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A question on cardio exercises
betaboy
Veteran
A friend told me (and I am just paraphrasing):
Cardio, especially HIIT, burns calories long after the workout is over. That's why cardio is effective, NOT because it burns calories during the workout. Because workout burn will be hardly 50 calories or so, even if it is 100 it is useless since you can eat less (instead of exercising to burn just 100 calories).
So my question is, does cardio do what my friend says - that it burns calories post-workout. Does that mean it improves metabolic rate and hence helping you shed fat? I just want to grasp the logic behind this.
Cardio, especially HIIT, burns calories long after the workout is over. That's why cardio is effective, NOT because it burns calories during the workout. Because workout burn will be hardly 50 calories or so, even if it is 100 it is useless since you can eat less (instead of exercising to burn just 100 calories).
So my question is, does cardio do what my friend says - that it burns calories post-workout. Does that mean it improves metabolic rate and hence helping you shed fat? I just want to grasp the logic behind this.
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Worse case you are still unenlightened( supposition) but lighter:)
It is more pronounced with weight training than cardio - the calorie burn after weight training is significantly higher (a few hours after you'll be burning calories at the same rate as when you were training and then a longer period of increased metabolism) - in addition with weight training you will increase in size ergo metabolic rate increase.
The most efficient fat burning routine is I think, low calories morning, 3 meals 2 or so hours apart with total calories approaching half DRA (or 30% below usual intake if you measure), nil calories after 6 pm with a 1 to 2 hours light weight session at 7-8... no calories after (as much fluids, salad etc).
0.5kg drop every 3 days or so in cycles - it's tough on the body after 6 weeks... change to a normal diet for 2 weeks in between... from love handles to 6 pack in around 4 months if done without fail.
Anyway, he said EVERY workout you should add a non-stop of at least 15 mins cardio as that will help to lose fat, work your heart, and generally help to lift weights. If you eat properly before hand and time it right, cardio in fact will help you lift heavier weights. You may say you do not want to lift weights as you are trying to lose wight, but if you lift lighter weights and work all muscle groups instead of body building, the fat will drop off quicker, trust me.
vinyln has seen this on facebook lol. This was me after 3 months of 15 mins cardio and 45 mins weights 2-3 times a week. Before I had a beer belly.
Cardio exercise in particular, though, uses your aerobic system (vs. anaerobic, like weight training or any activity lasting less than 3 mins), which in turn uses carbs and fat for fuel.
Some examples (from my nutrition textbook):
A 100-m dash (~10-15 seconds) gets energy from about 50% carbs, 50% ATP (a chemical created in your body for quick cellular energy).
A 10-km run (~30-60 minutes) is 100% carbs.
A marathon uses about 75% carbs, 20% fat, 5% other (not sure what this means)
A day-long hike (we're talking several hours) gets energy from 35% carbs, 65% fat.
Notice how the longer the amount of aerobic activity, the more fat is used as fuel? So if you want to burn fat, "long and slow" is the name of the game.
By the way, a quick way to determine your basal metabolic rate (BMR) - the base amount of calories you need in a day to just function - you take your body weight in kg, multiply it by 1 calorie/kg, and multiply that number by 24 hours...
(Body weight in Kg x 1 cal per kg) x 24 hours = BMR
One more doubt, if you dont mind. Is it true - at least for men - that belly fat is the last to go? I've been working out and people say I am thinner now, plus face/arms etc. look slimmer, but belly fat ... not so much. So do I just wait for the belly fat to come off eventually, or must I assume my exercise/workout isn't good enough?
If you work out only by lifting weights and doing push-ups, your body fat will decrease at a very slow rate, furthermore any muscle produced around your abs will make you look fatter as it is under the fat and the fat is still there. You need to do a mix of hard cardio 15 mins and then work on your muscle groups. Lifting smaller weights but working on all muscle groups during a workout helps your body to lift off the far along with cardio.
In that sense therefore, abdominal definition is achieved at the extreme end of the body fat ratio so it could in a way be said that 'belly fat is the last to go'... sort of... perhaps 'Abs are the last to show' is more accurate.
My understanding on belly fat in men per se is that it is the primary mobile fat reserve burnt for fuel? This means that fat from this region is constantly on the move in your blood - as it is depleted, I think it may be topped up by fat from other parts of the body... I may be way off the mark and I'm straying into distant memory though so apologies for any inaccurancy.
I think this is the reason that belly fat is so dangerous as it is more mobile in the blood and can lead to increased risk or heart attack and stroke - hence the 'pinch an inch' campaign.
In this sense also, I think the region remains relatively fatty compared to other reserves due to its more mobile nature and everyday use so it appears that the belly may be later in leaving.
But I don't because I eat too much and just maintain my weight; which I'm okay with (but secretly I'd like to be a lot skinnier because it helps with running).
My point is, it really doesn't matter how much we exercise, a restricted diet must play a part of it if we want to lose weight.