When to do cardio in my nutritional program?

[Zepphire]

I've cut down on carbs and added more protein and fat, like you guys recommended. The rice/potatoes/... are in smaller portions than when I was bulking and will decrease in size as my cut progresses.

Here's what I'll be eating throughout the day:

Breakfast: oatmeal, whey shake (+egg on weight training days)

Snack If I'm up early (otherwise nothing): half a slice of wheat bread with 2-3 slices of chicken

Lunch: chicken/turkey/tuna with wheat bread/brown rice and peas and carrots. Sometimes eggs or roll with healthy toppings if I'm at uni all day and there's no time to get something else.

Snack: sunflower seeds + pumpkin seeds + half a slice of wheat bread with 3-4 slices of chicken

Dinner: chicken/turkey/tuna/steak with (brown rice/potatoes/wheat pasta) and vegetables

Snack: Peanut butter mixed with milk

Before bed: 2 cups of cottage cheese

I have another whey shake randomly throughout the day, or after the workout on workout days. I bought a jar of BCAA pills to use during the cut. (I'll just open the containers into the whey shake because the pills are fukin huge to swallow)

I also take 4-6 Omega 3 pills randomly throughout the day.

I'm doing weight training 3 times a week, usually between breakfast and lunch; exceptionally between snack #2 and dinner.

I plan to do low intensity cardio (30-40 mins) for 3 days, on non-weight training days. At which point in the day would I get the most benefit from my cardio?

Thanks for reading

[motox426]

Originally Posted by Zepphire

I've cut down on carbs and added more protein and fat, like you guys recommended. The rice/potatoes/... are in smaller portions than when I was bulking and will decrease in size as my cut progresses.

Here's what I'll be eating throughout the day:

Breakfast: oatmeal, whey shake (+egg on weight training days)

Snack If I'm up early (otherwise nothing): half a slice of wheat bread with 2-3 slices of chicken

Lunch: chicken/turkey/tuna with wheat bread/brown rice and peas and carrots. Sometimes eggs or roll with healthy toppings if I'm at uni all day and there's no time to get something else.

Snack: sunflower seeds + pumpkin seeds + half a slice of wheat bread with 3-4 slices of chicken

Dinner: chicken/turkey/tuna/steak with (brown rice/potatoes/wheat pasta) and vegetables

Snack: Peanut butter mixed with milk

Before bed: 2 cups of cottage cheese

I have another whey shake randomly throughout the day, or after the workout on workout days. I bought a jar of BCAA pills to use during the cut. (I'll just open the containers into the whey shake because the pills are fukin huge to swallow)

I also take 4-6 Omega 3 pills randomly throughout the day.

I'm doing weight training 3 times a week, usually between breakfast and lunch; exceptionally between snack #2 and dinner.

I plan to do low intensity cardio (30-40 mins) for 3 days, on non-weight training days. At which point in the day would I get the most benefit from my cardio?

Thanks for reading

Its been said that morning is the best but I should all depend on what time is best for you. There really no best time but alot of people think the morning is when your body will utilize that stored fat for engery.

[Zepphire]

I've seen a post about someone saying you shouldn't do cardio within a certain timeframe after having eaten carbs because your body will then burn the carbs instead of bodyfat.
Cardio in the morning might be the most effective but won't it eat away on your muscles? I really want to keep my strength/ maybe even increase it a bit. So I'm a bit wary of doing cardio before breakfast..

[motox426]

Originally Posted by Zepphire

I've seen a post about someone saying you shouldn't do cardio within a certain timeframe after having eaten carbs because your body will then burn the carbs instead of bodyfat.
Cardio in the morning might be the most effective but won't it eat away on your muscles? I really want to keep my strength/ maybe even increase it a bit. So I'm a bit wary of doing cardio before breakfast..

Never to more than 45mins. After that thens when you will start to lose muscle mass rather than fat.

[Rhino_JC]

Morning before work. I also like to do a quick 10 minutes after i get home when losing weight. Its fast about 100 calories burned and kicks up your metabolism.

[Super_Kaioken]

Originally Posted by Rhino_JC

Morning before work. I also like to do a quick 10 minutes after i get home when losing weight. Its fast about 100 calories burned and kicks up your metabolism.

finally, something i can agree on. before work def.

[Zepphire]

This is pretty confusing... one article says to do cardio when you wake up, before breakfast while another article says this is detrimental for your muscle..

Reps if you can pinpoint the time I should be doing it on the nutrition table I provided in my first post.

[Super_Kaioken]

Originally Posted by Zepphire

This is pretty confusing... one article says to do cardio when you wake up, before breakfast while another article says this is detrimental for your muscle..

Reps if you can pinpoint the time I should be doing it on the nutrition table I provided in my first post.

hey zepp, some people say its dangerous to your muscle if you do it in the morning but only if your doing it at a high intensity. you probably know this but it is because your body is low on energy sources such as creatine and glucose in the morning, so fat is all that is available BUT if your body is under a high energy demand then the fat cannot be used up quickly enough so your body resorts to other energy - muscle.

Your low intensity jogs can work wonders in the morning if you keep them at a low intensity. To ensure a very minimal muscle loss again is to take Animo Acid tablets before going. Also, ACETYL-L-CARNITINE (ALCAR) is good for you because it encourages fat to be used up for energy rather than muscle.

Again, keep doing them in the morning (with or without the supplements) on an empty at a low intensity to see your progress.

If you want to try something different, try high intensity but only after you've eaten.

[Zepphire]

Alright, I'll try going for a 40 minute walk before breakfast. Should I take my whey protein shake before or after the cardio though?

[gijohnny1]

i take a shake before i run in the mornings. as in, get outa bed, have a shake then run for 40minz. come home and get into breakfast. so ur kinda running on empty burning up the body fat but the BCAAs and the protien should stop any muscle being robbed from ur frame. its just my opinion and could be wrong but it works for me.

[Zepphire]

Thanks for helping, everyone. One last question just to make sure. Regardless of what time in the day I do cardio, it isn't a bad decision to have a protein shake beforehand?

[Korry1]

Originally Posted by Zepphire

Thanks for helping, everyone. One last question just to make sure. Regardless of what time in the day I do cardio, it isn't a bad decision to have a protein shake beforehand?

preW/PWO nutrition
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=272067