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Don't fool yourself - crash dieting and "marathon" gym sessions simply don't work. Your body was never meant to be fat. And getting it back in shape is easier than you think... |
Up Before Breakfast With Fasting Cardio
By Jon Benson
Want to see your fat burning increase by 43 percent? Try fasting cardio—cardio work done first thing in the morning prior to eating anything. This is a tip that anyone can use. It does not matter if you are a beginner or a seasoned athlete. Fasting cardio simply works.
Fasting cardio has been a heated debate in the fitness world for as long as I can remember. The funny thing is that it is not debated among those who practice it correctly. I believe the key detractors are couch potato types who never put it to use properly.
I used fasting cardio almost exclusively during my personal transformation from 36 percent body fat to 6.5 percent body fat, so I know first-hand the power of getting it done while in this state.
There are a few tricks to this tip you will want to use. First, I recommend taking 5 grams of L-glutamine in powder form prior to exercise. This is a simple amino acid that helps your body stay out of a catabolic (or muscle-wasting) state.
Second, if your doctor approves, a cup of coffee prior to exercise really helps liberate brown fat (stubborn fat) and get the thermogenic effect going. Thermogenesis is simply internal body heat. Remember, a calorie is defined as "a unit of heat." That's all it is. Increase your "heat" and you decrease your body fat.
Finally, I'd like you to exercise at only about 65-75 percent of your maximum heart rate five days per week. You can exercise more intensely, but you risk muscle loss. During this time of day, your body is rather eager to burn fat, so you do not have to push it to the max. Just a good, steady workout for 20-45 minutes is all you need.
After four weeks, include intervals in your sessions. I personally like 3-5 minute intervals where I push my heart rate up to about 85 percent of my max. Then come back down to the 65-75 percent range for 10 minutes. Repeat 2-3 times in a session.
My Personal Fasting Cardio Plan
Last year I purchased a Precor stationary bike. It is gym-quality, complete with a heart rate monitor built in to the handles. I wanted to make this process simple and as mindless as possible. I literally rearranged my den to accommodate the rather sleek-looking machine. It's now part of the "artwork" in my home. (That was a joke.) However, it does blend in nicely.
I get up in the morning, have a cup of java, answer emails, and then hop on the bike. I have it positioned near my television set, which gets very little use unless it's football season. But this is where TiVo comes in handy. I TiVo the few television shows I enjoy and watch them while I ride. This makes the time pass quickly, not that I mind the sessions. They are easy and quick—usually in the 30-minute range. I'm done before I know it.
When training for a peak, I will include a nighttime session of 30 minutes 3-4 days per week and toss in more intervals. However, this is used to get me well into single-digit body fat. Most people couldn’t care less about achieving 5 percent body fat, so this degree of effort is not required to be healthy or to become more trim.
Never forget this absolute rule: Nutrition is the key player in fat burning. My book, Fit Over 40, covers all my nutrition strategies for fat burning, plus those of 52 other people age 40-80. These are men and women who know what it takes to get lean and stay lean for life. Some are "trim," others are super-fit. You can learn from each and every one of them.
