Does the body burn fat more effectively during low impact cardio?
- Thread starter Rah22491
- Start date
LAGear
Active member
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.
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
Board Sponsor
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
EasyEJL
Never enough
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.
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
Board Sponsor
You get your HR over 180 and can maintain it?
EasyEJL
Never enough
Yep. I can sit at 180 for a while if I wanted to, although I generally dont
. 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
Board Sponsor
Yep. I can sit at 180 for a while if I wanted to, although I generally dont
That's why it should be (220-Age) +- 10 BPM
Rodja
Board Sponsor
Doing HIIT, i've hit spikes up to 195-197
What's your resting HR?
crazyfool405
Banned
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
Board Sponsor
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
Banned
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
Guest
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
Board Sponsor
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.
crazyfool405
Banned
Yea that's a good thing but if it increases ur metabolism to the point where u over eat your notg unna go anywhere
Rodja
Board Sponsor
That could be said about cutting in general.
crazyfool405
Banned
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
Board Sponsor
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
Banned
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
Board Sponsor
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
Banned
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
Board Sponsor
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
Banned
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
Board Sponsor
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
Banned
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
close grip
New member
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.
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
Board Sponsor
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.
Burner
Member
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
Board Sponsor
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*
Member
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.
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.
crazyfool405
Banned
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