Cardio Weight Loss Q'n'A

Today I'm going to answer two common fat loss cardio questions I get all the time. Myth-bustin' and settin' the record straight today...

Q: I read that it is best to do cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, so that you burn more fat. Is this true?

Answer:
Thanks for the email. It is always worth going over again.

Here's the deal.

9 times out of 10, exercising first thing in the morning wont' help you lose fat faster. On the other hand, it probably won't make you lose muscle (which has always been one of the knocks against early morning cardio).

You might burn a little bit more fat proportionally, but in the big picture, that probably doesn't mean much.

But there's only one way for you to find out. Give it a try for 3-4 weeks. That will be enough time for you to make a solid judgment about this training method and how it works for YOU.

I've found that simply following a program of strength training followed by interval training has worked as well or better (and always faster) than the slow cardio approach.

I want you to think like a bodybuilder. Every bodybuilder knows that they don't gain muscle during a workout. Heck no, during the workout they breakdown the muscle so that it can recover and grow during the post-exercise period.

And that's how fat loss works with strength and interval training. Here's what happens. During the intense, but short workout, you deplete your muscle energy stores and you cause some muscle damage. That makes your body burn a good amount of calories during the workout, but it burns even more calories after your workout during the post-exercise period.

And that increases in calorie and fat burning can last for over 24 hours.

Normal cardio doesn't do that. It only burns calories during the session.

So that's why we don't bother with normal cardio, let alone cardio on an empty stomach.

Q: I do strength training and cardio. However, I do have a question. If I am over 20% body fat, is it ok to do longer duration cardio until I get down closer to the 10-12% range?

Also, my knees are bad and squatting and lunging kill. Is there anything else I can do for my low body that would not involve knee flexion?

Answer:
I am not totally against the longer duration cardio if a client's body fat is still high (i.e. above 20% for a male). However, an overweight individual is also at greater risk of overuse injury from a high volume cardio program - even if it's just walking. So be careful.

I also still strongly believe that regular cardio rates 3rd on the effectiveness of methods for getting down to 10% body fat.

1 - Nutrition (this will have the greatest impact on an overweight person's immediate fat loss)

2 - Intervals/resistance training

3 - Traditional cardio

As each person's results are individual, I can't accurately predict how much this extra cardio is going to help you with the fat loss. But there is only one way to find out. Give it a try.

So let's just give it a 4 week trial though. Let me know how you plan to fit it into your sessions. I prefer adding it on to the end of an interval session (therefore, this interval session is done on a non-weights day). Let me know your plan.

And for your knees, well, the exercises to stick to are Romanian Deadlifts, lying hip bridges, stability ball leg curls, and limited-range (pain free) split squats, and limited-range (pain free) squats.

Only go through a range of motion that does not cause pain (and this goes for any exercise). If it hurts the knees, stop. That goes for cardio as well.

Your knees should get better with weight loss. Also, you should see a nutritionist to discuss your eating patterns and fish oil supplementation.

Everyone has a hope for better health,
CB

P.S. January is slipping away...
Is the fat slipping away as well? If you're still on your own program and not making any progress, than quit making things so hard on yourself.

Give Turbulence Training a try with the introductory priced program, the January Fat Loss 4-week Workout.

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"Downloaded January program yesterday and started it today, Bit late I know but better late than never. All I can say about this program is WOW! I was done and dusted in 43 minutes and I felt like I had just run a half marathon. I now know why you call this Turbulence Training. Like the 8 8 12 reps. On the dumbell swing heart rate hit 141 and on squat thrust and pressup 138. Also pleased to report that strength is improving as well body shape changing. Thanks Craig."
Bob Dickson