Advice on loosing fat

[Srachi]

Hi
Im back in working out my body after a long pause(1 1/2 year)because i had a mononucleosis.I packed a lot of fat during this pause,my first goal is to lose this fat.Here i ask you people to give me some advice's on what to eat and when to eat and when to cardio.I know that best time to do cardio workout is first thing in the morning prior to first meal.If i do cardio first time after i wake up i dont have energy left for my wieght workout that usualy i do it in the morning.It is ok to cardio right after weight training or i should do it after the last meal in the evning?My diet looks like:i eat a more pronunnced in carbs meal before and after weight trainning and the rest of the day i focus to eat protein based foods.Any comments on my post is very welcomed.Please help me out to get lean in the shortes time.Thanks in advance,bye.

 

[Shafty]

It sounds like you have your dieting basics pretty much in check. Eating a carb heavy meal in the morning will allow your glycogen stores to fill up for the workout, and after you're done with that (the workout, that is), you should have your high GI carbs (preferably in liquid form) to ensure that your body doesn't use all the protein for energy. Avoiding carbs and concentrating on getting plenty of protein and essential fatty acids for the remainder of the day is always a good idea when cutting up.

Try to eat at least 4-5 more or less evenly spaced meals a day to keep hunger pangs at bay (the post workout protein/carb shake shouldn't count as a meal). Contrary to what is often claimed, this has no effect on your metabolism or the rate of fat loss you will experience: it is simply an effective way to control your appetite and keep your energy levels high by keeping your blood sugar levels steady.

In regards to cardio; the most effective method for fat loss would be either first thing in the morning or immediately after your workout, but this will also yield more muscle wasting. You CAN still lose fat at a decent rate (and keep muscle loss at bay more effectively) even if you don't time your cardio in this manner, but you'd need to do longer sessions, or higher intensity, to reap the same benefits. Personally I would advise against doing cardio and weight lifting during the same day, since you only have so much energy when you're dieting. Personally I do weights 3 days a week, and cardio on my off days, and just relax on Sundays.

You could try HIIT for cardio (high intensity interval training), but it is something I'd only recommend to a well conditioned athlete who does plenty of cardio year round. It's too easy to burn yourself out with HIIT, so whether or not it's a good idea depends on your level of cardiovascular fitness and general health.

Another effective method for maximizing your fat loss and minimizing any muscle wasting would be a ketogenic diet, or more specifically, a cyclical keto diet. Check out the link: http://www.c-k-d.com/
However, this is another formula which is very demanding on your system, and requires a lot more tinkering with your nutrition intake than most generic diets.

BTW, here's an interesting article I'd recommend you read through. It is an excerpt from the newest and most cutting edge diet out there, the Ultimate Diet 2 (which is similar to the CKD, with some modifications).
http://www.mindandmuscle.net/content/page-160.html

 

[Srachi]

Thanks for the reply Shafty.In the past i have tried to cut my self with keto diet but it leaves me without energy in the gym.thanks for the links,i will read them.

P.S. i think i will do my cardio prior to sleep. i.e. i will eat at 7pm and do my cardio at 11pm.In 4 hours my stomach will be empty and my body will use energy from fat for the cardio workout.How its sound this??

 

[Shafty]

No problem.
If you've had negative experiences with ketogenic dieting in the past, then disregard what I said about the CKD and UD2. The article (the last link I posted) should prove an interesting read nevertheless, since it touches on points such as why our human physiology makes it such an uphill battle to get lean and muscular. Being huge and ripped is not a good condition to be in concerning basic survival when food is limited, so it makes perfect sense that our bodies have adapted to keeping us small and fat by default. The so called genetic elite of today would probably have been the first to die off during a period of famine in our cave man days. Anyway, check it out and see for yourself.

Your idea concerning the cardio sounds pretty good. Just so long as you don't overdo it and screw up your sleep patterns. Getting a minimum of 8 hours of sleep is mandatory especially when cutting up, so make sure you have at least half an hour or more to unwind and relax completely prior to sleep. Doing intense cardio will probably "wind you up" and give you a jolt of energy, so make sure to chill out afterwards and get a good night's sleep to avoid slipping into an overtrained state.

 

[thebug]

Shafty I love your posts man... very informative mate..

 

[Shafty]

Shafty I love your posts man... very informative mate..

Thanks mate! I try my best... I actually spend a good deal of time over at the HST forums, which have a very scientific and down-to-detail approach on everything related to muscle growth, exercise and nutrition. I like to think I manage to learn something new every day, and so far I've only touched the tip of the iceberg. I'm thinking of putting my pre-existing knowledge to good use and becoming a personal trainer at some point, once I've amassed even more knowledge and, of course, muscle mass.

How's your fitness life at the moment, btw?