Why I think cardio at night is better for fatloss.

[jewkeenda]

I did some research and found out that most bodybuilders including Tom Venuto will agree that doing cardio in the morning has more benefits than doing it at night. While I agree that there are many benefits of doing cardio in the morning, I would like to advocate for night cardio when it comes to fat loss because of my experiences and MY logical interpretation of the research data.

The main reason why I believe night cardio is better is because it's easier for ME to create a caloric deficit. Whenever I do morning cardio i can feel the increased metabolism right after but I also feel like higher metabolism makes myself more hungrier throughout the day. This effect makes it harder for me to stick with my caloric deficit diet. So what I would do is eat healthy and count calories until my night workout and do HIIT cardio and make sure I have burned enough calories for fat-loss. This way the increased metabolism(due to EPOC) doesn't have much time to affect my hunger. Furthermore, while I sleep, my body will burn fat to restore the blood sugar levels and this will all happen while EPOC is still high. Some believe that increased EPOC won't affect our body while we sleep but there is research data to supports that EPOC still affects our body even when we are sleeping.

I'm not trying to say that I'm absolutely right but I just wanted to hear what you guys think of my opinion since I'm still a novice when it comes to fatloss.

 

[Rosie Chee]

I did some research and found out that most bodybuilders including Tom Venuto will agree that doing cardio in the morning has more benefits than doing it at night. While I agree that there are many benefits of doing cardio in the morning, I would like to advocate for night cardio when it comes to fat loss because of my experiences and MY logical interpretation of the research data.

The main reason why I believe night cardio is better is because it's easier for ME to create a caloric deficit. Whenever I do morning cardio i can feel the increased metabolism right after but I also feel like higher metabolism makes myself more hungrier throughout the day. This effect makes it harder for me to stick with my caloric deficit diet. So what I would do is eat healthy and count calories until my night workout and do HIIT cardio and make sure I have burned enough calories for fat-loss. This way the increased metabolism(due to EPOC) doesn't have much time to affect my hunger. Furthermore, while I sleep, my body will burn fat to restore the blood sugar levels and this will all happen while EPOC is still high. Some believe that increased EPOC won't affect our body while we sleep but there is research data to supports that EPOC still affects our body even when we are sleeping.

I'm not trying to say that I'm absolutely right but I just wanted to hear what you guys think of my opinion since I'm still a novice when it comes to fatloss.

When one does cardio and how it affects them re fat loss is an individual thing - you'll find that people do it in the morning, at night, and some do it both during some periods of their training. It honestly does not matter whether you do it at morning or at night - as long as you're in some sort of caloric deficit, you will lose fat. The same goes for low or high intensity cardio - personally, and data supports that it doesn't matter what substrate is used DURING your cardio sessions, HIGH intensity cardio is better for fat loss, but as long as your nutrition is right, you're going to lose fat. Fat loss is more about your NUTRITION than your cardio, and you actually do NOT have to do cardio at all to effectively and successfully lose fat.

~Rosie~
The Primordial Woman

 

[russy_russ]

Rosie is completely correct. One particular study comes to mind in which one group burned X calories in 30 minutes while the second in 60 minutes. Results indicated that the higher intensity group had a higher fatty acid oxidative state post exercise than the lower intensity group for the following 24 hours. However, total fat oxidation was the same between both groups for cost during exercise and the 24 hours post exercise.

 

[Nitrox]

Fat loss is more about your NUTRITION than your cardio, and you actually do NOT have to do cardio at all to effectively and successfully lose fat.

Rosie is completely correct.

Nice to see some sane, objective answers.

It doesn't matter. It's all about achieving the right energy deficit.

 

[russy_russ]

Fat loss can be both caused by a result of change in nutrition and exercise. We use 3 energy systems while training. 1) ATP-PCr (0-15 seconds)-uses ATP 2) Glycolysis- glycogen,(15 seconds-2 minutes) then 3) Oxidative (typically 30 minutes and beyond) which is why it is cardio and proves to be beneficial for weight loss because when the fat cells are oxidized they are used as a fuel source while training. Excessive Post Oxygen Consumpution is when your body is trying to replenish oxygen to the cells, which is often why lactic acid is forming. EPOC I believe is related to buffering the formation of your body becoming acidic with a Beta Alanine, or Sodium Bicarbonate. Furthermore, EPOC is more related to prevent your body from becoming acidic and for weight loss its nutrition. I agree with Rosie Chee Scott.

There are more means of producing ATP than those 3. Also, lactate can be taken up by some tissues and oxidized for fuel. In most people the oxidative system becomes fully active within 2-3 minutes of exercise.

 

[bkoguy07]

Just do both to be safe

 

[Iron Warrior]

I prefer doing it after lifting because I hate making 2 daily trips to the gym and lifting will burn up carb stores/glycogen.

 

[ZamaMan]

If you get hungry after cardio just drink some coffee. It will take the hunger pains away.

 

[Movin_weight]

Fat loss can be both caused by a result of change in nutrition and exercise. We use 3 energy systems while training. 1) ATP-PCr (0-15 seconds)-uses ATP 2) Glycolysis- glycogen,(15 seconds-2 minutes) then 3) Oxidative (typically 30 minutes and beyond) which is why it is cardio and proves to be beneficial for weight loss because when the fat cells are oxidized they are used as a fuel source while training. Excessive Post Oxygen Consumpution is when your body is trying to replenish oxygen to the cells, which is often why lactic acid is forming. EPOC I believe is related to buffering the formation of your body becoming acidic with a Beta Alanine, or Sodium Bicarbonate. Furthermore, EPOC is more related to prevent your body from becoming acidic and for weight loss its nutrition. I agree with Rosie Chee Scott.

Lactate is a very important substrate during exercise and at rest, and is actually the preferred source of fuel for cardiac muscle. It can be oxidized and utilized for energy by slow twitch muscle fibers, or converted to glucose by the liver. It also can interact with various enzymes and be used to form certain amino acids. During recovery lactate has nothing to do with oxygen debt or EPOC, but it is used to replentish glycogen stores and maintain blood glucose levels

As for time of exercise, I agree with those that say it won't make much of a difference. However, endurance exercise does make the body more efficient at utilizing fats for energy at rest and during exercise. In a fasted state during the morning you'll burn a higher percentage of Fat/protein compared to carbs, but your intensity/endurance will suffer resulting in less overall calories being epended. At night in a fed state, assuming your consuming adequate carbohydrates, you'll utilize a higher %carbs compared to fat, but be able to maintain a higher intensity for longer, and therefore burn more calories.

Diet plays a big role however on what substrate you'll use during cardio as well. On a high protein low carb diet your body will use a much larger percentage of amino acids for energy than on a balanced low calorie diet. On high carb days your body will burn mostly carbohydrates even during lower intensity exercise. (in lab we observed our subjects burning 100% carbs at rest after carb-loading for 2 days)

Not sure why i just rambled for 20 min when i should have been working on a paper