Carbs go first during cardio, then fat, but what if...

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nol3afclover

New member
If carbs is the primary source of energy in the beginning stages of a cardio workout and fat becomes the fuel source after a certain period of sustained cardio...Then what happens when a person eats very little to no carbs and stays on a high protein and moderate fat diet? Does the body burn fat as a primary fuel or does something else happen in place of carbs?

Will the body start to break down muscle for energy and THEN move to fat, or will it move straight to fat in the absence of carbs?

Also, if the answer is muscle breakdown, will weekly carbcycling help eliminate this problem?
 
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You're looking at it as though it were linear .. like there are these pockets of various things and the body drains one pocket before it moves on to another. It just doesn't work that way. Your body draws on all sources - sometimes some more than others, but in the long run it balances out.

I'd suggest reading this article that talks about pre- and post-workout nutrition:


It can be summed up here:
most of the ‘fat burning’ that happens during a diet doesn’t occur during training (especially weight training) in the first place. Rather, it’s what happens the other 23 hours of the day that will have the biggest impact on overall fat loss. And that’s mostly related to diet.
Click to expand...
 
Fat, Carbs who knows??? What's the best way?

When I get these questions in person I know right away I'm Dealing with a motivated person.

You are educated.

You have studied.

You are motivated.

Sometimes, the more we study, the more we find stuff to boggle our minds. If this, then that, but not if... I've read the stuff til my butt was completely numb.

What's your goal?

Write it and make sure to know that it is yours? Any result you desire.

As you have studied, (maybe you know about the numb butt syndrome) You must take time everyday to know 1. your goal 2. It is yours.

The more clear picture you have in your head of your success, the more the answers you need will find you.

As far as the cardio/meal plan/"am i burning fat?" goes...

Who knows exactly what you may be burning at any given time. Unless you are hooked up to some serious equipment and involved in a scientific study of some sort, it's all speculative.

Short Burst/Interval training- WOW, people are all over it.

Burn sugar now, teach your body to burn fat all day, etc. etc, etc...

10 years ago, you'd be called a fool for burning up your muscle.

Slower/Lower intensity/Longer distance cardio targets more fat (while exercising). We all kinda know this and there's lot's of studies to support it.

Why does the sprinter/gymnast look the way they do?

Why does the distance runner cyclist look the way they do?

Funny thing is (especially when you are being sold something), both methods have great success stories and pictures of beautiful physiques to support them.

For numb butt studiers like you and I, it kinda leaves us scratching our head.

Pay attention to how you feel. Being fit is about feeling good.

Yes there is sacrifice, but ultimately that sacrifice should leave you feeling better.

Know that any goal you choose is yours and your success will find you.

Oh yeah, keep studying... I don't want to be the only one out here with a numb butt :svengo:

Yours, In all your fitness success,

Matt
[spam removed]
 
matt@mygeofit said:
When I get these questions in person I know right away I'm Dealing with a motivated person.

You are educated.

You have studied.

You are motivated.

Sometimes, the more we study, the more we find stuff to boggle our minds. If this, then that, but not if... I've read the stuff til my butt was completely numb.

What's your goal?

Write it and make sure to know that it is yours? Any result you desire.

As you have studied, (maybe you know about the numb butt syndrome) You must take time everyday to know 1. your goal 2. It is yours.

The more clear picture you have in your head of your success, the more the answers you need will find you.

As far as the cardio/meal plan/"am i burning fat?" goes...

Who knows exactly what you may be burning at any given time. Unless you are hooked up to some serious equipment and involved in a scientific study of some sort, it's all speculative.

Short Burst/Interval training- WOW, people are all over it.

Burn sugar now, teach your body to burn fat all day, etc. etc, etc...

10 years ago, you'd be called a fool for burning up your muscle.

Slower/Lower intensity/Longer distance cardio targets more fat (while exercising). We all kinda know this and there's lot's of studies to support it.

Why does the sprinter/gymnast look the way they do?

Why does the distance runner cyclist look the way they do?

Funny thing is (especially when you are being sold something), both methods have great success stories and pictures of beautiful physiques to support them.

For numb butt studiers like you and I, it kinda leaves us scratching our head.

Pay attention to how you feel. Being fit is about feeling good.

Yes there is sacrifice, but ultimately that sacrifice should leave you feeling better.

Know that any goal you choose is yours and your success will find you.

Oh yeah, keep studying... I don't want to be the only one out here with a numb butt :svengo:

Yours, In all your fitness success,

Matt
[spam removed]
Click to expand...

Ok, so you don't know?
 
KaraCooks said:
You're looking at it as though it were linear .. like there are these pockets of various things and the body drains one pocket before it moves on to another. It just doesn't work that way. Your body draws on all sources - sometimes some more than others, but in the long run it balances out.

I'd suggest reading this article that talks about pre- and post-workout nutrition:


It can be summed up here:
Click to expand...

I thought it was scientifically proven that the body will use up stored carbs primarily for x amount of time during a cardio session?
 
KaraCooks said:
You're looking at it as though it were linear .. like there are these pockets of various things and the body drains one pocket before it moves on to another. It just doesn't work that way. Your body draws on all sources - sometimes some more than others, but in the long run it balances out.

I'd suggest reading this article that talks about pre- and post-workout nutrition:


It can be summed up here:
Click to expand...

The article does not say what happens during cardiovascular workout without any stored carbs.
 
After a certain amount of fat adaptation (which usually takes a few weeks), the body will become more efficient at using fat, based on the respiratory quotient.

The research is scarce on this, but PM me and I'll send you some.

My recommendation would be to switch protein to a moderate intake and fat to high.
 
I think the point is that it doesn't really matter what happens in a cardio workout without stored carbs.

If you intake more calories than you burn during the day, any fat burned will simply return. If your goal is muscle retention, then the two primary factors are 1) getting enough protein, and 2) resistance training. Fasted cardio, low carb, etc. are non-factors until you get into very low body fat percentages.

Also, it's not 'carbs' that are the source, but glycogen. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong, I am not an expert on this subject). Glycogen is not just a matter of how much you ate, but how much is stored in muscles & liver. If you completely depleted your glycogen stores I don't know that you could do much of any exercise - although the whole 'burn fat during low intensity cardio' is a non-issue when you consider the information in Lyle's article.
 
Again, I'm not an expert so I am cut & pasting this from elsewhere to explain it:
If your body does not have any use for the glucose, it is converted into glycogen and stored it in the liver and muscles as an energy reserve. Your body can store about a half a day's supply of glycogen. If your body has more glucose than it can use as energy, or convert to glycogen for storage, the excess is converted to fat.

Taken from
 
nol3afclover said:
I thought it was scientifically proven that the body will use up stored carbs primarily for x amount of time during a cardio session?
Click to expand...

this is true to a degree. but in terms of "fat loss" this is completely irrelevent. cardio as a means to lose fat during exercise is a waste of time. the body does NOT work this way.

You need to look at your diet as a whole throughout the day, not as a snapshot in time from doing cardio. Your body requires X amount of caloires a day from just sitting around doing nothing. You can add to that number by doing cardio. You then need to eat Y amount of food. If Y < X, you lose weight. simple as that.

Trying to work your body into a fatburning state as a means for fat loss is a complete and utter waste of time. You need to look at calories per day.

And carbs are important. No one should EVER eat less than 40% of their total calories from carbs. Exception being bodybuilders and figure competitors who are trying to reach single digit body fat levels. who by doing so, do so for at most a handful of days, and feel like complete and utter shit, weak as a kitten while they do it.

So in a nutshell, carbs are important, eat them. Don't worry about "the fat burning zone" it's a myth, focus on calories total per day while eating a proper macro balance. And don't do so much cardio. the true secret to fat loss is resistance training first, and cardio as a supplement.
 
Jynus said:
And carbs are important. No one should EVER eat less than 40% of their total calories from carbs. Exception being bodybuilders and figure competitors who are trying to reach single digit body fat levels. who by doing so, do so for at most a handful of days, and feel like complete and utter shit, weak as a kitten while they do it.

So in a nutshell, carbs are important, eat them. Don't worry about "the fat burning zone" it's a myth, focus on calories total per day while eating a proper macro balance. And don't do so much cardio. the true secret to fat loss is resistance training first, and cardio as a supplement.
Click to expand...

On the fat burning zone, right on!

On carbs... What? Why not go below 40%? Because BB "feel like s**t"? So what? They're also typically very calorie restricted and in the later stages purposefully dehydrated. The typical contest prep diet cuts fat as well, leaving almost nothing but protein. It's no wonder they feel horrible.

However, the Inuit culture of Alaska and Northern Canada eat almost no carbohydrate (a little from plant sources). They only feel wiped out when fat is not available during the spring hunting season (referred to as rabbit sickness or rabbit malaise) and they're forced to eat a low-carb, low-fat diet.

Where is the research that says we need at least 40% carbohydrate? There is none.

What about epileptic children who are prescribed a ketogenic diet? Still? 40% CHO?
 
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