As we are heading into the summer months and its warming up. Most of us want to jump onto that cardio hype to burn those extra bits of fat. Either to be healthy, for that competition you have, for the beach or for whatever reason! Fasted cardio gets thrown in but is this necessarily the best way to burn fat? Read on to find out more and read about what else you can do to help you achieve your goals this year!
Glycogen stores
Glycogen is utilised during training which needs to be replenished after exercise. Your body will look to use circulating glucose and glycogen as its primary fuel sources for exercise. When these stores are massively depleted, only then will fat be used and relied upon to produce energy. Even early in the morning your body will not have used up all its glycogen stores from the previous day whilst you sleep. This means whether you train fasted or fed, you aren’t likely to be utilising just stored body fat.
Studies that have been conducted on fasted cardio
Over the years many studies have been conducted to examine if fasted cardio results in more fat being burnt compared to eating before cardio. Most of these studies have not been conclusive. These studies have failed to indicate that training fasted will actually lead to more fat being burnt and lead to more fat loss. These studies indicated there is little or no difference between fasted and fed state cardio when the aim is fat loss.
We are all different!
For a lot of us, we fit cardio in when we can. Doing cardio at any point in the day is a lot better than not doing it just because you aren’t doing it fasted. It all comes down to training that best suits your lifestyle. If you can’t bring yourself to eat before your morning run, then don’t. However, don’t choose fasted cardio because you think its going to burn more fat as for the majority of us that isn’t the case at all.
HIIT training
(High Intensity Interval Training) This is one of the most effective fat loss methods. It requires training at high intensity (near maximal) for a series of intervals, before backing off to a lower work rate. The entire session might only last 20 minutes. The actual activity being performed varies but can include sprinting, biking, jump rope or other bodyweight exercises. It can also be implemented with weights for that extra burn.
Example: Intervals
Probably one of the most effective ways to burn serious calories in such a short amount of time. Run for 30 seconds at your maximum speed, with a 30 second recovery period completing 10 sprints. Aim to do this 3x per week if you want to lose some weight or to improve your overall fitness.
In case you still aren’t convinced. Here are some benefits of HIIT:
· Can burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time
· Can elevate your metabolism for hours after you exercise resulting in additional calories being burnt
· Can improve oxygen consumption
· Can reduce blood pressure and heart rate (mostly in individuals who are overweight with high blood pressure)
Partaking in these forms of cardio alongside lifting weights will help promote fat loss. On top of eating healthily and drinking enough water. Remember just performing cardio and neglecting other things such as diet will not help. Stick to a whole approach in order to achieve the best results.