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...one of the side effects of cardio is burning muscle as well as fat.
Really? Cardio burns muscle?! I'm not doubting what you say, it's just that in all my years of studying fitness this is something I have never heard or experienced.
I understand that many forms of cardio tend to neglect the upper body, so if they don't take time to work on the upper body they'll not have much muscle up there. But cardio junkies' legs & butts are pretty darn muscular. Runners' calves forever!
there's a weight loss exercise method known as fasting cardio in the morning. You wake up and you do cardio like running or an aerobics class, before you even eat anything. Have you ever tried it?
I have, on mornings when I wake up not particularly hungry, and wanting to lose weight. I guess it works. But I don't do it regularly.
Then there is the standard nutritional philosophy that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it's essential to eat something in the morning to get your digestion going and your metabolism stabilized.
I agree with both philosophies, but you obviously can't do both everyday
The concern with skipping breakfast is that people tend to overeat later in the day. But on the days I do fasting cardio, exercise in general tends to make me lose my appetite for a while, so thankfully I don't tend to overeat on fasting cardio days.
Have you tried morning fasting cardio? If so, what do you think about it?
I just have black coffee before morning cardio. Followed by a slow carb afterwards as in plain oatmeal + protein shake. I do it mainly because there is little time available. Awake at 5am. class as 530am and I will puke if my stomach has anything of substance in it during the workout. Applies to morning weight training as well.
On the weekends I have about 3hrs interval from awakening to training so have breakfast.
Do not know about if useful for losing weight. I do not need to lose weight. Already down to low BF%.
Really? Cardio burns muscle?! I'm not doubting what you say, it's just that in all my years of studying fitness this is something I have never heard or experienced.
I understand that many forms of cardio tend to neglect the upper body, so if they don't take time to work on the upper body they'll not have much muscle up there. But cardio junkies' legs & butts are pretty darn muscular. Runners' calves forever!
Please explain how cardio would burn muscle?
I hear that as well. Culprit is steady state cardio. Body feeds on what is readily convertible into energy. Uses muscle once liver glycogen is used. Also, long term steady state cardio stresses the body so Testosterone production is inhibited.
Here is one study from a vetted source. Which is why one often sees the poor frail emaciated marathoner next to a muscular sprinter. I sprint but do not look down on long distance folk. Have a dedicated SBR colleague at work. Lean and no visible muscle but a beast on those 140.6 mile races.
I think the breakfast is the most important meal of the day applies only somewhat. If you exercise on an empty stomach and then afterword eat something with a good amount of protein it's fine. That's different from not even eating at all in the morning which for most people is not good.
As a type 2 diabetic I MUST eat breakfast shortly after getting up or my blood sugar goes up and up. So I do not exercise in a fasted state, that is deadly for me.
I did used to run a few miles early in the morning before breakfast when I was young in my 20s. I guess it is all in what is good for your particular circumstances.
Try it 1-2x per week and see what you think. I wouldn't go super intense or long, but fasted state cardio can help with improving your fat burning capabilities (as opposed to relying on carbs from your most recent meal).
Leangains.com has some good info on fasted training and the benefits.
I hear that as well. Culprit is steady state cardio. Body feeds on what is readily convertible into energy. Uses muscle once liver glycogen is used. Also, long term steady state cardio stresses the body so Testosterone production is inhibited.
Here is one study from a vetted source. Which is why one often sees the poor frail emaciated marathoner next to a muscular sprinter. I sprint but do not look down on long distance folk. Have a dedicated SBR colleague at work. Lean and no visible muscle but a beast on those 140.6 mile races.
As far as that study, it wasn't really about muscle catabolism, but more about the adaptation of glycogen sparing from training.
That being said, yes, glycogen depletion will cause muscle tissue breakdown. This is also what happens in low carbohydrate dieting which causes significant loss of muscle mass as the body recruits amino acids from muscle protein to maintain blood glucose via gluconeogenesis.
It takes a long time to deplete glycogen stores, however (unless one is already on a low carbohydrate diet), usually an at least 90 minutes to two hours of continual, moderate to intense levels of physical activity.
Try it 1-2x per week and see what you think. I wouldn't go super intense or long, but fasted state cardio can help with improving your fat burning capabilities (as opposed to relying on carbs from your most recent meal).
Leangains.com has some good info on fasted training and the benefits.
You don't burn more fat this way. Fat is always being used, whether one has carbs from a recent meal or not.
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