Tag: Fat Burning
Best Cutting Steroids to Get Ready for the Summer
When discussing “best cutting steroids,” it’s important to remember that the use of anabolic steroids without a prescription is illegal and can have serious health risks. Steroids are typically prescribed for specific medical conditions and under the guidance of a healthcare provider. In the context of bodybuilding or fitness, “cutting” refers to the phase where…
What is the Best Intermittent Fasting Window to Lose Belly Fat
Belly fat can be stubborn and annoying. Despite a balanced diet and exercise program, losing it may take a long time. Intermittent fasting is a viable weight loss method adopted by thousands of people worldwide.
One of the unique features of intermittent fasting (IF) is its flexibility. It allows individuals to choose eating and fasting periods suited to their lifestyles. Hence, you may have heard of people on a 16:8 or 24-hour IF protocol.
In IF, the fasting window requires abstaining from calories. Moreover, the eating period doesn’t prescribe any dietary restrictions. However, adopting a balanced IF diet for the eating window can help you achieve your weight loss goals faster.
There are several IF patterns to choose from. Each pattern offers a different fasting and eating window. The 16/8 has become a pretty popular IF method. While IF has several health benefits, they vary for each protocol. [1]
I have you covered if you are scouting for information on the most effective IF window to lose belly fat. But before that, let’s learn a little about belly fat.
What is Belly Fat, and Why is it Harmful?
Belly fat can hamper your physical fitness and aesthetics. Fat accumulating around your belly is known as visceral fat and can be very harmful. This kind of fat typically accumulates within the abdominal cavity and pushes the stomach out due to the space it takes around the stomach and intestines.
Several factors, including an unhealthy or sedentary lifestyle, poor eating habits, metabolic complications, or other underlying diseases, can cause fat accumulation. [2]
These fat deposits around your belly can lead to other health issues, such as obesity, if not checked at the right time. Hence, finding safe ways to prevent an increase in your waistline is essential.
Start by determining your body mass index (BMI). Your BMI can is a quick way to check if you have a healthy weight.
How Intermittent Fasting Can Help Lose Abdominal Fat
In a fasting window, you must avoid consuming calories. Depriving your body of calories for a certain period can benefit your metabolism.
Studies reveal that abdominal obesity can be caused by poor metabolism. IF can help improve your metabolic rate. While IF, you will restrict your eating window, which can help lower insulin levels. A slow metabolism can make you feel starved, making your weight loss efforts all the more challenging. [3][4]
How can lowered insulin levels impact your belly fat? Well, insulin is one of the principal drivers of fat storage. When you eat constantly throughout the day, your insulin levels spike. With increased insulin levels in your blood, your cells begin resisting insulin, and as a result, the body is pressured to make more of it. Hence, decreasing the insulin levels the body produces can lower insulin resistance.
When you don’t eat for a certain period, such as in an IF fasting window, you allow your body to rest and the insulin levels to drop significantly. While this can work wonders for fat burning, it can also lower the risk of developing certain health conditions such as diabetes. [5]
How to Find the Best-Suited IF Window for Losing Belly Fat
If you are an intermittent fasting beginner and unsure about which IF routine will work the best for you, you must begin by choosing a protocol that fits your lifestyle. Remember, no fasting or dieting plan can give overnight results; introducing a sustainable IF fasting pattern and maintaining consistency can fetch the best results. This may require dedicated practice and patience.
There is no harm in experimenting with different fasting windows. You can alter the eating and fasting window depending on what accelerates your abdominal fat loss. If you started with shorter fasting windows, you can try increasing it by an hour or two to see if there’s any difference. Be consistent with your IF regimen if you want to see visible changes. Hence, select a fasting pattern that fits your lifestyle.
Here are the IF methods you can pick from for losing belly fat:
16:8 Intermittent Fasting
The 16:8 method involves 16 hours of fasting and an eight-hour feeding window. You can choose the eating and fasting durations you think are the easiest to maintain. For instance, if you finish your dinner by 7 pm, you could continue fasting until 11 am the next day. So, you can consume meals between 11 am and 7 pm.
Drink plenty of water during the fasting phase, as it can help combat dehydration and keep you feeling full. Although some people consume unsweetened black tea and coffee during the fasting window, it could cause dehydration.
5:2 Intermittent Fasting
5:2 fasting method involves eating a normal diet five days a week while limiting your calorie intake to 500-600 calories for any two non-consecutive days.
24-Hour Fast (Eat-Stop-Eat)
If you can go without food for 24 hours twice a week, the Eat-Stop-Eat IF method is for you. In this fasting pattern, if you eat on a Monday, say at 8 pm, you can only resume eating again on Tuesday, 8 pm. This 24-hour fast should be done twice a week for the best results. You can drink calorie-free beverages during the fasting windows and eat normally on non-fasting days.
Although considered effective, not everyone can easily adopt such prolonged fasting diets. It is best to consult your dietician or health professional before undertaking prolonged fasts.
Warrior Diet
The Warrior Diet involves 20 hours of fasting and a four-hour eating window. This form of eating and fasting is inspired by the eating habits of ancient warriors who fasted through the day and feasted at night. While the Warrior Diet may not be easy for many, some swear by its efficacy and benefits.
Regardless of your IF plan, you must track the food and beverages you consume during the eating window. Eating the wrong foods during the feeding window can make getting rid of stubborn fat all the more difficult.
Now, did you know that aside from metabolism, inflammation, and bloating may have a role to play in your belly fat?
Getting rid of your belly fat may take a while, but you can at least control inflammation by consuming the right foods. Sometimes, chronic diseases can elevate stress hormone levels in the body, causing inflammation. Cortisol is often associated with belly fat. Moreover, deficiencies in certain vitamins are also linked to weight gain and inflammation.
Several studies reveal inflammation is directly associated with abdominal fat, especially in diabetic people. Your dietary choices can help manage symptoms of inflammation to a large extent. Hence, a nutritious and balanced meal can help regulate inflammation and manage your weight. [6]
Research findings suggest that most of the body weight lost through intermittent fasting primarily comes from fat loss. As a result, IF can be effective in belly fat reduction as well. Intermittent fasting has benefitted people with obesity. Abdominal fat indicates obesity and higher BMI and needs to be managed for weight loss. [7][8]
Role of Hormones in Belly Fat and How IF Can Help Get Rid of Belly Fat
Intermittent fasting can lead to eating nutrient-dense calories and stabilizing your hormones. In the process, it can help maintain muscle mass. Your body stores energy in the form of fat. When you fast for a certain period, your body sends norepinephrine to the fat cells, catalyzing the fat to break it into fatty acids that are then burnt for energy. IF can fasten this fat-burning process and prevent high insulin levels. As these levels naturally drop and enable fat burning, it can help eliminate belly fat faster.
It is essential not to break your fast with a meal that can trigger an insulin spike, as it can rob you of your progress. Combining a healthy diet with IF and eliminating sugary beverages, starch-rich foods can work in your favor. Try including more protein, good fats, and fiber in your eating window for better results.
Things to Consider for Optimizing IF for Belly Fat
After selecting the preferred fasting window, adopt the following tips while practicing IF:
Avoid overeating during your eating window. Reduce the intake of sugary items that can cause insulin level spikes. Avoid foods with trans fat and cut down on refined carbs. [9]
Pay attention to sleep quality, as poor sleep can increase insulin resistance, cortisol, and weight gain around the belly. [10]
Make light exercise such as walking or yoga a part of your lifestyle. As stress can trigger cortisol levels, it can also lead to hunger pangs and enhance belly fat storage. A low-intensity workout like walking can reduce stress hormones and boost fat burning.
Lower your alcohol consumption, as it has been linked to a risk of developing excess fat around the waistline. [11]
FAQs
Do I need to worry about losing muscle with intermittent fasting?
During fasting, your body burns fat for energy. Eating a high-protein diet will ensure you don’t lose muscle mass while intermittent fasting.
How long will it take to see a reduction in my belly fat with intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting duration needed for a noticeable reduction in belly fat may vary from person to person. You must stay consistent and patient, allowing your body time to adapt to the new IF regimen.
Is intermittent fasting only effective for belly fat, or can it reduce overall body fat?
Intermittent fasting can be effective in reducing overall body fat. IF can restrict your overall calorie intake and put you in a calorie deficit, where your body burns more fat than it consumes. This is one of the most effective ways to lose body fat.
More on Fasting and Fat Burning:
Concluding Thoughts
Intermittent fasting has holistic health benefits and can be a powerful tool for reducing unwanted belly fat.
You must select an intermittent fasting pattern that fits your lifestyle. However, pay attention to a few things when fasting for belly fat loss, including what you eat during your eating window. You can start with the 16:8 method, as it is relatively easier to manage.
You must not undermine the importance of incorporating plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and other essential nutrients in your eating window. Also, maintain a calorie deficit and avoid unhealthy fats in your eating window. Whether your fitness goal involves weight management or targeted belly fat loss, the results hinge on consistency and patience.
Reference
Research on intermittent fasting shows health benefits. (2020, February 27). National Institute on Aging.
Jensen, M. D. (n.d.). Role of Body Fat Distribution and the Metabolic Complications of Obesity. PubMed Central (PMC).
Metabolic Syndrome | MedlinePlus. (2020, January 17). Metabolic Syndrome | MedlinePlus.
Vasim, I., Majeed, C. N., & DeBoer, M. D. (2022, January 31). Intermittent Fasting and Metabolic Health. PubMed Central (PMC).
Albosta, M., & Bakke, J. (2021, February 3). Intermittent fasting: is there a role in the treatment of diabetes? A review of the literature and guide for primary care physicians. PubMed Central (PMC).
Bawadi, H., Katkhouda, R., Tayyem, R., Kerkadi, A., Raad, S. B., & Subih, H. (2019, November 22). Abdominal Fat Is Directly Associated With Inflammation In Persons With Type-2 Diabetes Regardless Of Glycemic Control – A Jordanian Study. PubMed Central (PMC).
Welton, S., Minty, R., O’Driscoll, T., Willms, H., Poirier, D., Madden, S., & Kelly, L. (n.d.). Intermittent fasting and weight loss: Systematic review. PubMed Central (PMC).
Kim, J. Y. (2020, October 27). Optimal Diet Strategies for Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance. PubMed Central (PMC)
Comparison with ancestral diets suggests dense acellular carbohydrates promote an inflammatory microbiota and may be the primary dietary cause of leptin resistance and obesity – PubMed. (2012, January 1). PubMed.
Mesarwi, O., Polak, J., Jun, J., & Polotsky, V. Y. (n.d.). Sleep disorders and the development of insulin resistance and obesity. PubMed Central (PMC).
Relationship of abdominal obesity with alcohol consumption at population scale – PubMed. (2007, October 1). PubMed.
Albuterol Dosage
Albuterol, commonly known as a bronchodilator used to treat respiratory conditions like asthma, has garnered increasing interest among bodybuilders for its potential benefits in performance and fat loss. As bodybuilders explore its potential, understanding the appropriate albuterol dosage becomes crucial for optimizing results while ensuring safety. Albuterol Dosage for Bodybuilding: Albuterol belongs to the same…
Peptides for Muscle Growth
Peptides for muscle growth and enhanced performance has led bodybuilders and athletes to explore various supplements, including peptides. Peptides are short chains of amino acids that play crucial roles in cellular communication and metabolic processes. These naturally occurring compounds can stimulate muscle growth, increase protein synthesis, and promote recovery. In this article, we delve into…
IGF-1 Insulin-Like Growth Factors in Bodybuilding
Unleash the power of IGF-1 in bodybuilding to maximize your muscle growth, recovery, and performance. Discover the benefits of IGF-1 LR3, the recommended dosages for beginners, intermediate, and advanced bodybuilders, and how to safely incorporate this potent growth factor into your bodybuilding journey. Unlock your full potential and achieve optimal results with the help of IGF-1.
7-Day Carb Cycling Meal Plan
Eating healthy and working out go hand in hand, or they should! What you eat can have a direct impact on your training results. A poor diet can undermine your progress and could even mean you make no progress at all.
Subsequently, most exercisers follow an eating plan designed to support their workouts, and that matches their training goal. Unfortunately, there are a lot of diets to choose from, and while some are safe, effective, and healthy, many others are not. Sadly, some people cannot tell the difference between the good and the bad and end up following unsuitable or unsustainable plans.
Carb cycling has proven popular with bodybuilders and is gaining traction within the general fitness community.
In this article, we discuss why and how to do carb cycling and provide you with a sample 7-day meal plan to try.
What is Carb Cycling?
Food can be divided into three macronutrient groups – protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Your body uses protein for muscle repair and growth, fat for slow-release energy and energy storage, and carbs for instant energy. All three macro groups are important, and diets that contain all three are generally the healthiest and easiest to stick to.
However, lower-carb diets can be effective for weight loss, and cutting carbs may increase fat burning.
Unfortunately, low-carb diets can be hard to stick to and often lead to hunger and cravings. In addition, cutting carbs can also hurt your workouts, reducing intensity and duration. That’s because carbs are converted to and stored as glycogen, which is your body’s preferred fuel source during intense exercise. Fewer carbs mean less glycogen, and less energy, too.
With carb cycling, you consume more carbs on training days and fewer carbs when you are less active. This ensures you have the fuel you need to power through your workouts but are less likely to store fat on rest days.
Carb cycling means you can enjoy many of the benefits of a low-carb diet while still providing your body with the fuel it needs for intense exercise.
Related: Can Carbohydrates Improve Athletic Performance?
Sample carb cycling/training plan:
Monday – intense strength training/high-carb diet
Tuesday – low-intensity cardio/low-carb diet
Wednesday – intense strength training/high-carb diet
Thursday – intense strength training/high-carb diet
Friday – low-intensity cardio/low-carb diet
Saturday – intense strength training/high-carb diet
Sunday – rest/low-carb diet
Carb Cycling Meal Plan Benefits
Not sure if carb cycling is for you? Consider these benefits and then decide!
Less hunger and fewer cravings compared to a standard low-carb diet
Low-carb diets invariably lead to low blood glucose, which can trigger hunger and cravings. While you may be able to ignore these sensations for a couple of days, eventually, they’ll wear away your willpower, and you’ll break your diet.
With carb cycling, a carb-rich meal is never more than a day or two away, so you should experience fewer cravings and less hunger, and you won’t need to rely on your willpower as much. This should make a carb cycling meal plan easier to stick to than a standard low-carb diet.
Glycogen replenishment for better workouts
High-carb diets are commonly associated with improved athletic performance (1). As mentioned above, your body converts carbs into glycogen, which is your body’s preferred source of fuel during high-intensity exercise. Intense training depletes your glycogen stores, and lost glycogen must be replaced before you can repeat a similarly demanding workout.
Standard low-carb diets do not replenish muscle glycogen, and, as a result, once your stores are depleted, you’ll find it hard to train very hard or for long. Your muscles will basically be running on empty.
However, with carb cycling, glycogen-depleting workouts are accompanied by plenty of dietary carbs, ensuring your glycogen stores are restocked regularly. This ensures that you always have the energy you need to work out.
Increased fat burning
Low-carb diets have long been associated with fat burning and weight loss (2). When you cut carbs from your diet, your body has no choice but to start burning fat for fuel. Also, consuming a lot of carbs, especially during periods of sedentarism, can cause fat storage and weight gain.
Carb cycling could help you lose fat faster by eliminating the competition for fuel and making fat your primary energy source on your low-carb days.
Variety
Following the same diet day after day can soon become boring. Carb cycling is essentially two diets combined (low-carb and high-carb), so you should find it more varied and interesting.
Depending on your carb cycling plan, you probably won’t eat the same way for more than two days in a row. This variety can make carb cycling more appealing than a standard low-carb diet, especially for long-term use.
Carb Cycling Meal Plan Drawbacks
While carb cycling is popular and works, there are also a few of drawbacks to consider:
Macro tracking can be time-consuming and inconvenient
Needless to say, if you are going to manipulate your carbohydrate intake from one day to the next, you’ll need to count and track your macros. After all, if you don’t know how many grams of carbs, protein, and fat you are consuming, you won’t be able to adjust your intake.
While macro tracking is not as challenging or time-consuming as it used to be, you’ll still need to use an app or website to record your food intake.
Macro tracking does get easier the longer you do it, but initially, it can be a hassle. Some people also find it stressful. However, macro tracking is part and parcel of the carb-cycling diet.
It can take some of the enjoyment out of eating
Any diet, even a flexible one like carb cycling, can take some of the enjoyment out of eating. Food should be one of life’s pleasures, but carb cycling means you’ll need to be much more aware of what you eat. You may even have to turn down certain foods as they may not fit your diet, e.g., a slice of a colleague’s birthday cake on a designated low-carb day.
Eating out can be difficult
The carb cycling diet is quite prescriptive, and on high and low-carb days, you’ll have both macro and calorie goals to hit. This can make eating out very challenging, if not impossible. While some eateries publish nutritional breakdowns for the meals on their menu, there is no guarantee they will match your needs.
In most cases, carb cycling means you’ll have to prepare all your own meals, and eating out will have to be limited to the occasional cheat meal.
If you change your workouts, you’ll need to change your eating plan, too
With carb cycling, your meals should match your workouts. You eat fewer carbs on the days you are less active and more on the days you train. So, if you change your training, e.g., skip a workout or do an extra session, you’ll also need to alter your diet.
Not suitable for everyone
While carb cycling has the potential to be a safe diet and is not as restrictive as many other eating plans, it is not suitable for everyone. People who should not try carb cycling include those with diabetes, anorexia or other eating disorders, or nutritional deficiencies. If in doubt, speak to your doctor before trying carb cycling.
Sample 7-Day Carb Cycling Meal Plan
Carb Meal Plan
You can enjoy many of the benefits of carb cycling simply by eating more carbs (grains, potatoes, rice, fruit, legumes, pasta, etc.) on training days and minimizing your intake of those foods on rest or active recovery days.
However, to help take the guesswork out of carb cycling, here is a sample meal plan to try.
Adjust portion sizes and your caloric and macro intakes based on your nutritional needs and exercise goals. Use this handy Carb Cycling Calculator to determine your requirements.
Day 1 – High Carb
Suggested workout: Lower body strength training
Breakfast
1 cup of oatmeal
2 slices of wholemeal toast
2-3 eggs, cooked to taste
1 cup of orange juice
Snack
1 cup of natural yogurt
1 banana
¼ cup of mixed chopped walnuts
Lunch
8 oz. grilled chicken breast
2 cups of pasta with tomato sauce
Large mixed side salad
Snack
Protein shake
½ cup of granola with 1% milk (or non-dairy alternative)
Dinner
8 oz. grilled steak
1 medium-sized baked potato
1 cup of green beans
1 cup of fresh fruit salad
Day 2 – High Carb
Suggested workout: Upper body strength training
Breakfast
2-3 scrambled eggs
2 slices of wholemeal toast with butter
1 cup of cereal with 1% milk (or non-dairy alternative)
Snack
1 tuna pouch in oil
4-6 wholegrain crackers
Lunch
1 large turkey sandwich
2-3 plain rice cakes
1 apple
Snack
4 oz. of beef jerky
1 banana
Dinner
1 cup of beef chili
1 cup of cooked brown rice
Large mixed side salad
Day 3 – Low Carb
Suggested workout: Low-intensity cardio or rest day
Breakfast
3-egg omelet
4 oz. of grilled bacon
¼ cup of grated cheese
Snack
½ cup of mixed nuts
Lunch
1 large tuna salad
½ cup of cooked quinoa
Snack
2 oz. of string cheese
1 salmon pouch in oil
Dinner
8 oz. grilled fish fillet
Mixed oven-roast vegetables
Sugar-free Jell-O with heavy cream
Day 4 – High Carb
Suggested workout: Lower body strength training
Breakfast
2-3 pancakes with maple syrup
1 banana
Protein shake
Snack
1 apple
2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter
Lunch
Large bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich
1 oz. potato chips
1 cup 1% milk (or non-dairy alternative)
Snack
1 cup of fruit-flavored yogurt
1 oz. of raisins
Dinner
1 homemade 6 oz. grilled hamburger/cheeseburger
3 oz. potato wedges
2 cups of broccoli
Day 5 – Low Carb
Suggested workout: Low-intensity cardio or rest day
Breakfast
2-3 eggs cooked to taste
½ avocado
2 oz. of ham
Snack
6-8 carrot sticks
2 oz. of hummus
Lunch
6 oz. grilled chicken breast
Large mixed Greek salad
Snack
1 low-carb protein bar
Dinner
8 oz. grilled salmon fillet
1 cup of green beans
2 cups of cauliflower
½ cup of corn kernels
Day 6 – High Carb
Suggested workout: Upper body strength training
Breakfast
2-3 waffles with maple syrup
4 oz. of grilled bacon
½ cup of blueberries
Snack
2-3 hardboiled eggs
1 banana
Lunch
2 cups of chicken and noodle soup
4-6 wholegrain crackers
1 apple
Snack
4 oz. of mini pretzels
2 oz. of low-fat cream cheese
Dinner
1 homemade pizza with protein and vegetable topping, e.g., tuna and peppers
Large side salad
Day 7 – Low Carb
Suggested workout: Rest day
Breakfast
2-3 eggs, scrambled
1 oz. of American cheese
2 oz. of grilled bacon
Snack
1 cup of cottage cheese
¼ cup of mixed nuts
Lunch
1 large low-carb roast beef and vegetable wrap
1 cup 1% milk (or non-dairy alternative)
Snack
Berry and protein powder smoothie
Dinner
Chicken stir-fry with mixed vegetables
Zucchini noodles
7-Day Carb Cycling – FAQs
Do you have a question about our carb cycling meal plan or this type of diet in general? No problem, because we’ve got the answers!
1. Is carb cycling the same as keto?
Carb cycling involves both high-carb and low-carb days. In contrast, the ketogenic diet or keto is low carb all the time. Not eating more than 50 grams of carbs per day puts you into a state of ketosis, where your body has to make and use ketones for energy.
As even small amounts of carbohydrates can disrupt ketosis, it’s safe to say that carb cycling is not a type of ketogenic diet, and carb cycling and keto are not the same.
2. Is carb cycling safe?
Providing you eat healthy, natural foods during your carb cycling diet, this eating plan should be safe for most people. However, if you eat a lot of junk food, even if it fits your macros, you could be deficient in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which is not good for your health.
That said, if you have difficulty stabilizing your blood glucose, suffer from diabetes, or have a history of eating disorders, you should speak to your doctor before starting a carb-cycling diet.
3. Will I lose weight by carb cycling?
The main factor that will determine whether or not you lose weight is the number of calories you consume relative to your TDEE or total daily energy expenditure.
For example, if you need to eat 2,000 calories to maintain your weight but only consume 1,500, your body will burn fat to compensate for the energy shortfall. In contrast, if you eat 2,500 calories but only need 2,000, you’ll gain weight instead.
Carb cycling makes it a little easier to lose weight and avoid weight gain, but your caloric intake is the most crucial factor to consider.
Related: Bulking vs. Cutting: The Best Methods to Accelerate Gains!
4. Is carb cycling good for building muscle mass?
Carb cycling comes from the world of bodybuilding, so it’s safe to say it can help you build muscle when combined with an appropriate training plan. The high-carb days provide your muscles with the energy they need for training, while carb intakes are lower on rest days, which should help minimize fat gain.
Carb and calorie cycling feature heavily in many diets, including Lean Gains, which is one of the most popular body recomposition training and eating plans.
5. How many high and low-carb days should I have in my carb cycling meal plan?
High-carb days should coincide with your most intense workouts. So, if you hit the gym three days a week, you should have three high-carb eating days. The remaining four days, where your activity levels are lower, should be paired with low-carb days.
This means you must sync your workout program with your eating plan. Failure to do so, e.g., an intense workout on a low-carb day, could compromise your workout and results.
6. What should my calories and macros be on the high and low-carb days?
Your calories and macros depend on several factors, including your weight, activity levels, carb tolerance, and training goals. As such, we can’t tell you what your calories and macros be on the high and low-carb days.
However, if you check out this calculator and enter all the requested information, you’ll receive all the details you need regarding both calories and macros.
7. How long can I stay on the carb-cycling meal plan?
Theoretically, you can continue carb cycling for as long as you like. It’s less a diet and more a sustainable style of eating and training. That said, you should not follow our 7-day plan for more than a couple of weeks as you’ll probably get bored with our food recommendations.
Use our plan to get you started, but then, as you get a feel for the high and low-carb days, start creating your own meals. However, make sure you track your macros to ensure you’re hitting all your nutrient targets.
Closing Thoughts
In a world where crazy diets and bad nutritional advice are all too common, carb cycling is like a breath of fresh air. The concept is simple – eat more carbs on training days and less when you are not so active.
This creates the ideal nutritional environment for building muscle and losing fat.
However, while carb cycling is straightforward in theory, it may be somewhat more complicated in practice. You’ll need to get into the habit of measuring and tracking your food intake, changing your diet from one day to the next, and synching your meals to your workout. Some people will this difficult and even stressful.
As such, carb cycling is not for everyone.
But, if you want to gain muscle while losing or avoiding unnecessary fat gain, carb cycling could be the approach you’ve been looking for. Give it a try, and let us know how you get on!
References:
Henselmans M, Bjørnsen T, Hedderman R, Vårvik FT. The Effect of Carbohydrate Intake on Strength and Resistance Training Performance: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2022 Feb 18;14(4):856. doi: 10.3390/nu14040856. PMID: 35215506; PMCID: PMC8878406. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35215506/
Barber TM, Hanson P, Kabisch S, Pfeiffer AFH, Weickert MO. The Low-Carbohydrate Diet: Short-Term Metabolic Efficacy Versus Longer-Term Limitations. Nutrients. 2021 Apr 3;13(4):1187. doi: 10.3390/nu13041187. PMID: 33916669; PMCID: PMC8066770. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33916669/
How Long Does Alcohol Stop Fat Burning?
Drinking alcohol is a popular pastime. A lot of people like to unwind at the end of the day with an alcoholic drink or two, and wine is a common accompaniment to meals. A beer with friends can often lead to a fun night out, and what celebration is complete without champagne?
Moderate alcohol consumption, i.e., 1-3 drinks a couple of times a week, is generally considered healthy. However, binge drinking or drinking too often is not. The list of the possible side effects of alcohol consumption is long and quite sobering – pardon the pun.
The risks of long-term and excessive drinking include:
Accidents and injuries
Alcohol dependence
Alcohol poisoning
Anxiety
Brain damage
Congenital disabilities
Dehydration
Dementia
Depression
Digestive problems
Heart disease
High blood pressure
Infertility
Liver disease
Malnutrition
Osteoporosis
Pancreatitis
Stroke
Various cancers, including mouth, throat, liver, and colon
Weakened immune system
Alcohol can also lead to weight gain and interfere with weight loss. Unfortunately, many dieters fail to appreciate just how much drinking can affect fat burning.
In this article, we discuss how alcohol makes it harder to burn fat and lose weight.
How Alcohol Affects Weight Loss
It’s easy to think that a couple of beers or glasses of wine won’t cause any harm. And, from a health perspective, that’s probably true. But even the occasional drink can make losing weight far harder than it needs to be.
Reasons for this include:
1. Alcoholic beverages contain a lot of calories
Protein contains four calories per gram, as do carbohydrates. Fat has nine calories per gram. Alcohol contains seven calories per gram, so close to double that of carbs and protein and only slightly less than fat.
As such, a couple of alcoholic drinks could easily wipe out your calorie deficit for the day, making weight loss slow, if not impossible.
Here is a chart showing the caloric value of some of the most popular alcoholic drinks. Bear in mind that these are standard bar measures, and people who drink at home may pour more generous amounts:
Beverage
Serving size
Calories
Beer
Beer (light)
12 oz (355 ml)
103
Beer (regular)
12 oz (355 ml)
153
Beer (strong)
12 oz (355 ml)
170 to 350
Distilled Alcohol
Gin
1.5 oz (45 ml)
116
Rum
1.5 oz (45 ml)
116
Vodka
1.5 oz (45 ml)
116
Whiskey
1.5 oz (45 ml)
116
Liqueurs
Coffee liqueur
1.5 oz (45 ml)
160
Coffee liqueur with cream
1.5 oz (45 ml)
154
Crème de menthe
1.5 oz (45 ml)
186
Mixed Drinks
Bloody Mary
4.6 oz (136 ml)
120
Cosmopolitan
2.75 oz (81 ml)
146
Daiquiri
2.7 oz (80 ml)
137
Highball
8 oz (235 ml)
110
Hot buttered rum
8 oz (235 ml)
292
Mai Tai
4.9 oz (145 ml)
306
Margarita
4 oz (120 ml)
168
Mimosa
4 oz (120 ml)
75
Mint Julep
4.5 oz (135 ml)
165
Mojito
6 oz (177 ml)
143
Pina colada
6.8 oz (200 ml)
526
Rum and Coke
8 oz (235 ml)
185
Tequila sunrise
6.8 oz (200 ml)
232
Vodka and tonic
7 oz (207 ml)
189
Whiskey sour
3 oz (89 ml)
125
White Russian
8 oz (235 ml)
568
Wine
Burgundy
5 oz (145 ml)
122
Cabernet Sauvignon
5 oz (145 ml)
122
Chardonnay
5 oz (145 ml)
128
Chenin Blanc
5 oz (145 ml)
129
Claret
5 oz (145 ml)
122
Dry dessert wine
3.5 oz (90 ml)
157
Merlot
5 oz (145 ml)
122
Muscat
5 oz (145 ml)
129
Pinot Grigio
5 oz (145 ml)
128
Pinot Noir
5 oz (145 ml)
121
Red dessert wine
3.5 oz (90 ml)
165
Red table wine
5 oz (145 ml)
125
Riesling
5 oz (145 ml)
129
Sauvignon Blanc
5 oz (145 ml)
128
White table wine
5 oz (145 ml)
128
Depending on your chosen beverage, “going out for drinks” could easily add up to several thousand additional calories, leading to weight gain rather than fat burning and weight loss.
2. Alcohol can contribute to belly fat
While it is impossible to spot-reduce fat from your abdomen, drinking alcohol can cause you to spot gain. Go to any bar, and you’re sure to see at least a few beer bellies.
Excess calories from alcohol have a nasty habit of migrating toward your stomach, even if the rest of your body is relatively slim. Belly fat is not just unsightly, but it’s a leading cause of diabetes, heart disease, gallbladder disease, and premature death (1).
A lot of exercisers want to lose belly fat but sabotage their progress by consuming too much alcohol. It’s almost impossible to get six-pack abs if you regularly put away a six-pack of beer, or any other alcoholic beverage, every night.
3. Alcohol makes it harder to make good nutritional decisions
Even a small amount of alcohol can impair your judgment, making good nutritional decisions harder to make. For example, if you have wine with dinner, you may also have a dessert when, sober, you would have sent the sweet trolley away.
While the occasional treat probably won’t hurt your weight loss too much, habitual cheating will wreak your diet and make it impossible to lose weight.
Alcohol can also cause carvings, especially for salty and savory food. A few drinks often lead to a bag of chips, a plate of French fries, a burger, or some other high-calorie indulgence.
Add the calories from your dietary slip-ups to the calories in the booze, and it’s easy to see why alcohol and dieting don’t make good bedfellows.
4. Alcohol can interfere with your workout routine
Eating less is only one part of the fat and weight loss equation. You also need to burn more calories, which most people do through exercise.
Drinking alcohol can rob you of the energy, motivation, and willpower you need to work out regularly and consistently. A night of drinking can make getting up the next day a challenge, let alone dragging your tired, hungover butt to the gym!
In addition, alcohol can interfere with muscle protein synthesis, or MPS for short (2). So, even if you DO manage to make it to the gym, your workouts will be less effective, and you won’t recover as well as you would if your body was alcohol-free.
Related: Does Alcohol Affect Muscle Growth?
5. Alcohol reduces sleep quality and duration
While alcohol can make you drowsy and even fall asleep quicker, the duration of quality of your sleep will probably be lower than usual (3).
As such, when you wake up, you’ll still feel tired. Feelings of tiredness can make it harder to stick to your diet and workout regimen. Your body will drive you to fuel up on fast-acting carbs because it needs energy and doesn’t care that you’re supposed to be on a diet and cutting down on sugar.
Alcohol-induced sleep deprivation, like anything else that stops you from getting a restful night of sleep, is not conducive to weight loss and fat burning. In fact, not getting enough sleep is often linked to weight gain (4).
6. Alcohol puts the brakes on fat burning
Your body views alcohol as a priority fuel and will burn it before using fat for energy. So, if you have a drink and have alcohol in your system, fat burning stops until all the alcohol is metabolized and used up (5).
The duration of this fat-burning stoppage depends on how much alcohol you have consumed, your body size and weight, and your gender.
However, it can take as long as 24-48 hours for fat metabolism to return to normal. During this time, you won’t be burning much, if any, fat for fuel, and your weight loss progress will grind to a halt.
Unfortunately, and contrary to many old wives’ tales, there is nothing you can do to make your body burn alcohol faster. Drinking lots of coffee or eating a meal to “soak up the alcohol” doesn’t work. You’ll just have to let nature (and your liver) take its course.
And if blocking fat burning wasn’t a big enough problem, during this time, your body also increases lipogenesis, which is the act of creating and storing more fat (6). Food consumed during this time is much more likely to be converted into and stored as fat.
So, no fat burning but increased fat storage – talk about a lose-lose situation!
In summary, consuming alcohol makes it harder to lose weight because:
It contains a lot of empty calories
It can lead to increases in belly fat
It makes it harder to make good nutritional decisions
It interferes with your workout routine
It reduces sleep quality and duration
It blocks fat burning
How To Drink Alcohol and Still Lose Weight
Even though drinking alcohol can interfere with fat burning and weight loss, it is still possible to reach your weight loss and body composition goals while sensibly enjoying alcohol.
Here are some tips on how to drink alcohol and still lose weight:
1. Drink in moderation
Small, occasional quantities of alcohol should not impact too greatly on weight loss. So, if you want to enjoy a drink or two a couple of times a week, there is probably no reason not to indulge. It’s generally best not to drink every day, and you should also avoid binge drinking.
However, you still need to account for the calories in your alcoholic beverages when calculating your calorie intake. You may have to forgo a snack to maintain a calorie deficit. Considering that a glass of wine contains about 150 calories, and a large beer has as many as 300, you may prefer to eat your calories instead of drinking them.
2. Choose lower-alcohol beverages
The lower the alcohol content of your drink, the shorter and less pronounced its fat-burning blocking effect will be. As such, you should avoid strong beers, fortified wines, and most cocktails. Instead, choose light beers and regular wine. Lower alcohol beverages will have less of a negative impact on your fat-burning efforts.
3. Avoid high-calorie mixers
In some instances, most of the calories in a drink come from a non-alcohol mixer rather than the alcoholic beverage itself. For example, many drinks also contain full-sugar Coke or lemonade, sweetened fruit juices, sugar syrups, or even cream.
Make sure your drinks contain as few high-calorie extras as possible. Ask for diet Coke in your vodka or rum, have soda water instead of lemonade, and skip the sweet or creamy cocktails.
4. Alternate alcoholic drinks with water
Nights out can involve consuming many alcoholic drinks over several hours. This can lead to consuming a large quantity of alcohol and a lot of calories. You can half your caloric intake simply by alternating between things like beer or wine and water.
Water is calorie-free, and halving your alcohol intake means you’ll imbibe far fewer calories. Diet sodas also have the same effect. Water is also hydrating and will help counter the dehydrating action of alcohol. The lower alcohol intake will also have a less detrimental effect on fat burning.
5. Be mindful of what you eat while drinking
Alcohol can increase your appetite. It causes your blood glucose levels to drop, making you feel hungry. Alcohol also tends to lower your inhibitions and willpower, making you more inclined to give in to that hunger. Cravings can be a problem, too.
So, be extra mindful of what you eat when you are drinking. Do your best not to give in to hunger and cravings. Combined with the calories from alcohol and its fat-burning blocking effect, breaking your diet will surely derail weight and fat loss.
6. Weigh up the pros and cons before drinking
Getting fit and losing weight involves making a lot of choices. You need to choose between going to the gym and staying at home watching Netflix, eating a salad or binging on pizza, and going to bed early or staying up all night playing Call of Duty.
Ultimately, it’s these decisions that determine your weight loss success.
In the same way, you can choose to drink or choose to abstain in the name of fitness and weight loss.
So, consider the pros and cons of drinking and decide if you want that beer or glass of wine. After a few minutes of contemplation, you may discover that you can do without a drink and would rather be lean and healthy instead.
FAQs
Do you have a question about alcohol and fat loss? No problem, because we’ve got the answers!
1. Will I lose weight if I quit drinking?
You will lose weight if you quit drinking if doing so creates a calorie deficit that forces your body to burn more fat for fuel.
For example, suppose you currently drink three beers a night, and your weight is stable. In that case, ditching those beers will probably create a 400-500 calorie shortfall, leading to weight loss. However, if you eat more to compensate, you won’t lose weight and could even gain it if you create a calorie surplus.
4. I want to drink less, but I feel pressured by my friends to drink more. What can I do?
Peer pressure can be hard to resist. It’s often easier to go along with the crowd than go your own way. If you find yourself in a group of friends who drink more than you want to, try the following strategies:
Volunteer to be the designated driver
Avoid buying rounds of drinks and just buy your own
Drink smaller measures
Alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
Suggest alternative activities where alcohol is not available
Arrive late and leave early to shorten your drinking window
Ask your friends to be more supportive of your choices
Get new friends
While the final point may seem drastic, if you are serious about not drinking but your friends continue to pressure you, they clearly don’t have your best interests at heart.
3. Which alcoholic drinks have the least calories?
Alcohol contains seven calories per gram, and most alcoholic drinks also contain sugar. As such, the best alcoholic drinks are both low in ethanol and sugar. You can find a comprehensive list of calorie values for popular drinks elsewhere in this article. However, five of the least calorific alcoholic beverages are:
Light beer
White/red table wine
Gin
Vodka
Whisky
4. Is there anything wrong with drinking every day?
The negative effects of alcohol increase the more you drink. So, in theory, you could just have 1-2 drinks a day without affecting your health. Daily, moderate drinking is usually considered healthier than consuming the same amount of alcohol in one session, i.e., binge drinking.
Remember, too, that alcohol contains calories and blocks fat burning. So, when you’re trying to lose weight, you’re better off minimizing your alcohol intake.
Finally, if you feel you must have a drink each day, maybe to unwind, you may have a dependency even if you don’t drink excessively. Try going dry for a few weeks to see how you feel. If you crave alcohol, you may need help to overcome your dependency.
5. Isn’t moderate alcohol consumption good for you?
For many years, it was thought that consuming alcohol in low to moderate amounts offered protection against heart disease and other chronic illnesses. This, in part, was due to something called the French Paradox, which describes how France has a lower incidence of heart disease despite a somewhat less healthy diet.
More recent studies have dismissed the French Paradox, suggesting that no amount of alcohol will improve health, and that drinking should not be recommended as a health intervention (7).
So, while the occasional drink or two probably won’t hurt you, it can’t be considered healthy or necessary.
Closing Thoughts
Drinking alcohol can undermine your fat-burning and weight-loss efforts. Alcohol contains almost twice as many calories per gram as protein and carbohydrates. It is treated as a priority fuel, meaning it will always be metabolized before fat for energy.
Giving up alcohol could make losing weight and keeping it off easier.
That said, many people enjoy drinking and don’t want to quit. In that case, it’s worth limiting your intake to 1-3 drinks a couple of times a week and mainly consuming low-calorie beverages. Light beer and refined spirits are good choices, as is red and white wine.
However, even small amounts of alcohol can interfere with fat burning, so if you do decide to drink, you’ll also need to accept that you might not lose weight as fast as you’d like.
References:
Pi-Sunyer X. The medical risks of obesity. Postgrad Med. 2009 Nov;121(6):21-33. doi: 10.3810/pgm.2009.11.2074. PMID: 19940414; PMCID: PMC2879283. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2879283/
Parr EB, Camera DM, Areta JL, Burke LM, Phillips SM, Hawley JA, Coffey VG. Alcohol ingestion impairs maximal post-exercise rates of myofibrillar protein synthesis following a single bout of concurrent training. PLoS One. 2014 Feb 12;9(2):e88384. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088384. PMID: 24533082; PMCID: PMC3922864. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24533082/
Roehrs T, Roth T. Sleep, sleepiness, and alcohol use. Alcohol Res Health. 2001;25(2):101-9. PMID: 11584549; PMCID: PMC6707127. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11584549/
Cooper CB, Neufeld EV, Dolezal BA, Martin JL. Sleep deprivation and obesity in adults: a brief narrative review. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2018 Oct 4;4(1):e000392. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2018-000392. PMID: 30364557; PMCID: PMC6196958. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6196958/
Cederbaum AI. Alcohol metabolism. Clin Liver Dis. 2012 Nov;16(4):667-85. doi: 10.1016/j.cld.2012.08.002. PMID: 23101976; PMCID: PMC3484320. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3484320/
Baraona E, Lieber CS. Effects of ethanol on lipid metabolism. J Lipid Res. 1979 Mar;20(3):289-315. PMID: 87483. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/87483/
Chiva-Blanch G, Badimon L. Benefits and risks of moderate alcohol consumption on cardiovascular disease: current findings and controversies. Nutrients. 2019 Dec 30;12(1):108. doi: 10.3390/nu12010108. PMID: 31906033; PMCID: PMC7020057. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7020057/
Cable HIIT Workout for Burning Fat and Boosting Cardiovascular Health
HIIT workouts have risen in popularity in recent years because they enable you to get a lot of work done in a short period. This versatile training protocol can be programmed to promote muscle growth, lose fat, or boost your cardiovascular health.
However, most HIIT workouts repel exercisers as they involve multiple pieces of equipment in a single workout and try to do too much too soon. Plus, most HIIT workouts ignore cables, one of the most convenient and effective strength training tools.
In this article, we have fixed everything wrong with HIIT workouts. We have put together a cable HIIT workout that will help kickstart your fat-burning process, boost your cardiovascular health, and promote overall fitness.
What are HIIT Workouts?
A high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout involves short bursts of intense activity followed by periods of rest or low-intensity exercise. These workouts focus on maximizing calorie expenditure, improving cardiovascular health, and increasing muscular endurance.
HIIT workouts include different types of exercises, such as cardiovascular, strength training, bodyweight, plyometric, and balance and stability movements. Plus, they can be done with a variety of equipment like dumbbells, barbells, machines, plyo boxes, etc., or no equipment at all. The possibilities of what can be accomplished in a HIIT workout are endless, limited only by your own imagination.
For the scope of this article, we’ll focus on cable HIIT workouts for burning fat and boosting cardiovascular strength.
The most popular cable exercises are isolation (single-joint) movements. However, to maximize your workout’s fat-burning potential, you must perform compound (multi-joint) exercises. Several exercises in this workout will combine upper-body and lower-body movements to spike your heart rate, helping you burn more calories.
Most HIIT workouts include plyometric exercises, such as box jumps or jumping jacks; however, since we’ll be using a cable machine for this workout, we’ll stay away from high-impact exercises to lower the risk of injury and make this workout more beginner-friendly and accessible.
In this article, we cover the best cable HIIT exercises, the most effective cable HIIT workout, its benefits, and tips to make the most of your training regimen. We have a lot to cover, so sit tight.
Cable HIIT Workout Exercises
Most exercises on this list are uncommon. Chances are, you’ve never heard of them before or seen someone do them. However, these movements will deliver a solid full-body workout and the desired fat-burning and cardiovascular health benefits. So without any further ado, here are the cable exercises that should be a part of your HIIT workouts:
Cable Squat To Biceps Curl
This full-body exercise will shoot up your heart rate. We recommend using a functional trainer instead of a conventional cable machine for this exercise.
Steps:
Adjust the pulleys of a functional trainer to the lowest position and attach D-handle bars to both ends.
Grab the D-handle bars in both hands using a supinated (palms facing up) grip, take a big step back, and assume a hip-width stance.
Keeping your elbows pinned, perform a biceps curl until your arms are at shoulder level.
Lower into a squat while pushing your hips back and down while extending your arms toward the pulley.
The weight should be engaged at the bottom of the movement.
Return to the standing position while curling the weight.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Perform single-arm biceps curls to boost your workout’s volume and intensity.
Cable Reverse Lunge to Shoulder Press
Bigger quad sweeps and round shoulders can help you achieve the coveted ‘x-frame;’ this exercise kills two birds with one stone.
Steps
Set the cable pulleys of a functional trainer at the lowest position and attach D-handle bars.
Grab the handles with a pronated (palms facing away) grip and bring your hands to your shoulder level while facing away from the cable machine.
Take a big step forward and assume a shoulder-wide stance.
Step back with your left foot and lower yourself until your rear knee touches the floor.
Perform a shoulder press as you return to the standing position.
Repeat on the other side.
Alternate between sides for the recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Press your arms slightly in front of your body while performing the overhead press. Pressing straight overhead can throw you off balance.
Cable Low-To-High Wood Chopper
Most people overlook transverse plane exercises in their workouts. These movements can help build rotational and anti-rotational strength, improve stability, and help prevent lower back pain.
Steps
Position the cable pulley at the highest setting and attach a D-handle bar.
Stand with your right side facing the pulley.
Grab the handle with your right hand using a neutral grip and wrap your left hand around it.
Take a step away from the pulley.
Turn your torso toward the pulley while keeping your hips stable.
Keeping your arms extended, turn to your left side while bringing the D-handle to the outside of your left knee.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps before switching sides.
Pro Tip: Add variety to your training regimen by changing the position of the pulley and working your obliques from different angles.
Cable Forward Lunge To Shoulder Front Raise
Since cable HIIT workouts for fat-burning and cardiovascular health involve exercises that combine two exercises, it can help improve your hand-eye coordination.
Steps
Adjust the cable pulley to the lowest position and attach a D-handle bar.
Grab the bar with a pronated grip in your right hand, face away from the machine, and take a step forward.
As you step forward with your left foot and lower into a lunge, perform a front shoulder raise until your arm is parallel to the floor.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat for desired reps before switching sides.
Pro Tip: Change your grip from pronated to supinated or neutral to train your anterior deltoids from different angles.
Cable Single-Arm Chest Press
HIIT workouts can be overwhelming. Most high-intensity training sessions include an exercise that is programmed in the middle of the workout and acts as a breather by lowering the training intensity, so you can catch your breath and give the remaining circuit all you’ve got. The cable single-arm chest press is that exercise in this training session.
Steps
Set the cable pulley at chest height and attach a D-handle bar.
Grab the bar with a pronated grip in your left hand and face away from the pulley.
Assume a staggered stance for balance.
Extend your arm in front of your torso so it is parallel to the floor. Pause and contract your chest.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps before switching sides.
Pro Tip: Rotate your torso toward the cable pulley at the bottom of the movement for optimal ab and oblique engagement.
Cable Crossover with Lunge
This exercise can take some time to master. You must keep an upright torso throughout the exercise for optimal pectoral engagement.
Steps
Set the cable pulley at waist height and attach D-handle bars.
Grab a D-handle in each hand using a neutral grip.
Take a step forward and assume a hip-width stance. Your hands should be at your chest side at the starting position.
Step forward with your right foot and lower into a lunge while performing a cable crossover.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat with the left foot.
Alternate between sides for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Your wrists should be stacked at the bottom of the movement for optimal pectoral muscle stimulation.
Cable High Row with Reverse Lunge
Rowing exercises help build a thicker back, which can improve the overall aesthetics of your physique. Plus, combining rows with lunges will leave you gasping for breath in no time.
Steps
Adjust a cable pulley at the highest position and attach a D-handle bar.
Grab the bar with a neutral grip in your right hand, take a step back, and assume a hip-width stance.
The weight should be engaged in this position.
Step back with your left foot and lower into a lunge while pulling your right hand to the side of your chest by driving through your elbow.
Return to the starting position and repeat for recommended reps.
Switch sides.
Pro Tip: Feel free to switch between reverse and forward lunges, depending on which variation helps you achieve a better mind-muscle connection.
Plank Cable Row
Is a high-intensity interval training workout even HIIT if it doesn’t have a core exercise? We don’t think so. The plank row will set your core on fire and help you build a chiseled back.
Steps
Set up an exercise mat in front of a cable pulley machine.
Adjust the cable pulley to the lowest setting and attach a D-handle bar.
Get into a low plank position on the mat facing the pulley.
Take your right forearm off the floor, extend it overhead, and grab the handle with a neutral grip.
While keeping your shoulders square, pull your hand to your shoulder level while driving through your elbow.
Pause and contract your lat at the bottom of the movement.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps before switching sides.
Pro Tip: You could also face away from the cable pulley and turn the plank row into a plank shoulder press, which is an excellent exercise for folks having trouble maintaining balance during the plank row.
Cable Crunch To Biceps Curl
This exercise combines the lying cable crunch with the lying cable curl and will help build muscular strength and endurance in the target muscle groups.
Steps
Set the cable pulley to the lowest setting and attach a straight bar handle.
Lie supine (facing the ceiling) on the floor with your legs toward the cable pulley.
Grab the straight bar with an underhand grip. Your legs should be on either side of the cable.
Your body, from head to toe, should be in a straight line at the starting position. The weight should be engaged at the bottom of the movement.
While keeping your elbows pinned to your sides, curl the bar until it is over your chest.
While driving your hips into the floor, perform a situp.
Extend your arms.
Return your torso to the floor.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Keep your core and glutes braced throughout the exercise for optimal ab engagement. Switch to an overhand grip for greater forearm recruitment.
Side Plank Cable Shoulder Front Raise
Obliques are one of the most overlooked muscle groups. However, we are not leaving any loose ends in this workout. This exercise will work your midsection and your front delts simultaneously.
Steps
Set the cable pulley at the lowest setting and attach a D-handle bar.
Grab the D-handle with a supinated grip in your left hand.
Plank on your right side in front of the pulley with your feet toward the machine.
While keeping your core and glutes braced, raise your arm in front of your body.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps before switching sides.
Pro Tip: Maintain a slight bend in your elbow throughout the exercise. However, make sure you’re not bending your elbows during the range of motion, as it will remove tension from your deltoids and put it on your biceps.
Cable HIIT Workout for Burning Fat and Boosting Cardiovascular Health
To burn fat during a HIIT workout, ensure you keep your training intensity high. Given below is a workout that includes exercises that will spike your heart rate, resulting in improved cardiovascular health.
Perform two rounds of this workout within 25 minutes. The table details the recommended time for each exercise. You are allowed a 15-second break after completing each exercise and a two-minute break after completing a round. Do not stop for rest while changing sides.
Exercise
Time (in seconds)
Cable Squat To Biceps Curl
30
Cable Reverse Lunge to Shoulder Press
30
Cable Low-To-High Wood Chopper
30 (each side)
Cable Forward Lunge To Shoulder Front Raise
30 (each side)
Cable Single-Arm Chest Press
30 (each side)
Cable Crossover with Lunge
30
Cable High Row with Reverse Lunge
30 (each side)
Plank Cable Row
30 (each side)
Cable Crunch To Biceps Curl
30
Side Plank Cable Shoulder Front Raise
30 (each side)
Benefits of Cable HIIT Workouts
Here are the advantages of adding cable HIIT workouts to your training regimen:
Improves Muscle Mass, Strength, Stability, and Mobility
The biggest USP of cable machines is that they help keep constant tension on your target muscles, which can boost hypertrophy. You must use a challenging weight in each exercise to promote muscle and strength gains. [1]
Furthermore, since the cable HIIT workout for burning fat and boosting cardiovascular health incorporates single-leg, pushing, pulling, bending over, and rotational exercises, it will help improve your stability, balance, and mobility.
Build Hand-Eye Coordination
Exercises like the wood chopper, reverse lunge to shoulder press, and cable crunch to biceps curl involves multiple muscle groups and movement patterns. Performing these exercises can improve your hand-eye coordination and mind-muscle connection. A better hand-eye coordination can also improve your balance.
Helps You Lose Fat
HIIT workouts ramp up your calorie-burning process. Furthermore, HIIT workouts can help keep your metabolic rate high for hours after a training session, resulting in higher calorie expenditure, even when you are physically inactive. [2][3]
Boosts Cardiovascular Health
HIIT workouts can improve your aerobic and anaerobic performance and boost your overall cardiovascular health. The cardiovascular benefits of HIIT training carry over to other forms of exercise and your daily activities. [4]
Quick and Beginner-Friendly
Unlike conventional HIIT workouts that require multiple training equipment, you could do this high-intensity workout with just a cable machine, making this workout more convenient. It also shortens the time it typically takes to switch between exercises.
Furthermore, cable exercises have a small learning curve, which makes it an excellent option for beginners. The selectorized weight mechanism makes changing weights between sets incredibly convenient.
Tips For Optimal Results From Cable HIIT Workout
Here are a few tips to get the best bang for your buck from the cable HIIT workout:
Spend 5-10 minutes warming up before each workout, as it can help prime your muscles, improve your mobility, and lower your risk of injury. Your warm-up routine should have a balance of static and dynamic exercises.
Your cable HIIT workout should not take more than 25 minutes. Shorten the set times if you cannot complete the recommended reps within the 25-minute time limit.
If you keep your training intensity high, you’ll end your HIIT cable workouts with muscle-ripping pumps. Spend 5-10 minutes stretching and cooling down after a workout to kickstart your recovery process.
Focus on contracting your working muscles throughout the range of motion for optimal muscle stimulation.
Following the correct form for each exercise is as important as keeping your training intensity high. Compromising your form can increase your risk of injury.
Wrapping Up
Incorporating a cable HIIT workout into your training regimen is a great way to achieve your weight loss and cardiovascular health goals. Cable HIIT exercises are incredibly versatile; they can be easily modified to fit an exerciser’s training experience and level.
Perform the cable HIIT workout in this article once weekly to improve your strength, stability, and mobility and boost your fat loss progress and aerobic and anaerobic health. Remember, keeping your training intensity high is the key to success with HIIT workouts. Best of luck!
References
Martins C, Kazakova I, Ludviksen M, Mehus I, Wisloff U, Kulseng B, Morgan L, King N. High-Intensity Interval Training and Isocaloric Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training Result in Similar Improvements in Body Composition and Fitness in Obese Individuals. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2016 Jun;26(3):197-204. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2015-0078. Epub 2015 Oct 19. PMID: 26479856.
Falcone PH, Tai CY, Carson LR, Joy JM, Mosman MM, McCann TR, Crona KP, Kim MP, Moon JR. Caloric expenditure of aerobic, resistance, or combined high-intensity interval training using a hydraulic resistance system in healthy men. J Strength Cond Res. 2015 Mar;29(3):779-85. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000661. PMID: 25162652.
Wingfield HL, Smith-Ryan AE, Melvin MN, Roelofs EJ, Trexler ET, Hackney AC, Weaver MA, Ryan ED. The acute effect of exercise modality and nutrition manipulations on post-exercise resting energy expenditure and respiratory exchange ratio in women: a randomized trial. Sports Med Open. 2015 Dec;1(1):11. doi: 10.1186/s40798-015-0010-3. Epub 2015 Jun 5. PMID: 27747847.
Ouerghi N, Fradj MKB, Bezrati I, Khammassi M, Feki M, Kaabachi N, Bouassida A. Effects of high-intensity interval training on body composition, aerobic and anaerobic performance, and plasma lipids in overweight/obese and normal-weight young men. Biol Sport. 2017 Dec;34(4):385-392. doi: 10.5114/biolsport.2017.69827. Epub 2017 Sep 20. PMID: 29472742; PMCID: PMC5819474.
Fat Loss Stack, Ashwagandha, & Intra Workout Tips
I give you quick tips on how to make a supplement stack for fat loss, what to use intra workout, and the best type of ashwagandha to get.
Alex Rogers is a supplement manufacturing expert. He has been formulating, consulting, & manufacturing dietary supplements since 1998. Alex invented protein customization in 1998 & was the first company to allow consumers to create their own protein blends. He helped create the first supplement to contain natural follistatin, invented whey protein with egg lecithin, & recently imported the world’s first 100% hydrolyzed whey.
Super Capsimax Is Released!
Yesterday we launched our new Super Capsimax. The most POTENT Capsimax on Earth. And by that, I mean no other Capsimax product contains this much of the active ingredient.
Why It MattersCapsimax, in my opinion, is THE best “fat burner” on the market. If you want a magic pill (even though there is no such thing), Capsimax is going to be the closest. Yea, I know there are drugs out there and ephedrine, but I”m talking LEGAL & SAFE. The research and proof are on the books; this product will HELP you lose body fat. And the funny thing is that most supplement companies that formulate “fat loss” supplement use capsaicinoids in their formulas. The only problem is they can’t afford to use the correct dosage because their profit margins will get crushed.
My Super Capsimax has over 6 mg of capsaicinoids! Far more than any other supplement.
Enjoy!
Super Capsicum Extract 315 mg | 100% Capsimax® (3 Pack)
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Super Capsicum Extract 315 mg | 100% Capsimax®
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Alex Rogers is a supplement manufacturing expert. He has been formulating, consulting, & manufacturing dietary supplements since 1998. Alex invented protein customization in 1998 & was the first company to allow consumers to create their own protein blends. He helped create the first supplement to contain natural follistatin, invented whey protein with egg lecithin, & recently imported the world’s first 100% hydrolyzed whey.
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