Does the body burn fat more effectively during low impact cardio?

Rah22491

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Ive been reading up on this and was wondering if anyone knew the science behind this or could provide some insight. Also is low intensity better than HIIT?
 
LAGear

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I think what you mean is low intensity and not low impact. You can have close to no impact and very high intensity (i.e. eliptical).

The idea behind this low intensity crap is that at certain lower heart rates your body is using more fat as fuel so you burning more fat.

However, if you workout hard and do real cardio you will burn more calories and you will get more of an afterburn and you will get more fit. There is a reason people who do a lot of high intensity exercise are lean.

If you are lazy and want an excuse not to work hard you can do low intensity and sure, you will lose some fat if you eat right. But if you are serious about losing body fat then up the intensity. HIIT works great and is much more effective then sitting your ass on recumbent bike and not breaking a sweat.
 
DAdams91982

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I think what you mean is low intensity and not low impact. You can have close to no impact and very high intensity (i.e. eliptical).

The idea behind this low intensity crap is that at certain lower heart rates your body is using more fat as fuel so you burning more fat.

However, if you workout hard and do real cardio you will burn more calories and you will get more of an afterburn and you will get more fit. There is a reason people who do a lot of high intensity exercise are lean.

If you are lazy and want an excuse not to work hard you can do low intensity and sure, you will lose some fat if you eat right. But if you are serious about losing body fat then up the intensity. HIIT works great and is much more effective then sitting your ass on recumbent bike and not breaking a sweat.
For pure fat loss, a 65% heart rate will keep your body from burning sugars for fuel, and burn fat. if you break the 80% mark you are running on pure carbs. You can usually go for longer periods at 65% HR, so depending on your goals can be more beneficial in the long run.

Adams
 
Rodja

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You have to be right at, or slightly above, a respiratory exchange ratio (RER) of 1.00 to be running on pure carbs. V02 and HR are linearly related, but the max varies from person to person (220-Age is a rough estimate of MHR).
 
EasyEJL

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I can sustain about 105% MHR for 30 minutes if that gives you any idea, and be singing along with Akon doing it...

Part of the issue with which burns more is that lower intensity cardio primarily shows benefit just for the time you are doing it, but HIIT raises metabolism for hours afterwards. Then add in all the differences of body chemistries, eating habits, other activity, other supplements, etc and its impossible to say.
 
Rodja

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I can sustain about 105% MHR for 30 minutes if that gives you any idea, and be singing along with Akon doing it...

Part of the issue with which burns more is that lower intensity cardio primarily shows benefit just for the time you are doing it, but HIIT raises metabolism for hours afterwards. Then add in all the differences of body chemistries, eating habits, other activity, other supplements, etc and its impossible to say.
You get your HR over 180 and can maintain it?
 
EasyEJL

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You get your HR over 180 and can maintain it?
Yep. I can sit at 180 for a while if I wanted to, although I generally dont :D. still able to carry on something of a conversation at that too, which doesn't make much sense either, I should seriously be huffing at that point. and thats using a reebok chest band heart monitor, not just the cardio machines built in ones (although surprisingly they are pretty close)
 
Rodja

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Yep. I can sit at 180 for a while if I wanted to, although I generally dont :D. still able to carry on something of a conversation at that too, which doesn't make much sense either, I should seriously be huffing at that point. and thats using a reebok chest band heart monitor, not just the cardio machines built in ones (although surprisingly they are pretty close)
That's why it should be (220-Age) +- 10 BPM
 
crazyfool405

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My problem with high intensity while cutting is it usually elevates ur metabolism too much for you to stay at ur desired calories and end up eating more then u want to lose the weight u want. Low intensity is the way to go IMO unless ur using high intensity for a workout on its own
 
Rodja

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My problem with high intensity while cutting is it usually elevates ur metabolism too much for you to stay at ur desired calories and end up eating more then u want to lose the weight u want. Low intensity is the way to go IMO unless ur using high intensity for a workout on its own
Then just adjust. This is the main issue with not doing cardio year round; you lose all conditioning and don't need an additional stimulus to kickstart fat loss.
 
crazyfool405

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I do cardio year round especially while biulking because it relly helps. But fat loss I perfer low intensity morning or post workout and high intensity not during a gym day just on its own as a workout
 

UKStrength

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I do cardio year round especially while biulking because it relly helps. But fat loss I perfer low intensity morning or post workout and high intensity not during a gym day just on its own as a workout
This is the regime I use and it's provided me with the best fat loss. I never do steady-state, moderate intensity (>70% VO2 max) cardio anymore, just fasted, low intensity or HIIT.
 
Rodja

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I do cardio year round especially while biulking because it relly helps. But fat loss I perfer low intensity morning or post workout and high intensity not during a gym day just on its own as a workout
The reason you dislike high-intensity cardio is the reason I enjoy it: I can eat more while still cutting fat. I don't mind working out longer or at a higher intensity if I can eat more.
 
mixedup

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I think it depends totally on your goals as has been said HIIT is great for burning more calories and keeping metabolism high. IF you want overall weightloss and cardo condition HIIT if you just trying to strip off some last stubborn fat while mainting muscle then LISS
 
crazyfool405

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The reason you dislike high-intensity cardio is the reason I enjoy it: I can eat more while still cutting fat. I don't mind working out longer or at a higher intensity if I can eat more.
Yea that's a good thing but if it increases ur metabolism to the point where u over eat your notg unna go anywhere
 
crazyfool405

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Yes that's true but your giving your body another reason to over eat when u do hiit cardio. I don't mind it I can control myself but some people will not be able to do it
 
Rodja

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Yes that's true but your giving your body another reason to over eat when u do hiit cardio. I don't mind it I can control myself but some people will not be able to do it
It's not really a stimulus to overeat, but more of an additional nutrient repartitioner. It should be treated the same way as a weight session because it can channel just as much glucose.
 
crazyfool405

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Yea absolutly! That's what I said. But I also said I wouldn't do it after a workout or on emnpty. It still increases ur metabolism too much. I know people who run everyday and wonder why they never lose weight and its bc there metabolism is soo high so Is their appetite and they get stuck
 
Rodja

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Yea absolutly! That's what I said. But I also said I wouldn't do it after a workout or on emnpty. It still increases ur metabolism too much. I know people who run everyday and wonder why they never lose weight and its bc there metabolism is soo high so Is their appetite and they get stuck
That's not the reason why they're not changing. The reason for their stagnation is a lack of overload on the body. You cannot increase your metabolism too much. If you're not eating enough, then your body will let you know. You can be in a caloric deficit and maintain all LBM and not have insane hunger pangs as long as you accurately calculate your BMR, TEF, GA, and Exercise. If your maintenance TDEI (including an increase in activity from the cardio/HIIT) is off, then it will be exacerbated through additional training and not enough calories.
 
crazyfool405

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Ok let me repharse "too much" to an amount that may have people eating more then normal whn they get hungry leading to them eating an amount that allows them to maintain and not lose. This is just my experience with a few of my clients I've had
 
Rodja

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Ok let me repharse "too much" to an amount that may have people eating more then normal whn they get hungry leading to them eating an amount that allows them to maintain and not lose. This is just my experience with a few of my clients I've had
Sounds more along the lines of hypoglycemia. Most of the clients I've made do this were already in good CV shape and ate in the proper fashion. I always, always tell my clients that they need to eat a full meal somewhere 90-120 minutes prior to their session or I will not train them because it limits their performance abilities.
 
crazyfool405

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Yea it may be that but I doubt it she trains like 3 times a day so her intakes gotta be high to maintain
 
Rodja

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Yea it may be that but I doubt it she trains like 3 times a day so her intakes gotta be high to maintain
I going to take the opposite side and say that it's very hard for her to maintain. If you're training 3x/day, then your carb consumption should be anywhere from 5-8g/lb. Someone training that frequently obviously has a great work ethic and discipline, so it would not surprise me if this person is willing her way to perform.
 
crazyfool405

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Oh yea dude trains like an animal. He intake is high from all the high intensity work. But she eats when she's hiungey and that's pretty often. Her problem is when cuttin calories even a little she stays hungry. It comes down to doing thing properly ion your own yanno. That's all I was getting at some people can't handle it
 

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if jogging and running are so effective......why do you see these folks and they usually look depleted and flat with no muscles......I have heard that many bodybuilders including Dorian Yates, Porter Cottrell, Lee Haney and Phil Hernon....to name a few.....were all big proponents of power walking and or treadmill walking at a brisk pace but not too brisk that you can't carry on a conversation.

These pundits today, all say that you must huff and puff to get ripped.

The conditioning of the bodybuilders today is aweful compared to the shredded competitors of the 80s and early to mid 90s.
 
Rodja

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if jogging and running are so effective......why do you see these folks and they usually look depleted and flat with no muscles......I have heard that many bodybuilders including Dorian Yates, Porter Cottrell, Lee Haney and Phil Hernon....to name a few.....were all big proponents of power walking and or treadmill walking at a brisk pace but not too brisk that you can't carry on a conversation.

These pundits today, all say that you must huff and puff to get ripped.

The conditioning of the bodybuilders today is aweful compared to the shredded competitors of the 80s and early to mid 90s.
When you're there size, it is unrealistic to say that they should run because they will not be able to sustain the pace. Their V02 is on the lower side of the spectrum because they are about as anaerobic as you can get.
 

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You have to be right at, or slightly above, a respiratory exchange ratio (RER) of 1.00 to be running on pure carbs. V02 and HR are linearly related, but the max varies from person to person (220-Age is a rough estimate of MHR).
Interesting. How quickly will the body switch between fuel sources based on this information? Say i go into the gym and lift for 45 minutes with short rest periods keeping my heart rate elevated the whole time such that RER>=1, then i walk on the tread mill for 30 min with a RER<=.7. If the body doesn't switch sources quickly then i would imagine gluconeogenisis would occur during low intensity cardio.
 
Rodja

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Interesting. How quickly will the body switch between fuel sources based on this information? Say i go into the gym and lift for 45 minutes with short rest periods keeping my heart rate elevated the whole time such that RER>=1, then i walk on the tread mill for 30 min with a RER<=.7. If the body doesn't switch sources quickly then i would imagine gluconeogenisis would occur during low intensity cardio.
Based on this, there is already a stimulus present that is influencing glycolysis. A RER of .7 during exercise is not realistic; a RER of .85 is more realistic number. There will be GCN during the walking, but it will be a rough miz of 50/50 between fats and carbs.
 
LT*

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I've always wondered why it has to be one or the other with cardio. I've been having great success with Lyle McDonalds Stubborn fat protocol. I do 10 minutes of HIIT (elliptical), and then about 30-40 minutes of less intense cardio, either on the elliptical or heavy bag. I do NOT do this fasted, but I also don't use the same type of pre workout supplements I do when I lift.

The rationale behind the protocol is that you use the HIIT to free up fatty acids, and the lesser intensity follow up cardio to burn those freed up fatty acids. I've used this in the past as well with very good results. I use Xtend during these sessions to hopefully stave off any cannibalism of my muscle, and I've noticed no muscle loss doing this 3 times a week.
 
IRONPOPE

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no one way is perfect for every metabolism or body type... but i like the combo HIIT for 10 to 15 followed by 30-45 of standard cardio
 
crazyfool405

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I generally advocate what works best for me as I've learned over the years that my body is an ******* lol. Very stubborn and doesn't do what I want. And what Ido now is working wondedrs for ne
 

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