Fasting Cardio Training - Does It Work

If you have been training for a while it is probable that you have heard of the concept of doing your cardio workout first thing in the morning before having anything to eat. By following this method you are ensured to burn more fat than you would when you train after eating.

This method of training was introduced in 1999 by sports training expert Bill Phillips, who indicated that working out on an empty stomach helps in burning more fat. This has made a lot of people rush to the treadmill before having a single bite.

Phillips supported his idea by a well known biological fact that after fasting for extended number of hours the circulation of sugar in the blood will be very low which leads to an extreme low level of glycogen (stored as carbohydrates). With the absence of glycogen the body does not have any source for energy and thus starts using fat for fuel.

In addition to that, the low levels of insulin, due to fasting, promotes the generation of fatty acids that will also be used as fuel to do the exercise.

This strategy was very popular in those days; after all who does not want to burn more fat and get leaner with the same amount of work?

Unfortunately the bad news is that this method does not work for the following reasons:

1. It does not give a deep thought about metabolism and how it works. The body's metabolism establishes a kind of equilibrium when burning fat and other substances in the body. When you burn more fat during exercise you will burn more carbohydrates afterwards, and vice versa. So who cares if fat burning is maximized during exercise if this will be switched over after the workout.

This is a shortsightedness of this program. When somebody wants to gauge the metabolism effect he should measure the long term effect, i.e. in days and not hour to hour.

2. Another thought about the breakdown of fatty acids. It is true that the breaking of fatty acids will be more when you do your cardio on an empty stomach but the rate of this breakdown is more than what you consume while working out. This leaves a number of fatty acids floating around in the blood system that will not be utilized in your workout.

These floating fatty acids will form again in the form of triglycerides which will again be deposited in the body leading again to the same results where you started, more fat cells.

3. The benefits of fasting cardiovascular training will have effect only on low intensity training and after training for extended time. Experiments were made where subjects were trained for 50% of their maximum heart rates, which corresponds the intensity of regular walking. These subjects did not burn more fat than those who trained after eating. The results started to shift in the favor of the fasting team only after 90 minutes of training leaving us wondering who will be able to train with no food for a couple of hours.

4. Fasting cardiovascular training does not take into consideration the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), or what publicly known as the after burn. This EPOC represents the calories that are burnt after finishing the workout. Studies have shown that this after burn is promoted further if a person eats before training. These calories burnt to produce energy come from fat.

5. Studies have shown that high intensity interval training (HIIT) does wonder in terms of calories burnt from fat. This high intensity is impossible to achieve when you are fasting. The body needs a good supply of glycogen to provide it with the energy needed to perform these HIIT.

6. Training when you do not have a good level of glycogen is catabolic in nature. Meaning you will be burning more of your muscle tissues. When you train on an empty stomach you tend to lose 10% of your total calories from protein, this is double what you would lose when you train after having a pre workout meal.

As a conclusion, doing your cardio exercises on an empty stomach does not have any advantages; in fact it might have negative effects especially for those who want to build muscles. This form of training will end up in making you lose muscle and decrease your fat loss.

I bet that you have a question in your mind now and that is 'what should I eat?' This will vary depending on the duration of the exercise and its intensity as well as when did you have your last meal, additionally there is the genetic factor.

As a rule of thumb, to provide your body with amply supply of energy and to prevent any muscle shrinkage you need to consume ¼ gram of carbohydrates and 1/8 gram of protein for every pound of your body weight. So, if your weight is 200 pounds you should consume 50 grams of carbohydrates and 25 grams of protein.

Training on an empty stomach is an old theory that has been challenged by many physical training specialists, since this theory was out to the public many studies has been made to contradict it. Having a nutritional pre workout meal that is rich in carbohydrates and proteins is essential for your fat loss and muscle building efforts.

Simple Weight Loss Solutions Without Going Into Any Programs

Weight loss solutions are commonly mistaken now as those diet programs, diet pills, and exercise programs that are advertised everywhere. Now, most people think that there is no other way to lose weight than to get one of the three paid programs. There are still other solutions where people do not have to spend so much, and they can do them on their own. The following are examples of things that can help achieve fat reduction. They may have slower results, but it will not break the budget.

1. Drink Plenty of Water - one of the best solutions that most people are not aware of. Most people think that drinking lots of water is only for proper hydration of the body. It can also induce weight loss because drinking lots of water can make a person feel full, therefore they will not over eat and gain more weight.

2. Vegetables Snacks - most people get fat because they eat too much junk food between meals. Junk foods like potato chips contain too many calories and that makes people obese. One of the best solutions is substituting those junk food snacks with vegetable snacks, like vegetable salads. This will greatly help in the battle against fat. Vegetables will offer more nourishment than junk food, and will never make anyone fat no matter how many vegetables they eat. However, it is advised to use only non-fat dressings on the vegetable salad.

3. Eat slowly - Ever wondered why it is said that French people are rarely fat? They eat their food slower. It takes some time for the brain to recognize that there is already food inside the stomach. By eating slowly, the signal from the stomach will be able to reach the brain that there is already food in the stomach. The brain now can stop sending signals of hunger. This is one of the fat burning solutions that all people, regardless of weight, should practice.

4. Do Cardio Workouts - the best weight reduction exercises are cardio exercises. Compared to other kinds of exercises, cardio exercises burn the most calories. There are many forms of cardio exercises which can be done without spending too much, like running or biking. For just an hour a day, that will greatly burn down calories inside the body.

5. Avoid using oil - most oils even how healthy they claim they are contain calories. It would greatly help any weight loss solutions if the foods that are going to be eaten do not contain any kind of oil. This means that the most recommended foods are those steamed, boiled, or broiled.

Proper Aerobic Training Will Take in These Five Aspects

In order to be effective, cardio training doesn't require a lot of time, but requires that you remain consistent with it. Most experts maintain that a half hour to forty-five minutes a day three or four times a week is ample. Obviously the more you are able to do without getting exhausted the more benefit you will gain. With a proper plan that you stay disciplined with, anyone should be able to commit that much time. Remember, this is a time commitment to provide you with a longer and healthier life.

1. When is the best time to start? Obviously, the time to start is now. You have to have a well thought-out game plan, but that doesn't mean you have to wait until it is fully formulated. Start today to eat healthy, and if you haven't joined a health club or bought your training gear yet, go out now and power-walk or ride a bike.

2. Vary your fitness routines. Keep your body guessing as to what you are going to throw at it next. It will get bored if you keep doing the same stuff every day, so look to use multiple exercises to work out the same muscle groups. Also, as you can take on more as your strength and endurance increase, intensify your workouts. Don't make them longer, make them more intense.

3. The right time of day to exercise. If you exercise prior to bedtime you may have trouble sleeping. The National Sleep Foundation has recommended not exercising at least two to three hours before bedtime. That high level of energy that you have built up will stay with you that long. If you also are doing weight training the same day, do that prior to your cardio work.

4. Eating habits. If you are doing cardio training to lose weight that certainly doesn't mean you shouldn't eat. Fat burning cardio workouts only work if you fuel the body with proper diet, and training on an empty stomach will shortcut all your hard work. What kind of foods should you be eating and when. Your optimum nutrition should come both prior to your workout as well as after.

5. Make your cardio exercises fun and interesting. How about doing your exercising outdoors? This way you can easily interact with nature and breathe fresh air. You can also simply enjoy going around the neighborhood as you get your system healthier by the minute. It is possible to make some friends among the people who also do their exercises.

When you are getting into a cardio program, there are some things that you have to be very disciplined with, such as what and when you eat and the time of day you set your training for. But there are other aspects when you should be creative and let your mind run wild. This involves the methods of exercise you use, how and where you accomplish the job, and the way you reward yourself for a job well done. If you make it fun, being consistent over the long run will be easy.