Cutting fat

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I am confused! I am currently studying to be a PT but there are so many contradictions in what i'm learning. I have been a runner for most of my 20's (now 29) and got into lifting around 12 months ago. I have a little stubborn fat around my middle and inner thighs (not much but won't shift!) I'm told by one trainer to eat fats before working out and my studying says to eat carbs. I'm currently training 6 to 7 days a week but i have hit a wall!! Any advice??

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  • amberlyda1
    amberlyda1 Posts: 154 Member
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    what kind of fats is he specifically referring to?
  • fit4eva86
    fit4eva86 Posts: 71 Member
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    I'm told to have coconut oil in my black coffee before training and then carb up afterwards.
  • htimpaired
    htimpaired Posts: 1,404 Member
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    sounds like he joined the "bullet proof coffee" train (except they promote butter in your coffee instead of coconut oil). I've always heard carbs before, protein after strength to repair muscle.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
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    Fats are OK BEFORE exercise, but not AFTER exercise. Carbs need to be kept below 100/day.
  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
    edited November 2015
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    Both are energy and unless your in a keto diet (low on carbs) I really can't see why one is better than the other just before a workout except in an elite athlete. Personally I drink 2% fat milk and a protein shake before I workout so I get Fat carbs and protein..
  • fit4eva86
    fit4eva86 Posts: 71 Member
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    I have always heard that to but what i am studying has threw me. I always have protein afterwards but now i'm reading that you should have carbs afterwards to replace the glycogen in the muscles, fats have the highest energy for exercise and carbs shouldn't be consumed before if you are looking to cut fat. These are things i will eventually be advising people with and even i'm confused! Personally i have always had carbs before, Can't stand oil in coffee and always refuel with protein but i'm going wrong somewhere.
  • fit4eva86
    fit4eva86 Posts: 71 Member
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    Both are energy and unless your in a keto diet (low on carbs) I really can't see why one is better than the other just before a workout except in an elite athlete. Personally I drink 2% fat milk and a protein shake before I workout so I get Fat carbs and protein..

    Do you find you can still cut having carbs before training? I normally have oats depending on what i'm training or if i'm in a rush i'll have a shake or banana.
  • amberlyda1
    amberlyda1 Posts: 154 Member
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    it depends on what your goal is. If it is strictly fat loss than you are going to fuel your body very differently than trying to gain muscle/bulk. Its a very different science than just loosing weight.
    Im out of shape now but I used to weight train a lot. I always did a 60/40 before workouts, but I was going for muscle gain. I did a lot of HIIT, heavy weight, ISO etc combined with cardio. I like carbs before a workout because they do give you more energy for intense workouts because they metabolizes as a glucose to provide your muscles with more fuel. Not all carbs are created equal. I would skip the refined carbs and go with something easier to digest. A favorite was always a banana with PB.
    To me a scoop of any kind of fat just sounds awful before i push myself. For me it would be too heavy and get my stomach upset before i push myself
  • amberlyda1
    amberlyda1 Posts: 154 Member
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    and yes i know PB has a high fat content....im just thinking of oil/butter/lard :(~...i also have a sensitive tummy though
  • amberlyda1
    amberlyda1 Posts: 154 Member
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    and even when I was a size 2 and ripped...my thighs still touched and i was never able to get rid of that lil bit of chub. I was able to get a small triangle, but thats it. buying pants has always been an event for me
  • fit4eva86
    fit4eva86 Posts: 71 Member
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    amberlyda1 wrote: »
    it depends on what your goal is. If it is strictly fat loss than you are going to fuel your body very differently than trying to gain muscle/bulk. Its a very different science than just loosing weight.
    Im out of shape now but I used to weight train a lot. I always did a 60/40 before workouts, but I was going for muscle gain. I did a lot of HIIT, heavy weight, ISO etc combined with cardio. I like carbs before a workout because they do give you more energy for intense workouts because they metabolizes as a glucose to provide your muscles with more fuel. Not all carbs are created equal. I would skip the refined carbs and go with something easier to digest. A favorite was always a banana with PB.
    To me a scoop of any kind of fat just sounds awful before i push myself. For me it would be too heavy and get my stomach upset before i push myself

    I thought the same regarding the fats. I normally train 6-7 days a week. I do a lot of cardio, intervals on stair master, treadmill and rower and then machine weights, body weight and free weights. I'm strong lower body wise but i have skinny arms i think due to all the running in the past. I'm looking to work on upper strength but cut belly fat at same time.
  • ainarsraciks
    ainarsraciks Posts: 166 Member
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    The idea I think is that carbs are your primary source of energy (unless you are on keto) so if you ate them before your workout you will not burn as much fat during workout, so don't take them before when cutting and take fat instead. Same goes for training when fasted when cutting with intention for body to use your body fat as fuel instead of food in your belly. This of course assumes that body will not use the fat you just ate as energy anyways just like it would with carbs. But then again some people might argue that your body will use stored glycogen anyways when training and not body fat directly and/or food in your stomach, which I would argue will be the case.

    This all is huge "bro science" here and I seriously doubt makes any difference for cutting. Carbs pre might just give you more energy when training. Unless you are on keto I see no point eating fat pre workout instead of carbs, bro science.

    That's if we even assume you have to ate to begin with. I personally feel that my workouts are better when I train fasted and then just have a meal afterwards. Figure out what works for YOU or for your specific client the best. One size fits all when it comes to training just seems nonsensical to me, we all are genetically different.
  • fit4eva86
    fit4eva86 Posts: 71 Member
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    The idea I think is that carbs are your primary source of energy (unless you are on keto) so if you ate them before your workout you will not burn as much fat during workout, so don't take them before when cutting and take fat instead. Same goes for training when fasted when cutting with intention for body to use your body fat as fuel instead of food in your belly. This of course assumes that body will not use the fat you just ate as energy anyways just like it would with carbs. But then again some people might argue that your body will use stored glycogen anyways when training and not body fat directly and/or food in your stomach, which I would argue will be the case.

    This all is huge "bro science" here and I seriously doubt makes any difference for cutting. Carbs pre might just give you more energy when training. Unless you are on keto I see no point eating fat pre workout instead of carbs, bro science.

    That's if we even assume you have to ate to begin with. I personally feel that my workouts are better when I train fasted and then just have a meal afterwards. Figure out what works for YOU or for your specific client the best. One size fits all when it comes to training just seems nonsensical to me, we all are genetically different.

    Thank you!! I am frustrated with all the different approaches and what i'm told i should and shouldn't be doing. I qualify as a trainer in a month and i am baffled as to what i should be advising. As regards to myself i'll just have to keep playing around with things till i find whats right for me. Thanks for the reply x
  • fit4eva86
    fit4eva86 Posts: 71 Member
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    Logging out but thank you all for the reply's and advice :)