It could be time to sweep away the habit of slugging through your morning pre-breakfast routine (this is good news; smile!)
Why?
In theory, it’s a great idea. When you wake up, generally your carbohydrate stores are pretty low, so your body will go straight through to burning fat stores in the body.
Our bodies use energy from carbohydrates first, then it burns fats, and lastly proteins (only in emergency situations, like, if you’re stranded on an island which I’m guessing a lot of you aren’t right now. Unless there’s great reception in the area…).
Workout efficiency
Weight loss is a numbers game with calories, and not worrying about what type of calories they are. 250 calories (approx. 1000 kJ) is 250 calories burnt regardless of what time of day it is, or whether they’re from fats or carbohydrates.
Most people aren’t their most energetic in the morning. Instead of slugging through a steady jog, wait for an energy surge a couple hours after eating and amp it up with interval runs, or a weight-training circuit which will burn way more calories in total.
‘Fat burning zone’
Unless you’re on a cross-trainer for a couple of hours at a time, that steady state exercise at 50-60% of your maximum heart rate is doing pretty much nothing for you (in terms of weight-loss). It’s better to just generally be active throughout the day and not waste your hour slaving away on the cross-trainer at low intensity .
Also, the ‘afterburn’ effect of exercise is increased when your training sessions are intense & sweaty & have strength incorporated into them (who doesn’t love squats?)
So eat a good meal or snack before your exercise, train hard and the results will be there from a shorter training session (not to mention, muscles become more defined with bodyweight exercise circuits than with a slow jog).
Beginners
Okay, but just keep in mind that obviously there is not one ‘formula’. If you’re just beginning your fitness journey and are carrying some extra weight, brisk walking might do it for you for now – but you can even amp this up by adding 30 second jogs in for every two minute block you do, and increase the ratio as you get fitter (which you will, champ) to up the calorie burn.
Questions? Answers!
Until then, train happy -
Faith xxxo
