Cardio and HIIT before breakfast
slowbutsure2
Posts: 110
i always read that cardio before breakfast is the best time to burn fat. The problem I have always had is that I didn't lose fat, I lost muscle. I ended up with skinny arms and legs and plump everything else! I gave up spinning for this reason.
In case anyone else had this problem, I found a recommendation to take BCAA (amino acids) when I wake up and wait 30 minutes before exercising.
Pleased to report this seems to have stopped the muscle loss and helped the fat loss.
In case anyone else had this problem, I found a recommendation to take BCAA (amino acids) when I wake up and wait 30 minutes before exercising.
Pleased to report this seems to have stopped the muscle loss and helped the fat loss.
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Replies
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I don't know about your specific details, but I do know that so-called "fasted cardio" has no significant benefits for fat loss, except possibly for people who are very lean and need to become temporarily ultra lean.0
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You did not lose muscle and get plump from too much spinning in the morning. Just no.0
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Most of the stuff I have read ( lyle macdonald and the leangains website ) seem to say that fasted cardio can be beneficial for helping with stubborn body fat, BUT , only when you are very lean to begin with.
I typically get a good walk in before breakfast. It has helped me as I can stretch out the time from last food in the evening to later the following morning for breakfast. Before, I found myself eating early in the morning and then being hungry again by 11
What works for me isn't based on any fact what so ever and if it had been proven by anybody to be beneficial, then everybody would be knowing it and doing it
Most of the heresay we see thrown about as fact, is just opinion , so bear that in mind
Maybe those websites might have the information you require0 -
Pre-breakfast is the only time that I can workout consistently, I don't even care about fasted or non-fasted benefits. I either exercise then or not at all. If I noticed muscle loss I'd just increase my protein to try and head it off at the pass rather than change my routine.0
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Do the research on fasted cardio, from mine I saw some moderate benefits, but they were outweighed by the benefit of being properly fueled. The decision imo was a personal one, it suits some people abd nostly if they believe its good for them all the better, but I didnt find anything conclusive or suggest it had significant advantages.0
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knitapeace wrote: »Pre-breakfast is the only time that I can workout consistently, I don't even care about fasted or non-fasted benefits. I either exercise then or not at all. If I noticed muscle loss I'd just increase my protein to try and head it off at the pass rather than change my routine.
This. I exercise before breakfast for convenience.
You may just be a person who loses fat more quickly on the arms/legs. That leaves you with disproportionately more fat in the middle but not additional fat in the middle. That's how I lose fat too. It is much better now but for a period I felt like a potato person with skinny arms and legs and a fat belly.
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You did not lose muscle and get plump from too much spinning in the morning. Just no.
lol I didn't get plump, I was already plump. I lost weight but it was muscle. You have probably seen skinny fat people, that's what it does to me. But BCAA seems to have a positive effect on that for me.0 -
knitapeace wrote: »Pre-breakfast is the only time that I can workout consistently, I don't even care about fasted or non-fasted benefits. I either exercise then or not at all. If I noticed muscle loss I'd just increase my protein to try and head it off at the pass rather than change my routine.[/
My reason for doing cardio first thing in the morning is that it makes me feel great and starts the day off really positively.0 -
slowbutsure2 wrote: »You did not lose muscle and get plump from too much spinning in the morning. Just no.
lol I didn't get plump, I was already plump. I lost weight but it was muscle. You have probably seen skinny fat people, that's what it does to me. But BCAA seems to have a positive effect on that for me.
If you are losing weight, you will lose muscle regardless, its just science. You probably lost more muscle than you would like because you aren't weight training. Adequate protein intake and resistance training will help to spare muscle. Taking BCAA's alone will do nothing to spare muslce loss in a deficit.
Studies on fasted cardio show really no benefit over non-fasted cardio. Caloric burn is determined by energy use and exertion. The question is when do you have the most energy? If your energy level isn't high in the morning, you are doing yourself a disservice. If you can push yourself more later in the day or after eating, you will burn more calories.
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slowbutsure2 wrote: »You did not lose muscle and get plump from too much spinning in the morning. Just no.
lol I didn't get plump, I was already plump. I lost weight but it was muscle. You have probably seen skinny fat people, that's what it does to me. But BCAA seems to have a positive effect on that for me.
how were you measuring the muscle loss?0 -
There are so many different studies, it's hard to know which is right, but I think it varies by person. I workout first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, but mostly because I workout first thing, out of necessity, because if I don't do it first thing, it won't get done.
My workouts are either: 3-mile run, 60 minute spin class, 90 minute yoga class, or various 30 minute cardio or HIIT videos. Yes, I like to mix it up.
I have a high % of body fat but I've gone up and down as much as 45 pounds the last 5 years so I've probably done a lot of bad things to my body.
Right now I'm trying to just eat in an 8-hour window. So I workout around 7am, drink a shake @11, lunch at 12, snack at 3 and dinner at 6. Try to be done by 7. Then no food again until after my workout and the next day at 7. Only been doing this a week, but so far it's doing a few things for me:
- I feel in control of my hunger when I am on those stretched hours. I don't get dizzy or lightheaded and feel a grumbly stomach from time to time, but no discomfort
- For the 8 hours I am eating, I get nice and full. I am hungry for my noon lunch, even though I just had a smoothie an hour before but that's expected. But the rest of the day I feel I am getting a lot of food in my lunch, snack and dinner. And am comfortably full at dinner.
Previously I had been eating every few hours all throughout the day, small meals and never feeling satisfied. That was when I felt it was important to "fuel the fire" and "keep my metabolism revved up"
I am not doing any weight lifting programs right now because of an injury and not sure I would be able to do an effective workout on an empty stomach, but will see when I get healed.
I also eat very clean. For example:
B: Shakeo, 1/2 banana, kale
L: protein like chicken or turkey, grain free toast, raw veggie, apple
S: protein like greek yogurt, berries, and more raw veggies
protein like pork chop, sweet potato, salad with avocado and light dressing
I'll let you know if I see any noticeable scale, inches, or fat loss after 3 more weeks.0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »slowbutsure2 wrote: »You did not lose muscle and get plump from too much spinning in the morning. Just no.
lol I didn't get plump, I was already plump. I lost weight but it was muscle. You have probably seen skinny fat people, that's what it does to me. But BCAA seems to have a positive effect on that for me.
how were you measuring the muscle loss?
My legs and arms get physically skinny - measured. No fat on them previously. I don't put weight on in my arms and legs (excess fat). I carry it all around my waist. Apple shape, I think they call it.0 -
dieselbyte wrote: »slowbutsure2 wrote: »You did not lose muscle and get plump from too much spinning in the morning. Just no.
lol I didn't get plump, I was already plump. I lost weight but it was muscle. You have probably seen skinny fat people, that's what it does to me. But BCAA seems to have a positive effect on that for me.
If you are losing weight, you will lose muscle regardless, its just science. You probably lost more muscle than you would like because you aren't weight training. Adequate protein intake and resistance training will help to spare muscle. Taking BCAA's alone will do nothing to spare muslce loss in a deficit.
Studies on fasted cardio show really no benefit over non-fasted cardio. Caloric burn is determined by energy use and exertion. The question is when do you have the most energy? If your energy level isn't high in the morning, you are doing yourself a disservice. If you can push yourself more later in the day or after eating, you will burn more calories.
Not getting into any controversy (as I find it stressful), but there are so many theories claiming to have the scientific high ground that I am sceptical of anyone's claims to the absolute truth in weight loss. I take a very pragmatic approach now. I try things, if they are beneficial I keep them, and if not I lose them. Something's may work for reasons different than I imagine them too, but I'm not bothered. I'm just after results sorts trial and error and finding what works for me; whatever the underlying science happens to be.0 -
calories in vs out for weight loss isn't a controversy, its scientific fact. resistance training and adequate protein intake to spare muscle in a deficit isn't controversy, its scientific fact. being efficient at burning calories during cardio is detemined more by your exertion level, not wheter you ate before or not.0
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dieselbyte wrote: »calories in vs out for weight loss isn't a controversy, its scientific fact. resistance training and adequate protein intake to spare muscle in a deficit isn't controversy, its scientific fact. being efficient at burning calories during cardio is detemined more by your exertion level, not wheter you ate before or not.
Yeah I hear you. My point is that those who say it's not as simple as that, hormones etc play a big role are just as dogmatic about their scientific facts. My stance is, I don't care. If things work for me I keep it, if it doesn't then I don't.0 -
knitapeace wrote: »Pre-breakfast is the only time that I can workout consistently, I don't even care about fasted or non-fasted benefits. I either exercise then or not at all. If I noticed muscle loss I'd just increase my protein to try and head it off at the pass rather than change my routine.
I totally agree with your thoughts...My "pre-breakfast" time is the only time I can CONSISTENTLY workout as well.. so I have to get it in regardless... I actually prefer it.. because I can't catch a cramp from eating too recently and it helps wake me up for the rest of the day...
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I work out pre-breakfast and HAVE to have something in me 20-30 minutes or so before doing HIIT. I make my own protein bars at home, snack on one with some water, wait, then workout. Its not a huge amount of food but its enough to fuel me and if i am not fueled my workouts suffer.0
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