One of the most common questions I get is, “Should I do cardio before, or after weight training?”

While the long answer is “it depends”, most people will be better off completing cardio after weights whether their primary goal is muscle gain, strength gain, or fat loss.

Here are 7 reasons why you should consider doing cardio after weights:

Cardio After Weights Reason #1) Increased Energy For Lifting Weights

During exercise, the body uses stored energy in our muscles called glycogen. If glycogen levels are low, it affects our energy levels for workouts. For example, if you’ve ever gone on a low carb diet and experienced less energy during workouts, then you know what it feels like to have low glycogen levels. The same phenomenon happens if you do cardio before strength training – you use up your body’s preferred energy source for intense exercise. If you use up that energy, it won’t be available when you need to lift heavy weights, making a goal of building muscle, increasing strength, or maximizing calorie burn through weight lifting compromised.

Cardio After Weights Reason #2) Favorable Changes in Blood PH

Completing cardio can make your blood more acidic. As you exercise, energy gets broken down and utilized to make lactic acid. Although lactic acid helps to replenish your fuel sources for continued exercise, it does so by creating excessive hydrogen ions. These hydrogen ions need to be buffered, which your body handles at an ineffective rate, lowering your pH (which makes your blood plasma more acidic). This acidic environment causes muscular fatigue and performance drops. So besides using the energy you need for heavy resistance training, doing cardio first also makes it harder for you to contract the muscles.

Cardio After Weights Reason #3) Favorable Hormonal Changes

By completing cardio first, cortisol is released without a concurrent increase in testosterone. Cortisol breaks down muscle in order to give your body the continued energy to workout. This works fine when doing cardiovascular exercises and happens extensively in long duration cardio (think marathons), but is detrimental to building muscle if there’s not a concurrent increase in testosterone. For example, when you’re strength training, cortisol levels will go up but so will testosterone levels. This hormonal shift not only allows you to have energy for the workout, but also helps to rebuild muscle after the session. Without these changes in hormonal profiles, it becomes much harder to gain muscle.

Cardio After Weights Reason #4) Clear mTOR Pathways

Another nail in the coffin for doing cardio before strength training is the inhibition of the mTOR pathways. Many people have not heard of the mTOR pathway, but in essence, this is the pathway that tells your muscles to grow. In fact, one of the biggest genetic differences between those that gain muscle easily and those that really struggle to gain muscle size is due to the differences of expression for the mTOR pathway. In other words, “genetic freaks” have easy access to this pathway, whereas “hardgainers” don’t. When you do cardio with strength training and especially before strength training, this muscle building pathway becomes inhibited, making an already difficult situation that much harder.

Cardio After Weights Reason #5) Greater Afterburn Effect

The workout that causes the largest afterburn effect will be the most effective for fat loss because you will
not only burn calories during your workout, but also for up to 48 hours afterwards. While the research is inconclusive (some studies show the afterburn effect to be greater with cardio before weights), an intense metabolic resistance training workout can create a very large afterburn effect and increase your cardiovascular health. A traditional bodybuilding workout on the other hand will not create a very significant afterburn effect so in that case, cardio before lifting may make sense from a fat loss perspective.

Cardio After Weights Reason #6) Exercise Feels Harder Doing Cardio First

The “perceived exertion” rates (how hard exercise feels) is higher when you do cardio before strength training – even if the results you get from both routines are the same. This simply means that if you do the same routine, but do cardio first, it will feel much harder then if you did the same exact workout by doing the strength portion first. In other words, all of those reasons listed above truly do make your workouts feel harder. The sad part is that this method is not more effective for fat loss or muscle gain than if you simply did the strength first.

Cardio After Weights Reason #7) Less Risk of Injury Due to Fatigue

If you try maxing out on squats after an intense cardio session, you may be mentally and physically fatigued, which increases the chance of injury. Besides needing the mental fortitude to put a heavy weight on your back after cardio, you will also need the help of a number of smaller “assistance muscles” to help with the movement. These may have become fatigued from the cardio beforehand. By tiring these stabilizer and assistance muscles before performing heavy strength training, you risk the chance of completing an exercise incorrectly or with improper form.

Why Not Combine Cardio and Weights?

If you’re truly pressed for time, you can combine strength and cardio movements. An example would be to complete two strength training exercises – think lunges and cable rows – followed by bike sprints for 30 seconds. By combining the strength and cardio portion, you are satisfying the need to create damage to the muscle, keep your heart rate high throughout the session and have more spikes to your heart rate creating a greater oxygen debt.

The Wrap Up

While there are several benefits for lifting weights before cardio, at the end of the day, the best fat loss plan is the one you will stick to and that continues to produce results. If you enjoy completing cardio first, then by all means go for it! I would caution using the “weights after cardio” approach, however, if your main goal is building muscle.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.

When I say “Italian Food” what pops into your mind? Pasta, bread, rich and creamy dishes, you say?  True.  But, there is also seafood, chicken, and olive oil.  Actually, if you can dodge those heavy, loaded dishes on the menu, you may find Italian one of the easier fare to make healthy when eating out.

Below are a few ways to keep the delicious Italian Cuisine a part of your healthier and lower-calorie lifestyle.

Healthy Italian Food Option Strategies:

• Portion the pasta.
  • Many Italian restaurants list the pasta in the traditional way of a small first dish (Primi). If this is the case, you may be okay with this as your main entrée. Just choose wisely – no cream sauces, butter sauces, or heavy meat/sausage dishes.
  • If the order is a main entrée or larger, split the dish with the table OR just order your own side of pasta.
• Fire up the grill (or oven).
  • Order the grilled fish. There are always several options. Doing this will keep it light and flavorful. Just be mindful of the portions. Remember, too much of anything is TOO MUCH.
  • Roasted is also a great option for fish or chicken. But, be mindful that roasting a dish can hold a little more fat and oil. A few tricks: try peeling back the skin on the chicken or asking for the vegetables to be roasted lightly (with less oil).
• Start it right.The appetizer menu can go either way. If you choose well, you could end up with a deliciously satisfying and lower calorie meal.
  • Pass on:
    • Anything breaded and/or fried (fritti): fried calamari (I know, I know, a favorite of many), mozzarella sticks, fried eggplant, etc. There are PLENTY of other just-as-delicious options that won’t deter you from your goal.
    • Bread basket. I know it’s tempting. If it is the best bread EVER, then have a slice and enjoy it! (BUT, make sure you account for it) If it is something you can live without, then save it for the meal. When it comes to garlic bread, just say no all together – it’s too rich in butter and cheese and can really put you over your fat intake for the day. If you need a little extra help saying no, ask for the basket to be removed OR order a healthy appetizer or salad as soon as you sit down.
    • Cheesy dishes: mushrooms stuffed with cheese, fried cheese sticks, or a caprese salad. It is all just too much, especially in the saturated fat department.
  • Don’t pass up on:
    • Making it a meal. There are some great options to make into a meal. Try a salad to start and a grilled octopus or shrimp appetizer as your main.
    • The grilled options (griglia). These can be great starters – like grilled shrimp, grilled calamari, octopus, or grilled vegetables
    • The soups. The bean and vegetable based soups can also be a great choice. Watch the bowls with cream, meat, and sausage as they can be much heavier options. Also, keep in mind that although they can be lower calorie, they will be high in salt. Minestrone or Pasta e Fagioli (pasta and bean) are great picks
    • Salads. These are a smart option to choose if you stay mindful of the fats – dressing, cheese, and nuts.
• Watch the dairy.
  • Many Italian dishes can be topped with cheese, filled with cheese, or layered with cheese. Some examples include eggplant or chicken or veal parmesan, lasagna, etc. Let’s try to avoid these or opt for it without. I guarantee there will be plenty of flavor without.
  • This also goes for the creamy soups, filled pastas, and sauces like fettuccini alfredo or carbonera sauces.
  • Opt for dishes made with oil instead of butter. It may not cut calories too much BUT, it will reduce the heart unhealthy saturated fat. To reduce the calories, just ask the restaurant to be light with the oil.
• Il finale!
  • If dessert is a must, be sure to have accounted for it.
  • If it is to-die-for, then share it. This will satisfy and save you.
  • If it is a light treat, then try a nonfat cappuccino, fruit sorbet, or small biscotti.
• Remember the basics.And if you have read any of my other Quick Guides to Eating Out, you may know this by now but, here are a few of my basic tips that can help you eat well at almost any restaurant.
  • Go lean. Choose seafood, vegetarian, or chicken over beef. It can cut fat and calories down tremendously without sacrificing flavor.
  • Watch the preparation. Avoid items that are fried, crispy, heavily sautéed, au gratin, coated, basted, or stuffed. Instead choose or ask for steamed, broiled, baked, or poached.
  • Order for two. Share dishes with your friends/family. This is a great way to sample several dishes and save you the extra calories.
  • Sip on a glass. Instead of choosing a bottle to share with your dinner companion, choose a glass. A bottle of red wine has about 25 ounces and 530 calories. So, if you do the math that is 265 for half the bottle. This isn’t going totally overboard, BUT it will add up (especially if you order another bottle!) and is at least half of the calories you need at a meal! If you order a glass with dinner, you will save yourself at least 130 additional calories and most likely more.

Healthy Italian Food Comparison

Here is a way to make the night out a well-deserved healthy one.

** calorie content will vary from place to place
Resources:  www.macaronigrill.com; www.calorieking.com; www.myfitnesspal.com

Healthy Italian Food Meal Example

For a little perspective, here is of what a MODERATELY portioned meal might look like from each of the menus:

The calories on the left hand side are absolutely ridiculous – this is more than most individuals calorie needs for an entire day! Crazy, right?!  The healthier version on the right side may still be a little more than necessary but a HUGE difference to its comparison.  To decrease calories even more, decide between wine and cappuccino OR opt out of the appetizer or have small salad instead.

Christy Maskeroni MS, RD is the Director of Nutrition and Master Coach Trainer at CLAY Health Club & Spa in New York City.  She has spent the last several years developing customized nutrition and fitness programs for clients interested in reaching a new height of health and wellness.  www.insideclay.com

Incorporating plyometric exercises into your exercise regimen is a very effective way to improve your cardiovascular health and increase your overall fitness level from balance, to strength, to stamina.

One of my top 5 favorite plyometric exercises is the Jump Lunge (aka Jump Split), which requires balance, coordination, elicits a serious leg burn and gets your heart rate up significantly.

The jump lunge (or any plyometric exercise) is NOT an easy exercise, but I have 3 variations below ranging from easier to more challenging.  If you haven’t done a plyometric exercise before, be careful and be sure to get a good warm up beforehand.

Variation #1: Assisted Jump Lunge

In the photo above, you can see I’m holding onto a smith machine bar, which is in line with my lower chest when I’m standing straight.  You can also use a chair, or other sturdy, stable object to hold on to as you are learning the jump lunge.  I do this exercise with my dad who is 65 years old.

The shorter the distance between your front foot and your back foot when they are on the ground makes the exercise easier.  The greater the distance (as I’m showing in the photo), makes the exercise more challenging.  Ideally, you should feel a little bit of a stretch in your Psoas (front of you hip).  In addition, be sure to get your back knee close to the ground as you are landing for optimal range of motion.  This exercise is meant to be smooth, so you should be landing softly and smoothly.

Variation #2: Body Weight Jump Lunge

To make the jump lunge a little more challenging, you can complete the exercise without any assistance.  Your hand placement is a personal preference; either you can hold your hands to your sides, on your hips, or behind your head.  Keeping your balance during this exercise is not easy at all, so you may consider starting out with the assisted jump lunges, than going to more advanced versions.

Variation #3: Weighted Jump Lunge

As you become stronger and fitter, the weighted jump lunge is a phenomenal way to keep your fitness  level very high.  I use 20- 30lb dumbbells and do around 16-20 reps per set.  I simply can’t handle the leg burn with more reps than around 20.  I think using dumbbells as weight is safer than using a barbell in case you lose your balance, and you may also consider using a weighted vest.  The weight should be heavy enough to provide some resistance, but not so heavy it’s no longer a plyometrics, jumping exercise.  It’s better to use too little weight than too much weight.

So when should you use the jump lunge?

Well, you can really use them whenever you want, whether it’s after some sprinting, or in the weight room.  I really like pairing jump lunges with a standard leg exercise like squats.  It makes the workout far more effective in my opinion (I rarely do squats without pairing them with another exercise for many reasons).  I also use them as part of a metabolic conditioning circuit where I will choose let’s say 3-4 plyometric exercises to complete back to back with little, or no rest.  Of course, you can do jump lunges as straight sets (i.e. with no other exercises) if you are just starting out.

Hope you give jump lunges a try and incorporate them every once in a while into your exercise regimen!

Tim Ferris is best known as the author of the The 4-Hour Workweek, which is a minimalist approach to “escaping the 9-5, live anywhere, and enjoy the new rich”. It’s a fantastic book that I would rank in my Top 10 most influential books I’ve read, maybe even Top 5.

So with that said, how does the The 4-Hour Body hold up? Did Tim translate his impressive research, analytical, and outside the box thinking to crack the code of transforming the human body?

First off, this is not an easy book to review because the 4 Hour Body is not a book, but more like 3, or 4 books in one. In the introductory chapter, Tim lays out “5 Rules” on how to read the book, the first of which warns the reader to, “Think of the book as a Buffet”.

The 4-Hour Body is like a reference on all things related to the extreme of body change and performance that should not be read all in one shot. Including the Appendix, this is a monster 590 page book that is very dense at times even for the most eager reader.

Here’s a quick snapshot of the sections of the book, which range from 10 pages to 80 pages:

• Subtracting Fat
• Adding Muscle
• Improving Sex
• Perfecting Sleep
• Reversing Injuries
• Running Faster & Farther
• Getting Stronger
• From Swimming to Swinging
• On Longer & Better Life

Now with all that said, I’m going to go into the pros and cons of the book so you can determine if it’s worth your time and money to purchase and read it. I’m going to pay particular attention to the Fat Loss and Muscle Building sections, which comprise about 40% of the book.

Pros

Leverages the knowledge of experts – It is undeniable that The 4 Hour Body is a very impressive tome that represents thousands of hours of research and experimentation that only Tim could pull off. The depth and breadth of the book in my opinion is astounding. The reason why much of the information is so deep is because Tim was able to access the top fitness researchers and experts in the world on a whim. Many of these experts provide detail that could only be based on years and years of experience and devotion. For example, Tim discusses advanced muscle building strategies with Dave Palumbo who is a smart and accomplished 300 pound bodybuilder who literally interviews and coaches bodybuilders all day long. It’s very valuable for the everyday consumer to be given access to these experts where it would be exorbitantly expensive, or simply infeasible any other way.

Tons of interesting tidbits - Would you like to know how you can sleep for only 2 hours per day and function normally? What about how to assess your functional movement? Or how you can increase your vertical leap a couple inches in 5 minutes? There are tons of small tips and tricks littered throughout the book that are interesting and thought provoking. At the end of every chapter is a “Tools and Tricks” section which gives links to more information and relevant products. It may be worth buying the book just to use it as a reference, which is what I ultimately think Tim really wants.

Covers a vast array of fitness topics in detail – Most fitness books do not address the entire scope of health and fitness, from power, to strength, to speed, to endurance, to injury prevention. The breadth of information as it’s presented gives the reader a more complete view of the human body and any facet that can help improve it. At times the breadth of the book feels overwhelming, but again, it’s meant to be a reference material.

Cons

There is no cohesive strategy to lose fat, increase strength, and improve overall health & well-being – If you are looking for a sustainable plan to help you lose fat and improve your health, The 4 Hour Body will be a disappointment. The problem is that whether it’s building muscle, increasing strength, running long distances, or losing fat, or improving longevity, many of the eating and training approaches contradict each other, which can be very confusing. What you are left with is an amalgamation of eating plans and training programs that attempt to isolate and maximize a specific training effect, or outcome. This is not very helpful for the average person who wants to lose some weight and improve their health sustainably.

Much of the advice is nearly impossible to implement - I must admit at times (or most of the time) I exhibit some OCD behavior, but Tim takes it to a level that is even beyond my imagination. I was chuckling in disbelief at several recommendation the book offered. A large chunk of the advice is so impractical and pedantic it would make a hard core bodybuilder who weighs food all day long cringe. For example, here’s a quick excerpt about the advanced fat loss strategy that involves cold water immersion:

“I placed two 10lb bags of ice in a cold water bath and submerged myself for a total of 20 minutes. Those 20 minutes were phased as follows:

00.00-10.00 minutes – Up to mid-waist, legs submerged, torso and arms not submerged.

10.00-15:00 minutes – Submerged up to neck with hands out of water (sitting cross legged then reclining makes this easier in a standard bathtub).

15:00 – 20:00 minutes – Submerged up to neck, hands underwater.”

I can assure you this excerpt is just the tip of the iceberg and gives you a flavor for how the book is written. Finally regarding the fat loss section, the main advice is to follow the “slow carb” diet, which is another way of saying an extremely difficult to follow low carb diet that allows only fibrous vegetables and legumes as carbohydrate sources.

Largely based on self-experimentation – In addition to expert input, the book is based on Tim’s obsessive self experimentation, which ranges from drawing blood with needles 6 times per day to measure his blood glucose levels, to eating beef and nuts all day long to help boost testosterone. While Tim is able to come up with some interesting and exciting conclusions based on his own research, it’s difficult, if not blatantly wrong to assume what works for Tim will work for me, or you. One thing that has become clearly evident to me as I’ve been running a personal training and nutrition counseling practice is that two people can respond completely differently to the same approach. For example, Tim discusses how eating any fruit whatsoever halted his fat loss goals (such as drinking orange juice in the morning), when I’ve personally never come across that issue before, nor have any of my coaching/private clients.

If you’ve read The 4 Hour Body, let me know what you think.

Last summer, I wrote an article about “Divide & Conquer: Small Changes Add Up” where I described how changing your body didn’t have to be an overwhelming experience.  If you “divide” by prioritizing which of your habits you need to change the most, then “conquer” by making the changes over time, you can make MASSIVE changes in how you look and feel.

I wanted to further explore this concept of how making a very small change can have a HUGE impact on your health.  I know firsthand that the prospect of “improving health” or “losing fat” can seem daunting because there is so much to think about and consider.  Instead of worrying about the totality of the task, splitting the task up into actionable goals will make the process much more manageable.

For example, if you drink just 1 can of coke per day, eliminating that coke from your diet leads to a significant change over time.

Here are the stats:

1 Can of Coke/Day:

Calories = 140

Grams of Sugar = 39

Teaspoons of Sugar = 10 (4g of sugar in 1 teaspoon)

1 Can of Coke/Day For A Month (30 Cans):

Calories = 4,200 (1.2lb of fat – 1lb of fat is approx. 3500 calories)

Grams of Sugar = 1,1170

Teaspoons of Sugar = 292

…Which equals more than half of a 5lb bag of sugar:

1 Can of Coke/Day For A Year Stats (360 Cans)

Calories = 50,400 (14.4lb of fat)

Grams of Sugar = 14,400

Teaspoons of Sugar = 3,510

(Should have used 365 cans, but made the calculations easier for the video)

…Which equals 30lb+ of sugar (6 5lb bags)!

…Which equals (assuming you don’t burn it off) 14.4lb of Fat!

I hope this was a helpful visual for you to see how making just a small change in your diet can over time lead to a HUGE difference.  I chose a can of coke because I think sugary drinks are particularly egregious.  If you’re flooding your body with sugar, your fat cells will not function properly, which can lead to cascading health and weight problems beyond the excess calories alone.

For more information on sugar, check out Are You Eating Too Much Sugar?

Let me know what you think by leaving a comment!

I have a high intensity interval training workout below for you to help you burn A TON of calories and burn some serious fat.  Sprinting is debatably the most effective cardio method to burn the most amount of fat in the least amount of time.

The following workout is a 200 meter interval training sprint I do at the East River Park track in NYC.

Sprint Workout Step 1: Dynamic Warm Up (5 minutes)

Here I’m doing a 5 minute dynamic stretching routine, which helps the body improve kinesthetic awareness, get warmed up, and stretch out all at the same time.  I know a bunch of different exercises so I tend to change things up, but if you are not familiar, you should check out my article and video on dynamic stretching: Best Dynamic Stretching Warm Up Routine.

Sprint Workout Step 2: Light Jog for 2 laps (800 meters, takes about 5 minutes)

Before sprinting, it’s a good idea to do some light jogging beforehand to get your muscles ready for intense sprinting.  I prefer a couple times around the track, which is about half a mile.  It’s enough to get a decent sweat, but not enough to conserve energy for the sprints.

Sprint Workout Step 3a: Sprint for 200 Meters (5x)

Now we’re ready to start sprinting to help you burn some serious calories and fat.  You are going to sprint as fast as you can for 200 meters, which is half the track, then you are going to walk for 200 meters.  You are going to alternate between sprinting and running for 5 rounds.  If you are in awesome shape, you may be able to shoot for 10 rounds, and conversely if you are starting out, you only lightly jog instead of sprint.

As I’ve mentioned in numerous articles on BuiltLean.com, intense bouts of anaerobic activity (like sprinting) can burn significant calories not only during, but also after the workout (the Afterburn Effect).  This is a recipe for getting a lean body while spending MUCH less time working out.

Sprint Workout Step 3b: Walk for 200 meters (5x)

In the photo below, I’m walking at a moderate pace to catch my breath and get ready for the sprints.  The last couple sprints are tough because you may not be able to fully recover your breath.  Some of my friends who were track athletes tell me they used to jog between sprinting sometimes instead of walking, but that was mainly for 100 meters on and 100 meters off interval training.

Sprint Workout Step 4: Cooldown (Static Stretching)

I prefer static stretching at the end of the track workout to help loosen up the muscles, which can become tight and fatigued after the intense sprinting.  This stretching at the end can also aid in recovery by reducing the amount of soreness you feel the next day.  For a static stretching routine to try, you can see: Basic Stretch Routine & Exercises.