preserving muscle while trying to lose fat

[DaGREATkabookie**]

i do cardio 1st thing in the moring no breakfast, my question is what type of cardio (intensity and duration) is best to preserving muscle, mainly interested in days after weights.

 

[Jake Martin]

You should eat if you want to preserve muscle. Otherwise, there really is no substantial difference.

 

[PariahCarey]

Eat every couple of hours.
Expect to lose the weight slowly over a long period of time.
Low intensity (like walking)if no breakfast.

 

[johnnynoname]

I'm going to go against the two posts previous to this and say
1) in terms of cardio- go with HIIT

2) ain't nothing wrong with going with the empty stomach cardio just get proper nutrients the rest of the day

 

[PariahCarey]

I'm going to go against the two posts previous to this and say
1) in terms of cardio- go with HIIT

2) ain't nothing wrong with going with the empty stomach cardio just get proper nutrients the rest of the day

Not really going against me. I do HIIT myself and have gotten great results.
Unless your going to train so hard that your going to puke your breakfast your going to want fuel going in, no? The ever controversial but seemingly intelligent Coach D has a thread somewhere about why high intensity cardio on an empty stomach can start utilizing muscle as fuel which is not something most people want to do. Low intensity draws straight from fat.

 

[kingmonkey]

Take some form of caffiene prior to your morning workout as this helps the body utilize fat for energy ( a large coffee or supplement ). Losing body fat whislt keeping muscle means you do need to eat a good diet with plenty of protein. A defecit of around 500 cals compared to what you consume now will help greatly.

 

[Lard-ass]

maybe this thread is getting old, but not loosing fat to quickly is IMHO, bad. A couple of times before I went on a crazy protein diet and walked 2.5 hours every day. lost a hell a lot of weight, but to quickly so I lost a great deal of muscles to. (in two months I lost 13 kg).

Knowing better now, I have lost 10 kg the last 11 months, while still gaining strength, so no muscles lost at all... Just doing cardio and lifting, dont have time for walking. Dont forget the "everyday" exercise you get by biking to work instead of taking the car and so forth.

I guess you can loose fat more quickly than that, but Im happy with my results...

 

[Duncon76]

Eat plenty. Fat, protein and carbs. Weight loss is about caloires.

 

[Wild Dan Hibiki]

Eat plenty. Fat, protein and carbs. Weight loss is about caloires.

isnt there a difference between losing fat and losing weight?

 

[Duncon76]

isnt there a difference between losing fat and losing weight?

Yes, loose fat is fat. Loose weight can be a lot of things, Protein ( muscle ), water mostly, but no body wants to loose muscle.

 

[Namistai]

Cardio on an empty stomach will reduce body fat. To keep muscle take a good percentage of protein and lift weights. Calisthenics helps alot too.

 

[DaGREATkabookie**]

Eat plenty. Fat, protein and carbs. Weight loss is about caloires.

please enlighten me on how consuming MORE fat, protein and carbs is going to help me lose weight.

 

[Lard-ass]

Im certainly not an expert, and I guess you can find articles on this subject but I think what Duncon means is that you cant starve yourself into shape. especially if you wanna lose weight.

The best way IMO is to do low intensity cardio, e.g. walking. But this takes a lot of time. Your body also will burn fat if your in shape and have a good cardio, so high intensity cardio is also good, e.g. martial arts and running. But these high intensity cardio takes more energy, d.v.s. you need to carb up or else it start using both musclemass and fat as fuel.

So low intensity cardio uses more fat as fuel, high intensity less fat and more muscles (if done on an empty stomach)

The most important thing though, is to keep an even blodsugar level (dont know the word in english) i.e. eating slow carbs and protein and fat, small meals but lets say 5-6 times a day. If you starve instead, the bloodsugar (glucos or what you call it) level drops, the body arent able to burn fat as energy as easy and adjust to the lower level of energy (or something like that).

Preaching over

 

[my big toe]

Bump for HIT. Here is a link to a good article that compares HIT to low-intensity training (fat burning zone). Below is the conclusion to the article. You can still maintain most of your strength if eat right and keep lifting. BTW, you didn

 

[Duncon76]

Lard Ass said it just fine..Thanks

Everything is a balance. If you just wake up, what do you need? water......what are you low on? water and blood sugar. If you go do cardio while low on these, your getting dehydrated and also there is no avaiable sugar around, its going after your muscles instead. Protein is a good energy source as well.

 

[grapling101]

Heres the dealeo. I don't care what anybody else says. Working your cardio in the am before you eat is the BEST. FOR FAT BURNING. You are not working your cardio vascular system you are burning fat. So keep your heart rate to age ratio in the target range. If you go above it you are being airobec and going against what you want to do. 1 Hour if you can in the am. I am woring on getting lean, lean and am doing 1 hour cardio 3 times a day and getting great results. Yes I am keeping my muscle.