Quote:
Originally Posted by sitnspin
Hey Rugger. At the end of the day, it's still about calories in versus calories burnt, right? So does running on an empty stomach really make a difference if you're going to come home and eat your breakfast in a little while anyway?
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Generally, yes it still boils down to calories in vs out. My diet will change slightly also, but not too much. I am still not a complete believer in that idea, different nutrients are used in different ways at different times and all of this can vary by the individual.
My goal is to lose FAT, not WEIGHT. By doing cardio (not running) in the morning in this manner you are doing several things - you ensure that you are burning fat rather than carbs or protein. If you are doing cardio during the day or evening you are going to be burning calories, but those carlories will be in the form of glycogen most likely, not fat. I want my carbs to fuel my activities and protein to repair my muscle, not to simply be "used". I also believe that your metabolism is generally higher during the day and there is a carry over affect from the morning session that keeps your metabolism in high gear throughout the day. I believe that you will also get more out of your food from this method - your body is primed to uptake nutrients and shuttle them to replace the glycogen stores and along with that the protein.
I have said it before - on paper this looks like a bad approach and a recipe for muscle loss, but I have done it time and time again with great success. I have had several clients and friends also do this with great success.
The key to not using muscle during these early workouts is keeping the activity easy to moderate. Generally low impact and pretty low intensity, riding, light rowing, light skipping, walking, maybe a very easy jog (more of a powerwalk).