro H & F]

Thanks for the help guys

OK so I power walked ~2 miles in a little less than 40 minutes. I wanted to see how far my house was from the ocean and that was it. The only thing I had before was a small glass of juice. Surprisingly I wasn't hungry during the walk even though my stomach was growling before I had the juice.

My calves are killing me. I haven’t done any form of cardio in a long time since I’ve been focused on gaining weight. Hopefully this helps make sure that I gain the right kind of weight.

I really want to lose 3% BF as I reach my goal weight. Heh I wonder if it’s possible, gain 15 lbs and lose 3% BF

I’m going to look into insulin sensitivity.

 

[j0n024]

it SHOULD be possible, your weightlifting so your gaining muscle while eating healthy and doing cardio so you should be burning off fat....not that doesnt mean your going to see massive leaps and bounds but it should be possible.

 

[Alle_Gory]

I’m going to look into insulin sensitivity.

You should also look into the benefits of sprinting as cardio.


You should also consider where you get your advice from. The H&F forum is full of pimply dweebs who think that doing curls and kickbacks counts as a workout and quote things they read in Men's Fitness. Some things, they look reasonable on paper but simply don't work. You need to do what works and forget about the rest.

I see these wannabees usually on Monday's in the gym. The beginning of summer is the best, and they're usually in groups of 3 or more. They stay for a week and I never see them again. No doubt they got impatient and decided to fail miserably at something easier. Sometimes they huddle in their little herds and verbally jerk each other off as they talk about protein, creatine (and how its like steroids) and their workout meanwhile forgetting to actually do anything besides be annoying and take up useful floor space.

Or maybe that's just my gym...

Anyways good luck. If you're serious you will succeed.

 

[I-tallionStallion]

You should also consider where you get your advice from. The H&F forum is full of pimply dweebs who think that doing curls and kickbacks counts as a workout and quote things they read in Men's Fitness. Some things, they look reasonable on paper but simply don't work. You need to do what works and forget about the rest.

I see these wannabees usually on Monday's in the gym. The beginning of summer is the best, and they're usually in groups of 3 or more. They stay for a week and I never see them again. No doubt they got impatient and decided to fail miserably at something easier. Sometimes they huddle in their little herds and verbally jerk each other off as they talk about protein, creatine (and how its like steroids) and their workout meanwhile forgetting to actually do anything besides be annoying and take up useful floor space.

Or maybe that's just my gym...

Anyways good luck. If you're serious you will succeed.

Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed

Alle Gory is right though, that's why we have a vault 101 on here from a lot of real big dudes who actually knew what they were talking about. They wrote articles to teach the p90x users, the Men's Fitness Mag, and the common let's get ripped in 90 days products. Because lets face it, the majority of us were once in that group of fools.

Check out Warboss Alex's article on how to get ripped and gain mass in the vault. For me personally, low intensity cardio and heavy clean eating is the best way to do it.

 

[j0n024]

HEYYY if your talking about me then FVCK YOU!!!

HAHAHA j/k, I could care less if your talking about me, all I care about is my big 3 and to keep progressing...iv'e gone from a 75lb squat to a 150 so that's pretty good for a "Pimply Dweeb," lol.

Oh and insulin sensitivity really? The guy is barely starting out I doubt he needs it yet. I would make him clean up his diet and make sure he is on a good routine before I give him specific things like insulin sens or going on a high protein low carb/fat , or high fat low carb diet.

 

[Quiksilver]

j0n is right, for just starting out(if you are), simple is best. An easy clean-up of your diet with an emphasis on adding protein sources and cutting down on refined carbs is usually good enough to see some physical change over time.

 

[Alle_Gory]

Oh and insulin sensitivity really? The guy is barely starting out I doubt he needs it yet. I would make him clean up his diet and make sure he is on a good routine before I give him specific things like insulin sens or going on a high protein low carb/fat , or high fat low carb diet.

Insulin sensitivity is key to staying lean and gaining muscle. Look into "skinny fat ectomorph". These people look like sh*t because of the insulin sensitivity problem. Their bodies simply don't produce enough insulin or don't respond well to the normal insulin levels. They are insulin resistant. This can be fixed by eating the right foods and taking the right supplements to make sure the body does not have deficiencies.

Insulin resistant persons tend to store fat in love handles/lower back, and around the stomach as well.


Clean eating helps with this.


BTW. That is an impressive gain on your squat. I like to stick with sets of 135lb-155lbs myself. Usually 30+ reps ATG.

 

[j0n024]

Yes I understand that but he never gave us lots of information just that he wanted to get in the single digit body fat range.

Yes you can start to look at insulin sen and it will help but what good would that do if the guy is eating pizza and fast food every single day as well as like you said on a crappy routine?

 

[Alle_Gory]

Yes you can start to look at insulin sen and it will help but what good would that do if the guy is eating pizza and fast food every single day as well as like you said on a crappy routine?

Easy. To improve insulin sensitivity, remove the pizza.

 

[Furyguy]

4-6 days a week, low intensity 45-60 minutes.

Eat something very small, like 5-10 almonds, a cup of tea, or a small piece of cheese.

If you find yourself fretting over it too much, don't eat anything at all.

Just to reinforce, this is 100% right, pay attention to it if you're going to do morning cardio.

Yes you can do it on training days. Coffee is also good.

Low intensity can be power walking, with a weighted vest or backpack if possible, uphill if possible.

You can also do easy rowing or bike riding. Think non-panting but more stressful then sitting or strolling along.

 

[jocca]

In general to gain any sort of benifit from cardio it must be a sustained effort over a 30 minute (or longer) period. For this reason a continual but slow paced jog would be better for you than a couple of quick sprints as its a sustained strain on your body. This inturn increases your cardiac output and over time strengthens your heart making greater distances at greater pace more achievable.

Also diet is important but nowhere near to the level that some people on here talk about. You'd think it was almost impossible to improve and obtain a good body if you listened to some of the information posted here. No wonder many newbies get so easily discouraged.

 

[j0n024]

In general to gain any sort of benifit from cardio it must be a sustained effort over a 30 minute (or longer) period. For this reason a continual but slow paced jog would be better for you than a couple of quick sprints as its a sustained strain on your body. This inturn increases your cardiac output and over time strengthens your heart making greater distances at greater pace more achievable.

Also diet is important but nowhere near to the level that some people on here talk about. You'd think it was almost impossible to improve and obtain a good body if you listened to some of the information posted here. No wonder many newbies get so easily discouraged.

Wow....that is the dumbest thing I have ever read ...congrats!! You do realize....wait nevermind it's pointless to give advice here..

 

[jocca]

Wow....that is the dumbest thing I have ever read ...congrats!! You do realize....wait nevermind it's pointless to give advice here..

Sigh. way to miss the point champ. Most guys arnt trying to be the greatest body builders/ most ripped cover models of all time. It was ment to point out how over concious to many people are on this forum and how intimidating it can be for someone new when you throw way to much information at them. But I see your just a jackass on a keyboard so you keep at it.

 

[Alle_Gory]

Also diet is important but nowhere near to the level that some people on here talk about. You'd think it was almost impossible to improve and obtain a good body if you listened to some of the information posted here. No wonder many newbies get so easily discouraged.

There's a HUGE difference between;

- You should focus on training because diet is difficult to do.
and
- You should focus on training because a diet doesn't do anything.

Both training and diet are equally as important. You do training, you get some results. You do diet, you get some results. You do both and you get the best results.

I am including supplementation into diet in case the trainee is lacking vertain nutrients. Minerals, vitamins, creatine and other nutrient-like substances... etc.

You can go ahead and do your training only thing jocca, you probably already have a good diet which is why modifying anything doesn't make a big difference for you. But that doesn't mean that Maxtro has the same diet.