NEW YEARS RESOLUTION WEIGHT LOSS THREAD

[Speedy1975]

Well, one thing I'll mention but don't wanna get in to a big debate.

I talk with the competing body builders at my gym quite a bit. We see each other a lot and talk in the locker room and what not. I've not heard ANY of them eating before cardio. Every single one of them does it on an empty stomach. These guys go from 16% bodyfat to 4% in 16 weeks and I watch them do it twice a year. I'm not saying that makes them right, but I see the results of their methods first hand. I'm talking ripped. I do see them eating oats, egg whites and almonds after their workouts sometimes though.

Now, I don't like to lift weights on an empty stomach, and I don't like to do cardio before lifting. I use all my energy to lift as hard as I can then finish with cardio. However, the only thing I eat before working out is about 30gr of protein. No carbs. When I'm bulking I'll throw in some oats or a banana, but I notice very little difference in terms of my workout intensity. I DO feel more spent not having carbs before working out, but it doesn't affect how much weight or the number of reps I can achieve.

On a related note, today I'll be in the 50gr of carbs total for the day (non workout day).

[Kyle2k]

What signifies "fasted" cardio - not eating for how many hours prior to cardio?

[CFD]

Originally Posted by Kyle2k

What signifies "fasted" cardio - not eating for how many hours prior to cardio?

Fasted cardio usually means at least 6-8 hours. Typically if your goal is fat loss, it is recomended that your last meal is no less than 3 hrs before sleeping, now if you follow this general rule and sleep 6-8 hours that means you've been fasting for 9-11 hrs. The above reference to professional body builders is not accurate for most. First of all they have different goals than most, they have large amounts of muscle mass to begin with, second there bodies are much more efficient in burning fat, also there are many professional body builders who get up in the middle of the night to eat protein. The above refference is also usually pre-contest, after bulking for a period getting ripped is the main goal and loss of some muscle is calculated. Most bodybuilders stay away from cardio as much as possible as not to loose muscle except for pre-contest. There are equally as many bodybuilders who eat the second they wake up to get protein into their systems as quickly as possible, before their cardio or workouts. The study does not say fasted cardio doesn't work but it does suggest there is no real advantage to it as far as fat loss. I also agree, I even at my age never fast, I ALWAYS eat every 2 1/2-3 hrs, first meal when I first get up even if doing cardio early in the morning and can cut quite easily. I do not do slow steady cardio in the so called "fat burning zone". My cardio is usually from 30-45 min. and more along the HIIT line and it works quite well. Also keep in mind the study nor I are suggesting eating a meal before cardio, they are suggesting cardio when your body is not depleated of glycogen,glycogen levels are usually increased with consuming a high GI carb and are depleted when fasting. Low levels of glycogen does not allow for efficient oxygel levels in the blood during exercise. Cardio in itself is exercise with the presence of oxygen.

[TAG UR IT]

Originally Posted by TAG UR IT

moved from 300 last week to 315 squat this week. slowly getting up there in weights!

225/12
275/10
285/10
295/6
305/6
315/5 (cause I felt like I could...)

I know it's not much at all. But, in 3 weeks, it's easy to see changes... Not too much yet...but eventually as I finally get to see something I'm happy with, I'll post before and after pix.

[SSMOKINHOT]

Quote of the Day!

"It is only through work and strife that either nation or individual moves on to greatness. The great man is always the man of mighty effort, and usually the man whom grinding need has trained to mighty effort."
- Theodore Roosevelt, in a speech about Grant, delivered at Galena, Illinois, April 27, 1900

[hrpiii]

Originally Posted by Nexus6

I agree with everything you said.The only reason i wanted the dumbells is because i have heard with a barbell,your strong arm will work more to compensate for the weaker.

this is backwards thinking. Using a barbell will help your weak arm catch up in strength. If you are using DB's, then your strong arm should only do as much as your weak arm, or it's just going to get stronger.

[hrpiii]

Originally Posted by TAG UR IT

225/12
275/10
285/10
295/6
305/6
315/5 (cause I felt like I could...)

I know it's not much at all. But, in 3 weeks, it's easy to see changes... Not too much yet...but eventually as I finally get to see something I'm happy with, I'll post before and after pix.

AWESOME!!!! Great progress.

[hrpiii]

Originally Posted by Speedy1975

Well, one thing I'll mention but don't wanna get in to a big debate.

I talk with the competing body builders at my gym quite a bit. We see each other a lot and talk in the locker room and what not. I've not heard ANY of them eating before cardio. Every single one of them does it on an empty stomach. These guys go from 16% bodyfat to 4% in 16 weeks and I watch them do it twice a year. I'm not saying that makes them right, but I see the results of their methods first hand. I'm talking ripped. I do see them eating oats, egg whites and almonds after their workouts sometimes though.

Now, I don't like to lift weights on an empty stomach, and I don't like to do cardio before lifting. I use all my energy to lift as hard as I can then finish with cardio. However, the only thing I eat before working out is about 30gr of protein. No carbs. When I'm bulking I'll throw in some oats or a banana, but I notice very little difference in terms of my workout intensity. I DO feel more spent not having carbs before working out, but it doesn't affect how much weight or the number of reps I can achieve.

On a related note, today I'll be in the 50gr of carbs total for the day (non workout day).

no debate from me. eating before cardio is a waste IMO. Might as well eat ice cream before hitting the treadmill. Really.. you are consuming calories to burn calories... yeah, how is that going to work out.

[CFD]

Originally Posted by hrpiii

no debate from me. eating before cardio is a waste IMO. Might as well eat ice cream before hitting the treadmill. Really.. you are consuming calories to burn calories... yeah, how is that going to work out.

As stated in my previous post no one is suggesting eating before cardio, the study suggests that cardio performed when glycogen levels are depleated, after a long fast is no more beneficial for fat loss than in a non fasted state and can possibly sacrifice muscle. The ultimate goal in cardio is to burn calories, studies also show that although cardio does, in a fasted state at low intensity (the fat burning zone), burn more calories from fat than higher intensity but higher intensity cardio burns more calories overall. A 1 hr workout at low intnsity might burn 200-300 cal. but 30 min of HIIT can burn up to 400-500 cals. On top of that the calorie burn from low intensity cardio pretty much ends when the workout ends, with high intensity cardio, the same as with weight lifting the cal. burn continues long after the workout ends and promotes muscle growth.

[SSMOKINHOT]

I have run full marathons with only consuming a pack of Power Bar Gel Blasts (190 calories) prior to the race. Of course, I drank gatorade at the water stations and supplemented with small amounts of fruit, gels and pretzels at certain mile markers (typically starting at the 13 mile mark) My point is, your body has a lot of its own glycogen stores...unless you are doing cardio for a lot longer than 1 hour, you don't really need to eat anything prior IMO. The key is getting the recovery fuel afterwards...getting that mix of protein and carbs is essential!

Thought I'd go ahead and post a few marathon pics since I mentioned them:
Here is one from the Air Force Marathon in September right before the start of the race

And here is my daughter and I at the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon in April...she ran the kids marathon...basically she logged 25 miles before the day of the race and on the day of the race she logged her last 1.2 miles for an accumulative 26.2!! She loved it!!

[Cbrenthus]

I don't think anyone is saying that eating a bowl of ice cream right before a run doesn't make a difference. I guess I should have specified in my post that I just don't make that big of a deal trying to get up early and run, I do just fine at night.

I do try to do cardio as long after I eat as possible, though. A typical day for me is:

7:30am: breakfast
10:00am: mid morning snack
12:00pm: go for a 2 mile walk
1:00pm: lunch
4:00pm: mid afternoon snack
6:30pm: cardio
7:30pm: dinner
10:00pm: snack


It really is dynamic, though, sometimes if I don't want to do the cardio until later I will eat dinner earlier, then do cardio at 9 or so. With weights I generally go about a half hour to hour after I eat.

[CFD]

Originally Posted by Cbrenthus

I don't think anyone is saying that eating a bowl of ice cream right before a run doesn't make a difference. I guess I should have specified in my post that I just don't make that big of a deal trying to get up early and run, I do just fine at night.

I do try to do cardio as long after I eat as possible, though. A typical day for me is:

7:30am: breakfast
10:00am: mid morning snack
12:00pm: go for a 2 mile walk
1:00pm: lunch
4:00pm: mid afternoon snack
6:30pm: cardio
7:30pm: dinner
10:00pm: snack


It really is dynamic, though, sometimes if I don't want to do the cardio until later I will eat dinner earlier, then do cardio at 9 or so. With weights I generally go about a half hour to hour after I eat.

I totally agree, I believe that proper nutrition is foremost. I eat consistantly and do my best to time my eating and workouts. Normally I try to finish my workouts (including cardio )so that it is followed immedeately by a post-workout drink and then my next meal is high protein/ moderate carb meal. I workout around 2pm most days and it fits perfectly into my eating schedule. Cardio in a fasted state lacks the intensity level I prefer. I eat very consistently and when I don't and when I first wake up I feel slight nausea making workouts lame. I obviously do not eat right before workouts with the exeption of a pre-workout drink(20min prior) protein and a high GI carb (maltidextrose usually), this usually means my workouts are about 2 hrs after my previous meal. This seems to work well for me

[sugar'n'spice]

Originally Posted by CFD

I totally agree, I believe that proper nutrition is foremost. I eat consistantly and do my best to time my eating and workouts. Normally I try to finish my workouts (including cardio )so that it is followed immedeately by a post-workout drink and then my next meal is high protein/ moderate carb meal. I workout around 2pm most days and it fits perfectly into my eating schedule. Cardio in a fasted state lacks the intensity level I prefer. I eat very consistently and when I don't and when I first wake up I feel slight nausea making workouts lame. I obviously do not eat right before workouts with the exeption of a pre-workout drink(20min prior) protein and a high GI carb (maltidextrose usually), this usually means my workouts are about 2 hrs after my previous meal. This seems to work well for me

Funny how you've seen most of our progress, and what we look like, yet, I don't think I've seen your progress !

[CFD]

Originally Posted by sugar'n'spice

Funny how you've seen most of our progress, and what we look like, yet, I don't think I've seen your progress !

I'm going backwards. After my stay in the hospital I couldn't workout for a month or so, I actually gained a few pounds not working out, I just started back this week but am still wearing a heart monitor (Why I don't know) so I've been taking it easy but in fairness I'll see if I can get a picture posted.