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SCT's explanation of Trans Fat reminded me of this article I read the other day on new scientist. Interesting results on the tests they did. Made me think twice about getting fast food as a cheat meal or at least be a hell of a lot more selective for my cheat meal
To me the coorelation between WHERE the fat is gained is even more disturbing than the fat gain itself. Being that most men are genetically predispositioned to gain in the abdominals it is VERY scary to eat foods that contribute even more to that.
An intergal part of any fat loss journey is obviously going to be your training. For specific questions about training methods/techniques, I'll refer you over to John Lee's Playground, as he is the official Controlled Labs trainer. However, we shall touch upon the benefits of both cardiovascular and weight training here.
A) Cardio, what/why/how/when?
WHAT IS CARDIO?!?!?!?!
Cardio is a medical term used to refer to the heart. From Greek kardia: heart. So cardio is our hearts? No silly :P Cardio is any exercise which raises your resting heart rate.
Now that we know our 'resting heart rate', we can look at the opposite end of the spectrum, our Maximum Heart Rate.
WHY DO WE DO CARDIO?!?!?!?
Cardio burns calories
Cardio stregthens your heart muscle, making it do less work to pump more blood
Cardio increases lung capacity
Cardio builds endurance
Cardio helps to reduce risk of heart attacks, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes
Cardio has a positive effect on moods, sleeping patterns, and stress levels.
HOW DO WE DO CARDIO?!?!?!?
There are quite literally HUNDREDS of forms of cardio that you can take advantage of, here are some of the popular ones:
Walking
Jogging
Running
Climbing
Skipping (ie Jump Rope)
Swimming
Racquetball
Tennis
Basketball
Biking (recumbent, mountain, or just riding a bike)
Stairclimber
Rowing (machine or canoeing)
Volleyball
And the currently most used form of cardio (at my gym) the Elliptical Machine.
WHEN DO I DO MY CARDIO???
Let me begin by noting that the important part about cardio is that you do cardio, the rest is just added benefit. There are various times that you CAN do your cardio.
Upon waking - Cardio done upon waking on an empty stomach is a current popular method. The idea is that your body is deprived of carbs upon waking and will tap into stored fat as a primary fuel source. Opposers of this method cite that muscle loss is too much of a factor here, as well as a lack of intensity. However, using an EAA/BCAA product before/during morning cardio provides the same benefits while staving off muscle loss AND giving you more energy. This method is usually best done at a medium intensity (65-75% of Max Heart Rate)
After weight training - This is probably the most common method of cardio for most people, due to time constraints. After your strength/weight training cardio is not optimal when compared to the other times (ideally you want 8 hours between strength training/cardio) but it is still obviously better than no cardio! Many people advocate taking a protein shake after the weights but BEFORE the cardio, whereas others just wait until both cardio and weights are done. This type of cardio is usually best done at lower (50-60%) or medium intensity (65-75% of Max Heart Rate).
8 hours before/after lifting - This is the 'fairytale' cardio, this is when you are hitting your stride from a metabolic standpoint by reaping the benefits of both cardio and the earlier/later lifting while still allowing proper recovery for high intensity. This type of cardio is where you can begin to experiment with High Intensity Interval Training or Tabata Intervals, which can you find out more about in John Lee's training section.
B) Strength Training -
As it relates to strength training there are SO many programs out there, it is hard to recommend where to start. However, I will provide you with the RULES you need to know when weight-training while cutting.
Step 1 - Use good form
Good form is probably one of the most overlooked things in the gym. It is too common to see someone throwing the weight around like it is a ragdoll, we are lifting IRON here people, so use proper form.
Step 2 - Intensity
Regardless of the program you are using, give each session your all. I don't care if you are pushing up just the bar on bench press, push it up like you are moving 1,000lbs. Each rep is crucial, so don't slack on any of them.
Step 3 - Frequency
Find a program that fits your goals and stick with it. I, personally, am a fan of 5 day routines while cutting, though many people go with a 3 day split. How often you lift, and how often you hit each muscle group, is going to be key to preserving the existing muscle mass you have.
Step 4 - Fear
Don't be afraid to lift weights while cutting, you aren't going to 'get huge and ripped' overnight. In fact, while operating in a caloric deficit you will most likely NOT gain size, unless you are new to lifting. If you are new to lifting, welcome to what we call 'newbie gains'
Step 5 - Recovery
One of the most important times as it relates to lifting is that time when you aren't lifting. Your 'rest' days are the time when growth and repair occur, so make sure you don't slack nutritionally on these days. Also remember that overtraining can lead to plateaus, so ensure you do give your body time to recover.
For more detailed training information, see John Lee's Forum here at controlledlabs.com.
Cheers,
SCT
And that's the bottom line, because Stone Cold Truth said so!
To me the coorelation between WHERE the fat is gained is even more disturbing than the fat gain itself. Being that most men are genetically predispositioned to gain in the abdominals it is VERY scary to eat foods that contribute even more to that.
Trans Fat = DA DEVIL!
Have to disagree.
1. All human males are genetically predispositioned to gain fat in the abdominal region.
2. Fat is stored in your midsection due to basic bio mechanics. The midsection of your body is the best place to store extra energy because it takes less energy to carry it around; its a survival strategy.
Disclaimer: The above post is my own PERSONAL OPINION and DOES NOT REPRESENT the official position of any company or entity. It DOES NOT constitute medical advice. CONTROLLED LABS products are produced in a GMP for Sport certified facility (no hormones produced in the facility / no cross contamination).
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