Does Morning Cardio Burn Fat Faster?

We debate the merits of this popular fat loss legend.

The effectiveness of cardio training performed in the morning is a question commonly asked of fitness professionals--especially considering the challenges of fat loss. 

Morning training on an empty stomache or while fasting is a common practice within the bodybuilding community to ensure lowest possible body fat prior to competition. Training and fitness expert Jesse Burdick shares, “Fasted cardio is the prevailing wisdom in bodybuilding because these guys are dieting very hard.”

The reason why this particular training approach is effective concerns the depletion of glycogen, the body’s first source of stored energy. By keeping the body drained of this stored form of glucose, it’s then forced to burn fat or protein instead.

According to training and fitness expert John Kiefer When you’re fasted in the morning, the hormone cortisol is high and its only job is to break down the appropriate tissue based on what other hormones are around. Insulin is elevated after eating and cortisol will attack muscle. But, if you are fasted, insulin is low and cortisol will then go after body fat reserves.”

As far as the types of cardio you should do, Burdick suggests 15-20 minutes or less of high-intensity interval training or low-to-moderate intensity steady-state cardio.

What about the regular guy who wants to maintain his typical diet without fasting? Will cardio training in the morning be any more effective than at other times?

Nope.

Kiefer says, “On a regular, normal diet, there really is no difference in how much fat you will burn.”

Both men agree that training in the morning is good for getting the body energized, but unless you’re fasting, you might be better off getting those extra Z’s for a hardcore evening session.

It’s a common problem

How many times has one of your class participants complained of low-back pain? It’s a common problem—and one you probably hear about whether you teachindoor cycling, step, strength fusion, yoga or hip-hop. As an instructor, you’re in a unique position to help participants reduce and prevent discomfort in the lumbar spine and hip musculature. Use a few basic tools to bring the body into balance. The cool-down is the perfect time to do it because the body is warm.

Stretches

The following movements emphasize

• ankle and hip mobility;
• knee and lumbar stability; and
• hip, torso, trunk and shoulder integration.

Cue diaphragmatic breathing and ask participants to feel themselves elongating from the vertex of the head while imagining a downward pull of the pelvis.Shoulders should stay relaxed, and the pelvis is best visualized as a bowl that does not spill forward or backward.
Have participants hold each stretch for at least 20–30 seconds per side (a total of 2–3 minutes).

Lunge and Hold With Rotation

Stand in split stance by placing one foot forward (weight on heel, toes for balance), other foot back (weight on ball of foot). Sink downward, bending both legs to about 90 degrees. Push through heel of rear leg to stretch calf. Rotate torso away from rear leg to accentuate stretch in hip flexors and spinal rotators. Maintain uprightposture.

Kneeling With Side Bend

From lunge position (left leg forward), sink downward and kneel with right leg, pointing right foot into ground, ankle dorsiflexed. Keep both knees flexed to about 90 degrees. Reach right arm overhead and laterally flex torso to left to stretch quadratus lumborum (QL), obliques and intercostals.
Variation: Squeeze glutes and slowly extend spine. Lift arm up and back on kneeling side.

Self Myofascial Release

If your facility has invested in foam rollers (even small ones), tennis balls or other tools for self myofascial release, introduce participants to this form of self-care. For this particular cool-down, focus on iliotibial (IT) band and gastrocnemius/soleus. Instruct class to find and hold tender points for minimum of 20 seconds or until about 75% of tenderness has dissipated. Cue participants to breathe normally and avoid rolling over bones and joints.
Spend a total of 1–3 minutes on these exercises.

Sample Exercise Using the Foam Roller. To release IT band, lie on one side with hip on top of and perpendicular to foam roller. Have bottom leg straight, ankle dorsiflexed. Cross top leg over and in front of bottom leg, placing foot on floor for support and control. Roll from hip to knee.

Time permitting, lead class through additional self-myofascial-release techniques that target the gastrocnemius/soleus (see original article in May IDEA Fitness Journal), latissimus dorsi, tensor fasciae latae, quadriceps, adductors, peroneals and plantar fascia. Remind students about the importance and power of proper diaphragmatic breathing.

Abdominal/Core Circuit Details

Abdominal/Core Circuit Details

• Format: a circuit that focuses on the abdominals and core
• Total Time: approximately 30–40 minutes
• Equipment Needed: medicine balls, stability balls, mats, weights, weighted hoops, weighted bars, etc.
• Music: Beats per minute don’t matter here. Be creative when selecting music. Include international selections, themed scores or something different that you wouldn’t hear in a traditional class.
• Class Setup: When preparing for circuits in general, take the following into consideration:
  1. Choose exercises that will create a well-balanced workout.
  2. Set up the right amount of equipment at each station, including a little extra to cover latecomers.
  3. Estimate how quickly participants will be able to move in and out of the exercises without wasting time. If half the time at a station is spent on setup, rethink the exercise.
  4. Plan the circuit to incorporate a variety of equipment.
  5. Check all the equipment before putting it out for use.

Warm-Up (3–5 minutes)
This class can be done with or without a warm-up. The abdominal circuit works well after any cardio or strength format. If an additional warm-up is needed, lead 2–3 minutes of movement that slowly increases in intensity, raising core temperature. Include dynamic and active stretches for both the upper and lower body.
The Stations (approximately 24 minutes)
Time each station in 1½-minute increments: 1 minute and 15 seconds for the exercise and 15 seconds to transition and set up for the next station. Encourage great form, and have participants do as many repetitions as possible in the time available. Students will cycle through all the stations twice.
            Station 1: Abdominal Crunches on Stability Ball
Performing crunches on the stability ball is a bit different from doing them on the floor. Instruct students to press the buttocks into the ball and to avoid overarching or hyperextending the back. Look out for students trying to move the lower body as they flex forward; cue them not to bounce or push with the legs. Hands can be placed wherever is most comfortable. Focus special attention on “closing” the rib cage and compressing the back into the ball.
            Station 2: Negative Roll-Down
Start from a seated position, legs bent at a 90-degree angle, and hold the weight or medicine ball above the head. Roll down one vertebra at a time, contract the abdominals, and focus on slowly, deliberately squeezing all muscles from chest to pubic bone as the body lowers to the floor.
            Station 3: Oblique Curl on Stability Ball
This movement is similar to the abdominal crunch station (#1). Simply add slight spinal rotation to engage the obliques.
            Station 4: Isometric Abdominal Hold With Leg Extensions
Lie on the floor with the upper body slightly elevated and the hands supporting the head. Bring both feet up to a 90-degree angle above the hips, and slowly lower the legs to the floor (keeping the legs slightly apart while lowering). Students should feel no pressure in the back. If the back hyperextends, modify the leg movement to reduce back strain.
            Station 5: Plank Hold
Start by lying face down on the ground. Place the elbows under the shoulders, with forearms and hands in front of face. From the center of the abdominals, prop the body up, lifting onto the toes and forearms. Maintain a strong center—no arching or sagging. Keep the hips slightly elevated to avoid back stress. Contract the abdominals up to the spine and maintain this position.
            Station 6: Heavy Hula
From a standing position, hold a weighted hoop at waist level, open the feet about 1 foot wide and relax the knees. Push the hips to start momentum, release the hoop, and move the hips at a faster or slower pace to keep the hoop positioned around the waist.
            Station 7: Functional Training With Weight
Start from a seated position, with legs bent at a 90-degree angle. Hold a weight, medicine ball or weighted bar. Lean back slightly to engage the abdominals, and make figure-eight motions with both hands, working across the body from right to left.
            Station 8: Bicycles
Lie flat with the lower back pressed to the floor. With hands supporting the head, bring the knees above the hips. Slowly pedal or push out the legs, alternating between right and left legs. Touch the opposite elbow to the knee and continue the movement. Try to get the shoulders off the floor on each repetition. Breathe!
Cool-Down and Stretch (3–5 minutes)
Choose stretches that apply to the work done in class; include both upper- and lower-body moves. Although this class has focused primarily on the core and abdominals, be sure to cover some of these other affected areas: quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, piriformis, chest, back, neck and lower legs.

Fuel Use During Exercise!!!

You use both fat and carbohydrates for energy during exercise, with these two fuels providing that energy on a sliding scale. During exercise at a very low intensity (e.g., walking), fat accounts for most of the energy expenditure. As exercise intensity increases up to the lactate threshold (the exercise intensity that marks the transition between exercise that is almost purely aerobic and exercise that includes a significant anaerobic contribution; also considered the highest sustainable aerobic intensity), the contribution from fat decreases while the contribution from carbohydrates increases. When exercising just below the lactate threshold, you are using mostly carbohydrates. Once the intensity of exercise has risen above the lactate threshold, carbohydrates become the only fuel source.

If you exercise long enough (1.5–2 hours), your muscle carbohydrate (glycogen) content and blood glucose concentration become low. This metabolic state presents a threat to the muscles’ survival, since carbohydrates are muscles’ preferred fuel. When carbohydrates are not available, the muscles are forced to rely on fat as fuel.
Since more fat is used at low exercise intensities, people often assume that low-intensity exercise is best for burning fat, an idea that has given birth to the “fat-burning zone.” However, while only a small amount of fat is used when exercising just below the lactate threshold, the rate of caloric expenditure and the total number of calories expended are much greater than they are when exercising at a lower intensity, so the total amount of fat used is also greater.

The Bottom Line

For fat and weight loss, what matters most is the difference between the number of calories you expend and the number of calories you consume. Fat and weight loss is about burning lots of calories and cutting back on the number of calories consumed. For the purpose of losing weight, it matters little whether the calories burned during exercise come from fat or carbohydrates.

Go Very Long
Long runs or bike rides (≥ 1.5–2 hours at 65%–70% max HR) that stimulate mitochondrial synthesis and promote the depletion of glycogen threaten the muscles’ survival, since carbohydrates are muscles’ preferred fuel. In response to this threat, muscles “learn” how to use fat more effectively and over time become better fat-burning machines.

Meditation Lowers Blood Cortisol Levels

Stress triggers many physiological changes in the body through the “fight or flight” response. When stress levels are high, levels of the hormone cortisol released into the bloodstream are also high. Studies confirm that chronic stress is associated with increased fat in the abdominal area, higher concentrations of blood sugar and insulin, higher blood pressure and higher levels of cholesterol—conditions that are associated with metabolic syndrome and that increase the risk of heart disease.
A recent small study published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (2004; [1032], 211–15) suggests that older women who regularly practice meditation may have a reduced cortisol response to stress—and that the longer a woman has been practicing, the less likely she is to react to stress with high levels of blood cortisol.
Walton and colleagues studied 30 women, 16 who were long-term practitioners of TM and 14 controls, all between the ages of 65 and 92 years. The subjects ingested 75 grams of glucose in order to stress their systems metabolically. Cortisol levels were measured before and after administration of the stressor. The researchers found that cortisol levels rose much higher and with greater speed among the controls than among the meditators. Moreover, the longer a subject had practiced meditation, the lower her cortisol response was. The study authors theorized that this lower cortisol response may reflect improvement of the endocrine system regulation and recommended that more research be conducted.

No pain no gain?

People today are becoming fitness freaks and are ready to explore several options to keep healthy. It seems as if they are on a continuous search for new, more advanced and beneficial regimes.
Unfortunately, what you hear is not always true. Here is the most popular myths pertaining to fitness:
1. 'No pain, no gain'
Pain is a warning sign that indicates any potential harm to the body. You should not feel any type of pain during or after exercise. If you feel pain, it means you are on the wrong track. One must be able to differentiate between pain and discomfort. When you begin a new exercise, an initial mild discomfort is normal and it is due to muscle soreness (DOMS).
Don't force your body to continue with a workout if you perceive any kind of pain. Remember, if there is pain there will be no gain. With a proper and planned exercise regime and a maintained exercise log, one can gain without pain.

Fitness Training Packages!!!

Personal Training Packages
Signature Fitness Introductory Personal Training Packages
Cost: $125

3 personal training sessions (50 minutes)
1 customized nutritional programs ($50 value)
1 Body measurements and personal goal assessment
Upgraded Package #2 Personal Training
Cost: $300
 6 personal training sessions (50 minutes)
 1 custom nutritional menu ($50 value)
 Body measurements and personal goal assessment
Upgraded Package #3 Personal Training
Cost: $400
8 personal training sessions (50 minutes)
 1 custom nutritional menu ($50 value)
 Body measurements and personal goal assessment
Custom Signature Fitness Programs
Packages of 10, 20 or 30 Personal Training Sessions
or Small Group Training Packages
How many Benefits are there in
A customized one on one personal training, small group training or boot camp  that are including but not limited to Strength training , weight loss, Core training, Cardiovascular, and Flexibility. Pick up the phone, make the call or send an email and find out what its like to work with a Signature trained professional and learn what a total body conditioning program  is that is designed for you individually and will challenge you to succeed and exceed with goals you seek out. A Signature Fitness Trainer will help the scope of practice for a personal trainer to enhance the components of fitness for healthy way of living, feel great and build confidence. The five classic components of fitness are muscular strength, muscular endurance, body composition, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility, although there are other subsets like power, skill, and speed.