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Cardio isn't for "fat burning".

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  • Posts: 727 Member
    Ya...CICO.

    But I can't help but hope that the increased blood flow will help shift that stubborn lower body fat just a little bit quicker. :)
  • Posts: 1,481 Member
    RoxieDawn wrote: »

    I guess I should stop posting again..

    Aww, people do seem a bit grumpier this week.

    tr6J5nX25.gif

    Hang in there, probably just all the diet soda threads...
  • Posts: 1,137 Member
    senecarr wrote: »
    Is there a source for that claim?
    Not senecarr, but a quick pubmed search gave me these:

    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2730190/
    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3139333/
    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3214001/


    And one indicating that type of weight loss diet does not matter, in terms of losing visceral vs. other fat (or muscle)

    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3278241/
  • Posts: 2,577 Member
    edited March 2016
    _Waffle_ wrote: »

    You'll do better if you just think of it as energy. During lower intensity exercises the body will pull some from the muscle cells themselves, and some from blood stream. The blood stream energy will be replenished by energy stored in your liver. Once that is used up it will then use stored body fat for energy. This is released into your blood and is no different than the dietary fat that you've eaten that day which might be remaining. It doesn't wait until your totally out of energy so the stored fat/energy is mixed in with things you may have eaten recently.

    There are strategies for helping your body to prefer stored fat over glycogen but that includes starting the exercise in a fasted state and doing 90+ minutes of exercise. You can run out of glycogen energy storage in your cells too but that's all really outside the scope of this discussion.
    Ok thanks guys. I understood the glycogen/carbs being burned for higher intensity exercise but the fat component for lower intensity exercise is what had me confused.
    I'm trying to get my body to burn through glycogen more, so it seems like I need to stick to higher intensity exercise.

  • Posts: 5,575 Member
    Ok thanks guys. I understood the glycogen/carbs being burned for higher intensity exercise but the fat component for lower intensity exercise is what had me confused.
    I'm trying to get my body to burn through glycogen more, so it seems like I need to stick to higher intensity exercise.

    Why are you trying to burn through glycogen more? Is that for training purposes?
  • Posts: 559 Member

    No form of exercise is required to reach this state- you could sit still and reach that state as long as you weren't replenishing glycogen whilst you were doing it. So, if exercise is not required for fat burning we are back to the position that @ninerbuff (OP) stated.

    I think the comment is intending something else and not that exercise is necessary for fat or glycogen burning. Something like:

    If you want to make cardio a fat burning exercise you can, if you do it long enough to use up the glycogen stores first and then it becomes fat burning.

    I am not competent to judge the accuracy of the statement but I did interpret it that way.
  • Posts: 2,417 Member
    shor0814 wrote: »

    I think the comment is intending something else and not that exercise is necessary for fat or glycogen burning. Something like:

    If you want to make cardio a fat burning exercise you can, if you do it long enough to use up the glycogen stores first and then it becomes fat burning.

    I am not competent to judge the accuracy of the statement but I did interpret it that way.

    Oh I see, yes. That makes sense. Thanks
  • Posts: 2,577 Member

    Why are you trying to burn through glycogen more? Is that for training purposes?
    I'm trying to cut down on excess blood sugar floating around in my bloodstream, since my overall blood sugar level is too high.

  • Posts: 9,097 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    It's the stupid magazines and diet industry that screws it up.

    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

    9285851.png

    Like you, I've seen this exploited for well over three decades.
    I was talking to a fitness model yesterday at gym about a specific exercise she was doing to possibly help me when I catch behind the plate for baseball. F.M. says my coach gave me this exercise to burn fat around the glutes...[/endconvo]
  • Posts: 5,575 Member
    I'm trying to cut down on excess blood sugar floating around in my bloodstream, since my overall blood sugar level is too high.

    Have you discussed this with your doctor and learned the difference between glycogen in the muscle and blood glucose numbers?
  • Posts: 5,575 Member
    Chieflrg wrote: »

    Like you, I've seen this exploited for well over three decades.
    I was talking to a fitness model yesterday at gym about a specific exercise she was doing to possibly help me when I catch behind the plate for baseball. F.M. says my coach gave me this exercise to burn fat around the glutes...[/endconvo]

    Did you at least get her number? ;)
  • Posts: 5,377 Member

    It behaves the same as other fat but it's about the fastest burning fat because it tends to have more beta receptors than other areas, particularly lower body fat. My understanding is that it evolved as a fast energy track for activities such as hunting but that could be just speculation.

    I've heard similar claims, particularly as evolutionary claims about sex differences - that men have greater visceral deposition to facilitate this. This tends to come in passing without a cited source.
  • Posts: 5,377 Member

    That made me laugh and feel uncomfortable at the same time.

    There was an add series similar to that in the US - where people would come across random piles of flesh and comment about how someone had lost their beer belly, spare tire, bubble butt, etc... So gross, but it was actually somewhat motivating (though obviously not for purchasing the product, since I can't remember what the commercial was actually for).

    The commercial was actually a government healthy activities advert, not exactly a product.
    http://www.adforum.com/creative-work/ad/player/39303/love-handles/healthy-america
    ^That's one of them. The one that I always remember was the kids finding some part on the beach.
  • Posts: 49,204 Member
    lizlemon4 wrote: »
    People these days eat straight up crap. Chips, soda, hot dogs, McDonald's, and everything else. Never a veggie or a fruit oh how about some old fashioned water and a good run around the block. Take account for the things you consume or they will consume you with obesity and disease.
    Not necessarily. The prison population DOESN'T get any high quality food at all, yet there isn't an obesity problem and for some reason they aren't dropping like flies from years of low nutrient eating.

    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

    9285851.png

  • Posts: 49,204 Member
    Lord007 wrote: »
    While the OP is correct, it's a bit misleading. One should do 20+ minutes of cardio to be fat burning. Up to the 20 minute mark (approximately), you're basically burning off the sugars stored in your blood and muscle lining. the general statement is correct that if you are at a consistent calorie deficit, you will lose fat.
    You're burning a mix of glycogen and fat, but the the percentage of fat being burned is quite small. You burn a higher percentage of fat at rest (and we are at rest more than exercising) because it's the primary fuel when the body isn't doing anything physically demanding.

    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

    9285851.png

  • Posts: 81 Member
    yeah that's true 2 years ago I dropped about 60lbs in 6 months and never once went to a gym funny part is I got scared from the doctor so I knew I had to make changes only exercise I did do was at work in a warehouse not on my feet 8 hrs of the day kinda sitting going sitting goin u know so yeah
  • Posts: 5,377 Member
    robininfl wrote: »
    Not senecarr, but a quick pubmed search gave me these:

    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2730190/
    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3139333/
    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3214001/


    And one indicating that type of weight loss diet does not matter, in terms of losing visceral vs. other fat (or muscle)

    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3278241/

    Thanks.
  • Posts: 699 Member
    Problem that I have the original post is that it is too simplistic. I can easily argue that you do cardio to lose fat. Take my own example. It was by doing the cardio that I built up the endurance capability to burn the calories either through lifting or cardio....and therefore have a cardio deficit.
  • Posts: 49,204 Member
    mjwarbeck wrote: »
    Problem that I have the original post is that it is too simplistic. I can easily argue that you do cardio to lose fat. Take my own example. It was by doing the cardio that I built up the endurance capability to burn the calories either through lifting or cardio....and therefore have a cardio deficit.
    Eat the same amount of calories you burn and you don't burn fat regardless of how much cardio you do. It's not the exercise that burns fat, it's the reduction in energy storage that does.
    Cardio burns more calories that anaerobic exercise, but again without a calorie deficit (with the exception of recomp), the body will retain 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

    9285851.png

  • Posts: 8,488 Member
    robininfl wrote: »
    Not senecarr, but a quick pubmed search gave me these:

    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2730190/
    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3139333/
    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3214001/


    And one indicating that type of weight loss diet does not matter, in terms of losing visceral vs. other fat (or muscle)

    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3278241/

    Thank you so much for those links. I did a good bit of reading on the topic a few years ago and never saved the links :'( .
    Now I have good references again.

    Cheers, h.
  • Posts: 2,459 Member

    Have you discussed this with your doctor and learned the difference between glycogen in the muscle and blood glucose numbers?

    Once glycogen in the muscle is used, the body pulls glucose from the blood to refill the glycogen supply and decreases blood glucose levels in the process. Were you thinking of something different?

    There is a caveat with IR. Vigorous exercise can sometimes cause extra glucose to be released to the bloodstream, so T2 diabetic, etc, folks should watch their intensity level if that makes their BG go too high for too long. Mine goes up some if it's very vigorous, but not too high, and the vigor is good for the cardio system and still helps with BG levels overall (and later in the day).

    Low-intensity exercise always lowers mine very nicely, so I also do that often to bring my level down after my carbiest meal or snack, etc. That only takes about 10-15 minutes of exercise for me! I highly recommend it. T1 folks have to watch their insulin dosage with exercise, so theirs is a bit different and may require snacks, etc., more than T2 or other folks.

  • Posts: 2,577 Member

    Have you discussed this with your doctor and learned the difference between glycogen in the muscle and blood glucose numbers?
    I have not. He didn't go into specifics of what I should be doing, other than that I should keep up exercising. While I'm sure there are other factors involved, I do know though that for a few months I did a lot of low to moderate intensity exercise (not much vigorous) and surprisingly my overall blood sugar level actually increased.

  • Posts: 2,577 Member
    Low-intensity exercise always lowers mine very nicely, so I also do that often to bring my level down after my carbiest meal or snack, etc. That only takes about 10-15 minutes of exercise for me! I highly recommend it.
    In those instances, are you eating a mostly carb centered meal/snack? Or is it a mix of macros but still with an ample number of carbs?
  • Posts: 2,459 Member
    In those instances, are you eating a mostly carb centered meal/snack? Or is it a mix of macros but still with an ample number of carbs?

    It is usually relatively high in carbs, yes. I plan to eat my little sweet a day before I do it, because that's the snack that makes my BG the highest during the day. I've also done it often after waking up with high BG and eating nothing, and it works quickly then, too. Just a kind of brisk walk, nothing I'd call vigorous, but not completely leisurely either.
  • Posts: 36 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »

    so 100% of people eat this way?????????? How do you know this? Have you studied the eating habits of every person on the planet?

    go to a super market for any length of time. watch people. youll see.
  • Posts: 36 Member
    _Waffle_ wrote: »

    Incorrect. While some of these foods are higher in saturated fats there's nothing inherently wrong with them. Mostly they're just calorie dense. If you don't have high cholesterol or health issues that prevent you from having these then eating them is fine. Just don't comprise your entire diet of them.

    Cardio is to make you healthier. It can improve so much of your life. It makes it easier for me to do high altitude hiking, lowers my blood pressure, cholesterol , and my HDL was 100 on my last checkup. It does burn fat but that's as explained in the opening post when you do longer lower intensity zoned endurance.

    Also worth noting. It does not make you skinny. Professional marathon runners are skinny on purpose because you lose about 2 seconds per mile for each extra pound you carry. Light weight = greater speed. Your net calories determine your size. That is all.


    so you can out run a bad diet?
  • Posts: 15,317 Member
    lizlemon4 wrote: »

    go to a super market for any length of time. watch people. youll see.

    Lots of people shop at grocery stores. Do you spy on their purchases and make judgements?
  • Posts: 36 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »

    Lots of people shop at grocery stores. Do you spy on their purchases and make judgements?

    YES! lol i am not ashamed.
  • Posts: 5,575 Member

    Once glycogen in the muscle is used, the body pulls glucose from the blood to refill the glycogen supply and decreases blood glucose levels in the process. Were you thinking of something different?

    There is a caveat with IR. Vigorous exercise can sometimes cause extra glucose to be released to the bloodstream, so T2 diabetic, etc, folks should watch their intensity level if that makes their BG go too high for too long. Mine goes up some if it's very vigorous, but not too high, and the vigor is good for the cardio system and still helps with BG levels overall (and later in the day).

    Low-intensity exercise always lowers mine very nicely, so I also do that often to bring my level down after my carbiest meal or snack, etc. That only takes about 10-15 minutes of exercise for me! I highly recommend it. T1 folks have to watch their insulin dosage with exercise, so theirs is a bit different and may require snacks, etc., more than T2 or other folks.

    No, this was what I wanted him to research but he has a history of resisting any information given here so I thought I would refer him back to someone who he might listen to.
  • Posts: 5,575 Member
    I have not. He didn't go into specifics of what I should be doing, other than that I should keep up exercising. While I'm sure there are other factors involved, I do know though that for a few months I did a lot of low to moderate intensity exercise (not much vigorous) and surprisingly my overall blood sugar level actually increased.

    Then definitely talk to your doctor. Exercise increases your insulin sensitivity and should help lower your numbers but if you blood sugar is rising after exercise then there may be a medical issue that needs to be addressed.

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