Ever thought about getting up first thing in the morning and doing some cardio training before breakfast? Many individuals perform this ritual in order to burn more body fat and attain that wonderful, lean physique!
The theory behind cardio training before breakfast is that as you don’t eat anything at all for perhaps 10-12 hours prior to exercise, your body will be in somewhat of a fasted state. Your levels of stored carbohydrates (glycogen) will be lower than normal and therefore if you train first thing in the morning you will be using a lot more fat for energy as this is the body’s second preferred source of fuel. Sounds simple enough right? Well not quite.
Many fitness experts are divided on the merits and success of training in a fasted state with many stating that it is not effective and many swearing by it. The confusion lies in the fact that training in the fasted state is effective for some goals but not for others, there is no black and white, just many grey areas!
Let me give you some examples. If an individual wanted to increase muscle mass then performing cardio training in the morning is a bad idea. Why? Well if glycogen levels are low, or lower, then the body will begin to use more fat for fuel. However the body will also dip into muscle tissue to extract proteins (amino acids) in order to convert the proteins into energy, a process known as gluconeogenesis. This is bad news for bodybuilders or anyone looking to increase muscle mass (hypertrophy) as your body will basically be eating away at your muscles!
If an individual wished to lose body fat however, and didn’t mind losing a bit of lean muscle tissue, then cardio training in a fasted state is good news. The intensity can only be that of low-moderate as it would be difficult to train highly intensely in a fasted state, although it is possible, it just depends on how much stored energy you actually have.
For individuals involved in weight training I would recommend at least two meals prior to exercise in order to produce a quality training effect, however many individuals have demonstrated quality gains through weight training first thing in the morning without breakfast.
Personally I have found that to get lean, cardio training in a fasted state 2-3 times per week is excellent and I have seen wonderful results from it. I have seen even better results if your last meal in the evening prior was a protein meal with no starchy carbs and a stimulant, such as caffeine, administered prior to morning training. The stimulant will do two things. Firstly it will spark the central nervous system into action firing up your cardiovascular system for exercise which is highly beneficial if you’re getting up at 6am!
Secondly a stimulant will help free fatty acids in the blood stream that will contribute to the burning of body fat, all good news. If you’re still sceptical over it’s merits, then simply try it for 4-6 weeks and monitor your results. Remember your goal must be to get lean, lose weight and body fat. If you are wishing to develop muscle tissue or are involved in anaerobic sports such as sprinting or weight lifting then avoid it at all costs!
2 comments:
Thank you Mike! This is the exact answer I was looking for. I am now on my second week of cardio before breakfast. First week was difficult, but this week I added coffee before the run and it was easier. :) I really really love your blog. Started the supersets this week too! My Goal is still weeks away but I have lost 1.3 lbs!!
That's awesome! Rather than drinking coffee, just take the pill form of caffeine, it works better. 100-200mg, start with 100mg and see how you go. Cycle it though, do it for a few weeks and then come off as you'll eventually need more and more of it to get the required stimulation as your body will adjust to it in time.
Keep up the great work!
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