Affordable Training Tip | Affordable Nutrition

Incorporating cardio for fat loss

This little tip can be hugely beneficial for those of who predominantly undergo cardio vascular based exercise for fat loss. Please note this does not apply for anyone concerned with achieving optimum performance levels.

The key here is to undertake your cardio while in a “low glycogen environment.” In other words, when your muscles contain low levels of carbohydrates.

Why? The answer is very simple, your body naturally prefers to source its energy from carbohydrates as they breakdown into to glucose much easier which can be used to create energy faster.

Typically under relatively normal circumstances your body will source calories for energy in something like the following ratio:

Protein – 10% Carbohydrate – 80% Fat – 10%

However if the carbohydrate levels are low/depleted your body will be forced to adapt and utilise more calories/energy from protein and of course fat! This is the theory behind high protein, low carbohydrate diets and the good news is we can also take this approach to maximise fat loss from our cardio.

Essentially we are all in a low glycogen environment at 2 critical times:

1) First thing in the morning (providing we’ve not gone to bed very late on a carb heavy meal). To further boost your metabolic rate, it’s imperative that you re-hydrate first and drink at least 500ml of water beforehand.

2) Immediately post-workout, when the 15-25 working sets of resistance training have taken their toll on our energy/carb levels within the working muscles.

As I’ve stated right from the beginning, the predominant aim here is to achieve fat loss and your intensity levels should reflect this. Whatever form of activity you’re doing you should still be able to just about hold down a conversation with your training partner.

Numerous studies have shown a significantly greater proportion of calories are sourced from fat as opposed to protein and carbohydrates if we work at a milder intensity for longer periods.

Having mentioned that, 30 second sprint intervals (10 sets) are a fantastic way of raising metabolic rate, boosting growth hormone and increasing fat loss but are hardly suited to these low carb periods.

This type of cardio would work wonders on an evening time, which would help further create an ideal low carbohydrate/fat burning environment for the following morning.

Finally you should exercise patience and carefully look to build up your regime, from 10 minutes right up to 60 minutes – don’t ask too much of yourself early on. The nature of activity can range from a nice brisk walk/bike ride first thing in the morning to a number of different cardio stations at your gym or home.

Mix and match so you don’t become bored and you’ll enjoy the benefits of a significant boost to your fat loss.

Disclaimer: All exercises on this site are intended for healthy individuals without any present medical conditions. If you are currently experiencing any bone, joint, or musculoskeletal pain, we advise you to consult a licensed health care professional prior to commencing any of the exercises suggested within this site. The author, editor, and publisher specifically disclaim all responsibility and liability for any injury arising from the use and application of the information provided within this site.