One of the most interesting observations you could make about health clubs has to do with the legions of “aerobicisers” who sweat it out every day on their favorite elliptical, treadmill or stairmaster. Those machines are constantly being used and abused by a medley of flabby physiques. In fact, on any given evening there could be a lineup to use them. Yet, where are the leanest, most ripped physiques in the gym? The free weight section. So it begs the question: does cardio really burn fat?
Just based on the popularity of the cardio machines you would think the issue was already decided. So would it surprise you to learn that cardio only might or possibly burn fat? It really depends on the circumstances. And if you’re thinking “what!?! That can’t be right!” Don’t worry, I’m about to clarify myself.
You see, when you perform cardiovascular exercise, your body has two choices. It can burn fat or it can burn glucose. Now glucose is taken from sugars which are stored in your muscles, and when those stores are exhausted your body can make more glucose by breaking down your muscle tissue. In other words, if you’re not careful, you may end up burning muscle instead of fat. So how does this get decided?
Well, do you remember when we talked about how when you ingest a simple sugar it causes your body’s storing hormone to spike and you shift into a “fuel-storing” mode, making it impossible for you to release fat? This has everything to do with what we’re discussing here. Fat loss is a two-step process. You must first release the fat from the adipose cell where it is stored, then transport it into the muscle where it can be burned as energy. The part that most people struggle with, likely without knowing, is not the burning, it’s the releasing.
If you do not first put your body in a place where it is “hormonally-willing” to release fat, you can’t burn fat! So what does that mean? It means what you eat before, and the timing of your cardio workout is vital. Here’s a very common scenario. Let’s say you eat cereal with orange juice for breakfast. Sounds healthy, right? Problem is, that’s a lot of sugar. So now you’ve spiked your insulin and there’s basically no way your body can “get at” your fat stores. This means when you hit that 10am spin-class you can sweat buckets and still not burn any fat!
So how can we ensure that you get the maximum fat-burning effect from your cardio workout? It starts with being better able to recognize and avoid simple sugars. Also, you’re going to do your cardio workouts at a moderate intensity. This means you’ll want to get outside of your comfort zone a little bit, without overdoing it. You can use the “talk-test.” If you’re too out of breath to carry on a conversation, you’re going too hard. Finally, you can do your cardio workouts when your glycogen stores are most depleted, which can facilitate greater fat-burning. So a good time would be either first thing in the morning (before you eat) or immediately after your resistance-training workout.
Understanding this stuff is going to help you get the most out the time you spend doing cardio. But, at the end of the day, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. In order for you to have success, you’ll need to raise your metabolism. This means developing supportive eating habits and having a concern for adding lean muscle tissue. Doing cardio by itself is an inneffective way to lose fat.
Remember, don’t assume that you can get on the treadmill or your favorite cardio machine and automatically burn fat. Here’s what you need to do in order to get maximum benefit from this article:
1. Recognize that if you do not first ensure your body is in the right state to release fat, you’ll have no success burning it. That means…
2. Learn to eat supportively, and to be able to identify and avoid simple sugars.
3. There is an advantage to performing your cardio workouts either first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, or immediately after your resistance-training workout.
4. The maximum fat-burning effect of cardio occurs when it is combined with a comprehensive plan of supportive eating and resistance-training.
Use these principles and you’ll get maximum effectiveness from your workout routine. Pretty soon, all the “aerobicisers” will be asking you what you did to get so lean!
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