CARDIO: Before breakfast or after

I am going to make a poll out of this also but first I want to get some answers. First off, I hear you should do cardio in the morning before eating anything because the glycogen levels are low in your body and you will kick right into burning stored fat. Granted that makes sense...but...
I also have spoken with people and by doing cardio in the morning before eating anything is bad since there are no carbs or anything to get the energy from it will turn to the muscle to get the needed energy which is bad....this also makes sense because it is catobolism, when your feeding off your muscles for the energy.
It would be greatly appreciated if you guys could clear this up for me before I start doing my cardio and cutting up for the summer.

Thanks,

peace

IF you do it right after breakfast you might puke ?? No, I prefer to do it later on in the day, when I have time. In the morning before breakfast is just not a great time for me. I spend those 10 minutes lounging around in front of the computer before I gorge myself in the kitchen.

But as for fat burning, before breakfast will be fine if you're up to it. Just remember to replenish some of the lost carbs burnt during you're exercising.

I prefer the evenings when I do it the morning just doesn,t appeal to me!

thanks for the info guys!

peace

i was always told the best time to do cardio was in the morning before breakfast, usually mixed with an ECA

I know doing it before breakfast is the way to go, but I'm never up that early to do so. I always opt for the extra half-hour of sleep.:rolleyes:

I hear that too, but I also hear not too because just like in training when your body has nothing to feed off of for energy it turns to your muscles for the energy which is bad and puts your body in catabolism.

peace

This is true as well. That's why one shouldn't do more than a half-hour or so. Make sure to have something to eat right afterwards. Keep the Protein and Carbohydrate levels fairly high to moderate as to protect your system somewhat against catabolic effects. This should in turn steer more energy use towards your fat reserves instead of your hard-earned muscle reserves.

I believe the morning is the go because your body will use what ever carbs are left first (as carbs are easy to break down to create energy. not usually many left in the morn) and then it will look for other sources. If doing hard cardio say over 60% of max heart rate then yes it will break down you muscle to supply a quick source of energy. But if you keep you heart rate below 60% max then due to your body only needing a slow release of energy to manage the work load then it will break down fat to supply the energy. I like keeping heart rate around 50-55% and I beleive 40-60mins is ideal in the morn. I think it is also good to do cardio for no more than 30 mins after your weight session once again below 60% H.R. (protein shake straight after). I only do cardio when wanting to get really lean otherwise I won't bother with it, personally I find it really boring. If I want to lose 1-2 kg then I will play with my deit by cutting the cabs down for a couple of weeks and this seems to work fine. :eat:

Again...thanks for the responses!

peace

before..only before

before breakfast is for me cycling stationary for 20 mins... why do you think your so fatigued in the morning ..... your body is depleted of glycogen and if you have a fruot juice you feel good dont you? .... so do your cardio before breakfast and if you have quite a bit of bf to lose do it after training aswell...remember the more cardio you do , the more yummy calories you can have and personally i would prefer to burn 100 cals on the treadmill in 20 mins and have those 100cals in carbs before training strength works wonders ....

I would do it before breakfast better fat burning properties.

before breakfast is 1st choice for fat loss, or before bed if your carbs are low would be second pic

Evening time after post-workout shake, before post-workout meal

I fell i get a better benefit if i do cardio FIRST thing in the morning before working out or eating breakfast.

i've read a lot of the interviews with the pros, and they all seem to do right after they wake up, no food, take an ECA. I've tried this, but usually when I wake up I'm so hungry it feels like my stomach acid is burning a hole in me! I just can't do it, makes me feel too sick. It seems to work for those guys though, they're IFBB pros!

Ive tried both before and after and to be honest it made very little difference to me. My best advice would be to do it when YOU are most comfortable doing it, that way there is less chance of you skipping your cardio cause we all know that consistancy is the key when it comes to cardio

In the military we were up at 4:30 doing calistetics before breakfast..!

Best time to do cardio is first thing in the morning, before breakfast, BUT!!! have some kind of protien before you do your cardio as you are in a cataboic state after sleeping so you dont want to hit the cardio up and start burning away that muscle. So my answer is in the morning after a protien shake before breakfast, then after have a good breakfast of simple and complex carbs and protien.

Bump that canadian_mofo.

I'd always have a protein shake before doing any cardio early in the morning. Then after cardio, have my breakfast.

yep, thats what I've been doing, having a protein shake in water with 5 grams of glut and then for breakfast I have a bowl of oatmeal with some OJ and a protein shake. I have noticed good improvements in just a week and a half.

peace

and thanks for the replies!

here is my $0.02 !

aerobic activity for fat loss should be done on an empty stomach. First thing in the morning or after a 2 1/2 hour break after your last meal.

markymark

OOOPPSS !

As well as ( FAT LOSS ) not eating any calories for 1 hour after the aerobic session .

good luck

On this I have listened to Warrior who had a good post about this. Do it in the morning on an empty stomach for 20-30 minutes at no more than a 60% rate but to eat ASAP afterward. I've been doing this for a few weeks 3 to 4 times a week and glad to say my waistline fits a bit looser, haven't lost any strength, and suprisingly I've actually gained some weight...of I have changed my routines up recently.

When I do my cardio in the morning before breakfast, I feel energized the rest of the day. I don't know what it is but it makes me feel better.

Depends on your goals. If you want to cut - before breakfast. If you are training for performance than sometime after you have eaten so energy and body temperture is high.

First thing in the morning for about 40 mins. with heart rate at 60%. Kick starts the metabolism and the moderate heart rate draws from fat stores, not muscle.

For those of you that cant do it in the morning, do it after 3hours of not eating anything but drinking water. Make sure that that last carb meal has no carbs.

This way you simulate to a certain extent morning cardio properties, and it has worked 2kgs in thelast two weeks for me (4.4lbs). So itworks.

Yah ok let's slow down our metabolism by not eating, for a few hours. Doing the opposite of what we want ;\ that 4.4 pounds sounds catabolic to me.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Big_Dan
Make sure that that last carb meal has no carbs.

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This doesn't make much sense to me. If it doesn't have carbs why is it a carb meal? Can you explain???????????


Pain

yah that too...

If you do cardio first thing upon awakening before you eat, as long as you do it at no more than about a 60% rate about 30-40 minutes you will burn fat. Your body likes to burn carbs, if none are present it will go after fat, then it will start breaking down muscle. with 60% rate for 30 minutes you won't much if ANY muscle.