"I'm humored. I remember being a newbie around here, and telling everyone that I trained in the wee morning hours and did cardio AFTER weights...I was told by no fewer than ten people to ditch my trainer so I could do cardio on an empty stomach and train weights later. What comes around goes around, I guess. Different week, different opnion."
SPAT,
Sure cardio on an empty stomach is the best for mobilizing fat stores, and yes if you eat carbs you'll burn carbs during cardio.
The issue here with ESTE is timing. If you're bent on doing cardio first then follow it with a light workout. But never do cardio first on an empty stomach and think you'll be able to lift any bodypart heavy, esp. legs.
I've never advised anyone to do cardio then train legs heavy because it doesn't work.
If ESTE can only train in the am and can't split the workout, then lift first, as I said the insulin response to any carbs will be shut down by the time you get to the cardio. Now, if you can do cardio in the am (empty stomach) then lift at night following it up with a mixed carb/protein meal so you don't pass out in the morning doing cardio, then that's great.
Even going back at lunch to lift with early am cardio would work, but wouldn't be my first choice.
Bottom line, if you only have the am, then lift first, cardio after, otherwise cardio in the am. But, avoid cardio the day before and day of heavy legs if you are trying to maximize the effects of mechanical loading.
The other option is 30 min cardio am (fasting), lift pm then follow with another 30 min of cardio if time is limited in the am.
The key is either cardio in a fasting state or after heavy exercise when the fat burning process has been turned on because of high circulating levels of EPI and insulin has been shut down by direct sympathetic input (Nor-EPI) to the pancreas.
W6
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