Does avoiding carbs after weight training really burn fat?

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So I lift 3 times a week and make sure I get protein afterwards. I am still obese and have heard that until I get lean, I should avoid carbs after my workouts to burn fat. Then at the next meal, I can consume carbs.

Is this sound advice? Seems to make sense: carbs can restore glycogen just as easily the next morning as they can right after.

Thoughts anyone?

Replies

  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    edited June 2015
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    So I lift 3 times a week and make sure I get protein afterwards. I am still obese and have heard that until I get lean, I should avoid carbs after my workouts to burn fat. Then at the next meal, I can consume carbs.

    Is this sound advice? Seems to make sense: carbs can restore glycogen just as easily the next morning as they can right after.

    Thoughts anyone?

    No, it's not sound advice.

    The best thing you can do for yourself at this point would to utilize whatever meal timing strategy best fits your preferences and your lifestyle. In other words, select a meal timing strategy that's easiest to adhere to.

    Nutrient timing and it's effects on fat loss aren't significantly important. Diet adherence IS significantly important.

  • ibnfaqir
    ibnfaqir Posts: 139 Member
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    No it doesnt. A calorie deficit does.
  • kkeeaa
    kkeeaa Posts: 9 Member
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    Do you do cardio? Doing that with your lifting will help burn fat. Part of fat loss is through respiration (your body literally sweats out fat) so cardio is important. Good luck!
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
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    NO!!!! While nutrient timing isn't super important while losing fat, if you want to do it, at least do it right. Within an hour of lifting you want to replenish the carbs you've used to fuel the lifts and have them with some protein to repair the muscle fibers you've broken down. Skipping carbs will only cause the body to break down protein (IE muscle) to try and replenish the glycogen.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
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    No
  • Justthisgirl1994
    Justthisgirl1994 Posts: 226 Member
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    No, sorry!
    This site should answer all your post and pre workout questions: http://www.acaloriecounter.com/diet/pre-and-post-workout-meal/

    Basically, you should be eating .25-.5g of carbs per pound of your target body weight for your post workout meal. (Protein should be around .25g).

    Right after you workout is actually the best time for you to eat carbs! It really just comes down to, if you want to lose weight, then meet your macro goals while staying at a calorie deficit. If you find that you can't stay under your calorie limit while getting enough protein, carbs and fats, then you should do enough cardio to give you those extra calories that you need.
  • dalansteiner
    dalansteiner Posts: 61 Member
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    Sorry, guess I should have mentioned I also do cardio (about 1600 calories worth per week minimum, sometimes FAR more from hiking) and that I do eat a calorie deficit for the most part (this last weekend was bad, visited my daughters and PIGGED out). I sometimes eat carbs after cardio, sometimes not.

    At .25g/ lb target weight I would eat 46 grams post work out. That seems doable. However, the author of the article I read said during the fat loss phase, avoiding carbs after weights puts you in a catabolic state. Guess I'll have to read up on that. Uncertain what the long term effects would be. Maybe bad?

    Any biochemists out there want to weigh in?

  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Don't bother trying to micromanage whether you're in a catabolic or anabolic state at any given time. Waste of mental energy entirely.

    calorie deficits are catabolic by definition.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    Sorry, guess I should have mentioned I also do cardio (about 1600 calories worth per week minimum, sometimes FAR more from hiking) and that I do eat a calorie deficit for the most part (this last weekend was bad, visited my daughters and PIGGED out). I sometimes eat carbs after cardio, sometimes not.

    At .25g/ lb target weight I would eat 46 grams post work out. That seems doable. However, the author of the article I read said during the fat loss phase, avoiding carbs after weights puts you in a catabolic state. Guess I'll have to read up on that. Uncertain what the long term effects would be. Maybe bad?

    Any biochemists out there want to weigh in?

    Eugh, where are you getting this? Some bro-tastic place like bodybuilding.com or t-nation or something? Listen to what everyone is saying in here. Eating carbs post-workout or not is likely to have zero net effect. Overall caloric intake versus output is what will cover 95% of fat loss.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    kkeeaa wrote: »
    Do you do cardio? Doing that with your lifting will help burn fat. Part of fat loss is through respiration (your body literally sweats out fat) so cardio is important. Good luck!

    No. This is just crazy talk. Cardio as well as lifting, breathing, walking, or what have you does not burn fat. It burns calories. You can do all the cardio you want, but if you eat more calories than you burn you will gain fat.

    A body does not sweat out fat. The bottom line is you must eat in a deficit to lose fat. There are different combinations of ways to achieve it, but you absolutely don't have to do cardio if you don't want to.

    OP follow what SS said. Don't worry about about timing of when you eat a certain amount of a macro. Eat whatever time or quantity that makes it easy for you to stay closest to your goal of calories and macros.

  • DesertGunR
    DesertGunR Posts: 187 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    Don't bother trying to micromanage whether you're in a catabolic or anabolic state at any given time. Waste of mental energy entirely.

    calorie deficits are catabolic by definition.

    Weight loss occurs at one place only and that is in the kitchen. Exercise for all intents and purposes is supplemental to that. So you need to Eat at deficit, Eat at deficit and one other thing, Eat at deficit!

    The only other thing you should worry about past eating at deficit, is trying to match your protein intake to 0.8g-1g per pound of current lean muscle mass. Meal timing can help you avoid the munchies and over eating which will destroy eating at deficit. As for when you do or when you don't eat carbs that is not really going to matter.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    That's not sound advice, that's dumb advice.
    You don't have to do anything special to burn the fuel you are carrying - just a calorie deficit over time.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    You are thinking at this the wrong way, focusing on pointless details. Eat at a deficit. What time you eat what might have some small impact for an athlete trying to finetune details, it means nothing for someone obese trying to lose weight. And if there is some impact to your fat loss rate, it will be some minimal it will be compltely negligible.
  • dalansteiner
    dalansteiner Posts: 61 Member
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    Thanks for the feedback folks. I like the passion in a number of these posts.

    Deficit deficit deficit.....
  • coreyreichle
    coreyreichle Posts: 1,031 Member
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    kkeeaa wrote: »
    Do you do cardio? Doing that with your lifting will help burn fat. Part of fat loss is through respiration (your body literally sweats out fat) so cardio is important. Good luck!

    To be more accurate, you're actually blowing the fat out of your mouth and nose :) Fat gets eventually converted to CO2 :)
  • dalansteiner
    dalansteiner Posts: 61 Member
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    So my obesity contributes to the ozone hole?

    Great....
  • jacklfc88
    jacklfc88 Posts: 247 Member
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    NO!!!! While nutrient timing isn't super important while losing fat, if you want to do it, at least do it right. Within an hour of lifting you want to replenish the carbs you've used to fuel the lifts and have them with some protein to repair the muscle fibers you've broken down. Skipping carbs will only cause the body to break down protein (IE muscle) to try and replenish the glycogen.

    this
  • s2mikey
    s2mikey Posts: 146 Member
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    After weight training your body needs carbs and protein to start the recovery process. And, this whole "limit carbs" thing these days is getting old and tiresome. Active people NEED carbs and a good amount of them to stay healthy & fit. Ive recently switched to a higher carb macro breakdown and I feel better. My workouts are better and Ive added a few lbs of needed mass to my physique.
  • dalansteiner
    dalansteiner Posts: 61 Member
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    Interesting results from week 1 of more protein, lower carbs: 5 lb weight loss. And yes, I am slamming the water. 5 lbs is too much I know, so I am reassessing my calorie intake. But the results so far are interesting.

    I do have more energy for cardio, but it's early in the process.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,663 Member
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    kkeeaa wrote: »
    Do you do cardio? Doing that with your lifting will help burn fat. Part of fat loss is through respiration (your body literally sweats out fat) so cardio is important. Good luck!
    The body doesn't sweat out fat. It sweats out water and electrolytes. Cardio doesn't burn much fat. It burns calories.

    A calorie deficit is the direct reason someone would lose fat.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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