Would you like to ensure that your body uses more fat during your training?
There’s something you need to do BEFORE your workout to produce this result.
DON’T consume high glycemic carbs or sugar.
Here’s why…
The body will preferentially use this sugar as fuel during the workout and NOT dip into your fat reserves for energy.
A recent study [1] looked into where the body will get its energy from during training when different foods are consumed beforehand.
The 3 groups were given one of the following pre-workout meals:
- Low-glycemic meal
- Low-glycemic meal with fructose
- High-glycemic meal without fructose
Basically a low GI meal is better than a high GI meal for forcing the body to burn body fat for energy. Furthermore, eliminating fructose is necessary also. In fact, adding fructose to the low GI meal makes it just as bad as the high GI meal.
Researchers concluded:
In conclusion, the presence of fructose in a Low GI breakfast resulted in similar substrate utilization during subsequent brisk walking with that induced by a HGI breakfast
That is, when fructose was added to the low GI meal, the body utilized sugar for fuel instead of body fat, just like with the high GI meal.
It should be noted that the exercise performed was 1 hour of brisk waking (moderate intensity). However, high intensity training would yield the same result. The body will preferentially use the carbohydrate and not dip into its fat reserves.
Additionally, the specific muscle(s) worked will use its stored glycogen for any sugar it requires. This glycogen comes from a carb-up period on a carb cycling diet like MANS or from the carbs in my GLAD diet.
There is no need whatsoever to be consuming high glycemmic carbs (and in particular fructose) prior to a workout. You don’ need it and you’ll prevent the body from burning fat.
Train With Intensity!
Mark
[1] Substrate utilization during brisk walking is affected by glycemic index and fructose content of a pre-exercise meal. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2012 Jul;112(7):2565-74.
Hi Mark, good post as usual.
I’ve been keeping to a low GL diet the last few weeks (basically your GLAD diet) and not taking any high GI carbs before workouts. I’ve lost about 3 Kg’s in weight and it looks as though its all come off the waistline. I’m a naturally slim guy who just had a little fat pad over the abs, which is now almost completely gone.
I look a lot more ripped, but I don’t seem to be gaining any mass/lean muscle weight, despite doing intense work-outs and eating loads of lean protein. I’ve started using BCAA’s immediately before and after workouts, which seems to help performance, but not muscle gain. Do you rate BCAA’s? Re: high GI carbs, I still have some dextrose (20-30 g) with my post workout shake, but not lots. Should I keep doing this?
Thanks a lot,
Max
Mark, great info as usual. I have been doing this for quite some time now. I am actually doing intermitent fasting so I can train fasted in the morning. What I have read points out that training fasted makes the muscles stress more, having as a result more need to grow and release of GH. I am eating the same amount of calories, but I am fasting in the morning before training. What is your opinion about it?
Regards,
Alan
Great post, Mark! Thank you. I used to consume GI means right before my workout, but not any longer.
BTW, what are your thoughts around CLA?
Black coffee .. my only preworkout meal..thnx dude
@Max. Check your progress in the gym. If your weights and reps are going up then all is well. Get enough protein and you’ll grow. Don’t be impatient, this is a long-term game. I only rate BCAAs on long periods of no food, >12 hrs. Otherwise they’re not necessary.
@Alan. Not necessarily against. Read my above point. I would take some protein or at least some BCAAs before the morning training though.
Hi Mark,
Thanks for the great info as usual. I’m very keen to partake in Jacked n Ripped, I was just wondering if you could tell me the date of the next intake.
Many thanks
Danny
Kinda skeptical about similar effects in HIT/HIIT. Primary substrate used in ~HR<110 activity is fat, and introducing glucose into blood via liver (fructose) or directly wil shift this after a meal/ingestion. Makes sense. Also for activities in higher intensities (~HR 110-170), where a mix of fat and glycogen stores are being used. Pre-workout ingestion of carbs shift substrate utilization even further to glucose – also makes sense.
However, primary substrate in HIT used for energy is from creatine phosphate stores in muscles. These energy stores last us for 7-10 sec max. Especially with HIT I would expect to see no fat burning in any case and it is pretty improbable that the body would use glycogen/glucose substrate over creatine phosphate stores (neither fat nor glucose is used). The main benefit of HIT is in the initiation of a signaling cascade to prevent muscle catabolism IMO.
Hi Mark,
I’m new to your site and what you cover is very useful. I have problems losing belly fat & my overall body fat is around 28%. My morning pre-training breakfast may be the culprit. For example, I usually have one squeezed lemon in a cup of warm water, then my protein shake (ISO-100) into which I add a good helping of egg whites and a some flaxseed oil. After that I may have a dish of rolled oats, or some cereal (with oat milk) with some raw nuts, or most often a cup of black tea (no sugar or milk) with two pieces of multi-grain or wholemeal toast: one with cottage cheese and cinnamon & one with a low sugar breakfast marmalade. I also have a pre-workout pump & energy supplement. During training I take an AminoBol supplement drink. Immediately after training I take a protein shake to which I add some BCAA supplement powder. Within an hour of training I usually have an oat milk cappuccino, 220 gram rump steak and either salad or green veges. It seems that all this is fine but I should forget the toast. What do you think?
@Snowy D. New JnR intake should be 18th or 19th March. Look out for it 🙂
@LePulge. The utilization of creatine phosphate to facilitate muscular contractions doesn’t at all mean that you don’t use the macronutrients protein, carbs, and fat for energy.
@Paul. Diet doesn’t look too bad but my TSPA diet is much better. The main thing is your total caloric intake, which actually for you seems too low. Your metabolism may have slowed dramatically meaning you’ve stalled. You have to lower your calories slowly over time to avoid this.