AM Cardio on empty stomach vs. catabolism

**Deadend** · 11-29-2002, 11:21 PM

I know alot of guys swear by morning cardio on a empty stomach when trying to cut bodyfat. How can you achieve this and avoid being in a catabolic state the whole time.

**Deadend** · 11-30-2002, 09:39 AM

bump

**Warrior** · 11-30-2002, 02:46 PM

If you are trying to lose bodyfat it is beneficial way to get your body to burn just that - fat. Because you have not eaten in a looooong time insulin levels are on the floor and your body can go straight to burning bodyfat, instead of glucose. Moderate intesity for times around 30 minutes is best. If you were to perform aerobic training above your target heart rate at a higher intensity then yes - your body would need to make more glucagen and start strippping at muscle tissue (catabolism).

Some do insist on a scoop of protein powder prior to morning cardio, the aminos would help protect muscle wasting and the very little if any carbs would still allow fast transfer to burning fat. And that is a good reasoning. However your body can turn that scoop of protein into glycogen very easily (and start burning that as an easier source of energy, unlike stored fat) - so keep your training intensity at about 60-70 percent of your maximimum heart rate to avoid your body from wanting to. Breakfast would always need to follow soon after a morning cardio session, or at least a recovery drink before hitting the shower.

If adding aerobic conditioning into your resistance program that is not goaled toward fat loss is what you want, then doing it on it's own day or seperate from resistance work is best (after you have grabbed some chow sometime during the day), otherwise short durations before (a good 15 minute warm up) or after your workout... if you choose after, this also needs to be limited much like the warm up because now you are on the other side of the training tracks - your body needs food to begin repair from the resistance training.

Basically, first thing in the morning is the best for fat loss because your body can go straight into burning fat when working out at your target heart (60-70 percent of (220 minus your age)) rate. However this is best used in conjunction with a deffinition, or cutting phase - when gaining more muscle isn't as much the focus is as preserving it. But it depends on somotype too - an endomorph would benefit from more aerobic training and deffintly the morning sessions, where as an ectomorph should limit it.

**Deadend** · 11-30-2002, 04:51 PM

Thanks warrior, I know it took you a long time to type that and you answered my question precisely.

**Warrior** · 11-30-2002, 05:49 PM

I think sometimes I can be a bit confusing but sounds like you got the jist

**pecable** · 12-05-2002, 11:32 AM

If you do cardio on a empty stomach i.e first thing in the morning your metabolism is still in sleep mode which is not the way to do it.Your system will not be in full working condition untill you eat. So in turn you will not burn fat as much.

**Za_S|ick** · 12-05-2002, 12:51 PM

Instead of taking a scoop of protein, better get some amino-acids capsules, they arrive very quickly into the bloodstream and the risk of being transformed into glycocen dissapears.

***Sicilian30*** · 12-05-2002, 01:00 PM

Great answer Warrior couldn't have said it better myself. He is exactly correct, however, I would not take protein just before cardio, I would just stick with the empty stomach, to force your body to loose the fat, I will sacrifice muscle for fat, in this case, because with less fat, you will give the appearance that you have more muscle.

**Alfred** · 12-05-2002, 02:27 PM

Originally posted by pecable
If you do cardio on a empty stomach i.e first thing in the morning your metabolism is still in sleep mode which is not the way to do it.Your system will not be in full working condition untill you eat. So in turn you will not burn fat as much.

So this guy is wrong ? I have been doing cardio for about 2 weeks now while using a thermogenic, and i have noticed weight loss. But if i could lose more in the morning that would be awsome, btw.. how are you supposed to get your pulse in the fat burning area if you are taking a thermogen ? mine pumps like mad soon as they kick in.

**Warrior** · 12-05-2002, 03:34 PM

Originally posted by Alfred
So this guy is wrong ? I have been doing cardio for about 2 weeks now while using a thermogenic, and i have noticed weight loss. But if i could lose more in the morning that would be awsome, btw.. how are you supposed to get your pulse in the fat burning area if you are taking a thermogen ? mine pumps like mad soon as they kick in.

If you going for some type of aerobic adaption then yes you need some fuel in your system. If you want to simply use cardio as a means to lose bodyfat - do it first thing in the morning while insulin levels are low. You have no stored glycogen and as long as you remain in your target heart rate your body is less likely to catabolize muscle to make more.

Thermogeenic or not - you still stay in your THR. Thermogenics have been shown to help spare muscle as well. What BPM range are you finding yourself jumping into? It maybe something as simple as slowing down... you can actually read the latest issue of Muscular Development at the same time

A great way to catch up on some reading... bring a towel though - or the pages get the funky curl goin' on...

**Alfred** · 12-05-2002, 03:40 PM

Well i want to lose fat ...but at the same time i want to get better at running. Today il slow down more, try to keep my heart rate in that area...

Also wanted to say in the past few weeks ive cut out all the crap in my diet and started cardio taking therma lean (was (not sure if it still is)canadian legal ephedrine product) and ive noticed differances in my appearance and in the scale readings as well...

**thegame01** · 12-06-2002, 12:00 AM

i am not really tryng to lose weight but i still go for 20 min and cycle it up and down going up to 90% h rate. i do this 3-4 days a week .I take some liquid amino's just before and a meal right after.

It doesnt seem to be making me lose muscles(catabolism)

GZ

**manny** · 12-20-2002, 11:26 PM

so instead of taking some protein, what if I took a little glutamine with a glass of water first thing in the morning before I went for my run? Also can I pop my Xenadrine then too and then go hit the track? I want to burn as much fat as possible and spare as much muscle as possible. Right now I have glutamine, protein powder, multivitamin, xenadrine, and cell tech. I have decided not to take the cell tech for the next couple of weeks bc of its reputation of holding extra water. Does that make sense if I'm trying to shed fat so I can tear away at this bloated look?

**Warrior** · 12-20-2002, 11:37 PM

You have to figure the macronutrients like this:

Protein and carbs are like tissue paper. Fat is like solid blocks of wood. Which do you think will burn the easiest?

Your glutamine will more than likely be converted to glucose as you body scavenges for some eaasy energy... because burning fat is more difficult. So your glutamine becomes an expensive carbohydrate.

You can try it, perhaps it will help decrease cortisol and and save muscle but the norm suggest not putting anything in your stomach and taking advantage of that morning fat burning state. Personally I would rather see the glutamine taken right after in a carb/protein shake an hour before breakfast.

Xenadrine has no caloric value and will only speed up the burning process, as well as help spare muscle. So... YES, by all means take the Xenadrine to help push you out of bed and speed up the early metabolism.

If you do wany to take the CellTech, do not load it... the amount of sugar will deffinitly deter fat loss. Take the one serving only post workout. This would be okay to do for you. The best time would be after your morning cardio... to blast you out of a catabolic state. Otherwise after resistance training for the same effect. Not before!

**Warrior** · 12-20-2002, 11:38 PM

Those hyperlink things are getting really annoying...

**manny** · 12-20-2002, 11:41 PM

yeah i agree with the hyperlinks, i actually couldn't read some of your comments. you said no glutamine or protein in the morning, just the xenadrine and some water before I run. and as for the cell tech you said I could take it and still lose the bloat as long as I took it after lifting on workout days and in the morning after run on non workout days???