Trying to drop BF% but keep LBM

**lovage666** · 07-27-2015, 07:53 AM

So I have found that I do enjoy the morning fasting cardio.. I seem to have wonderful results as far as losing weight and firing up the metabolic furnace when I do it.. However I am confused because I am reading that I will destroy my lean muscle tissue doing this? I have read a few things about taking BCAA prior to doing a fasting cardio to prevent that, Can someone please give me some insight on this and exactly how I should be doing a morning fast cardio routine?

Thanks in Advance

**Khazima** · 07-27-2015, 07:56 PM

There's no superiority to faster cardio over cardio at any other time. If you like it, do it. It may be counter productive due to already being in a faster state and your body using its glycogen and amino acid stores as energy then forcing it to use more.

You can't fire up your metabolic rate, you can eat for a thermogenic effect and workout to burn energy (calories) but fasted vs fed cardio makes no difference.

Bcaas may be useful in this situation since you're using the amino acids from your muscle for energy so using more as fuel will help prevent catabolism (which isn't really going to significantly occur in a small bout of exercise anyway.

**davidtheman100** · 07-28-2015, 03:10 AM

Originally Posted by Khazima

There's no superiority to faster cardio over cardio at any other time. If you like it, do it. It may be counter productive due to already being in a faster state and your body using its glycogen and amino acid stores as energy then forcing it to use more.

You can't fire up your metabolic rate, you can eat for a thermogenic effect and workout to burn energy (calories) but fasted vs fed cardio makes no difference.

Bcaas may be useful in this situation since you're using the amino acids from your muscle for energy so using more as fuel will help prevent catabolism (which isn't really going to significantly occur in a small bout of exercise anyway.

Agreed...and i have had experience with both..and can say that while i was an advocate of fasted cardio at first, i can say that i've have little to no difference in body composition from doing it at different times..I would def watch your heart rate OP if you're going to do fasted cardio in the morning and limit your time to not too long and make sure you're eating soon after..

**Mr.BB** · 07-28-2015, 03:49 AM

Originally Posted by Khazima

There's no superiority to faster cardio over cardio at any other time. If you like it, do it. It may be counter productive due to already being in a faster state and your body using its glycogen and amino acid stores as energy then forcing it to use more.

You can't fire up your metabolic rate, you can eat for a thermogenic effect and workout to burn energy (calories) but fasted vs fed cardio makes no difference.

Bcaas may be useful in this situation since you're using the amino acids from your muscle for energy so using more as fuel will help prevent catabolism (which isn't really going to significantly occur in a small bout of exercise anyway.

Body doesnt use amino acids as energy.

**Khazima** · 07-28-2015, 05:09 AM

Originally Posted by Mr.BB

Body doesnt use amino acids as energy.

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&r...98717601,d.dGY

Or pick from any of these.

https://www.google.com.au/webhp?sour...%20as%20energy

**Mr.BB** · 07-28-2015, 07:59 AM

This explains in quite simple terms ATP production in humans: The Catabolism of Fats and Proteins for Energy
Dont quite agree with everything but its ok.

Proteins are nitrogen based, and as ATP is carbon based it requires quite a few chemical reactions to remove the nitrogen. It simply isnt energy efficient and at same time its quite poisonous, in fact it needs to be coupled with ATP to stop being a endergonic process.

So, unless you are in starvation ketogenic state your conversion of energy from aminoacids will be close to zero (theres always some done in liver), and belive me you dont want to be in ketogenic state...

EDIT: still in ketogenic state most energy will come from fat catabolism.

**Juced_porkchop** · 07-28-2015, 09:01 AM

google "carb cycling for fatloss" it kicks up motab and keeps you more sain while cutting IMO. I like it. nvm cardio except for health, i would focus on diet and heavy lifting still. and when bulking remember more muscle = more fat burning naturally and even better on next cut .

**BulldogMatt** · 07-28-2015, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by Juced_porkchop

google "carb cycling for fatloss" it kicks up motab and keeps you more sain while cutting IMO. I like it. nvm cardio except for health, i would focus on diet and heavy lifting still. and when bulking remember more muscle = more fat burning naturally and even better on next cut .

I could not agree more. I couldn't lose fat until I changed my program to a compound lift based one, where cardio (HIIT) and kickbox were used to have a higher energy expenditure.

**lovage666** · 07-31-2015, 07:12 AM

Thank you all

**Buster Brown** · 07-31-2015, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by Juced_porkchop

google "carb cycling for fatloss" it kicks up motab and keeps you more sain while cutting IMO. I like it. nvm cardio except for health, i would focus on diet and heavy lifting still. and when bulking remember more muscle = more fat burning naturally and even better on next cut .

I totally agree with the carb cycling approach. Works wonders and it can be tweaked to your individual needs