People think of fat burning as some turn on/turn off process. It's a constant fluctuation and both carbs and fat CAN be burned at the same time.
The best cardio time for fat loss is early morning walking on an empty stomach. Your glucose levels are pitifully low and the only thing readily available to 'burn' is fat. Muscle loss is vastly overly stated and can be mitigated if you're anal by taking 5-10g of BCAAs or like half a serving of whey (not that whey+sugar garbage combo). Too much running itself, as well as most high impact cardio, largely affects central nervous system recovery for strength purposes and will very likely carry over to lifting for most people.
Really if the main goal is fat loss, low carb is the way to go. Turn your body onto preferientially preferring fat as its main fuel source. Fat loss is severely inhibited by insulin (released in response to carbs). Humans were never meant to eat food like grains. Did caveman eat cereal? Note that humans weren't commonly fat until processed carbs were the mainstay of their diet in the 20th century.
This is possibly the worst answer I have ever heard. Sorry but I disagree. You are wrong sir.
1st. You 1st point is right on. This is the only point that is on though.
2nd. The best cardio time is anytime. Jesus H. Christ, if this were true all fat people would crowd the gyms at 0500! I am not going to give a scientific answer to this as it would go over your head and many others here but do some research on the body's energy systems.
3rd. "Too much running itself, as well as most high impact cardio, largely affects central nervous system recovery for strength purposes and will very likely carry over to lifting for most people." OMG! Have you seen what sprinters look like? Most people are not the target audience that this will affect. Your point would be better suited to elite athletes. And even then it would be elite strength athletes who would be most affected by high-impact cardio prior to strength training.
4th. Now your last paragraph is the real whopper. Low carb the way to go? This fad diet has been debunked a million times. Now if you want to talk about a hi/low carb or metabolic diet then we have something. Your body will never prefer fat as a fuel source. This statement is ludacris(sp?). The body can breakdown fat and convert it to usable energy, however it will always prefer carbs 1st. Do your homework before you come up with such outlandish statements. When you can explain the Kreb's cycle or what ATP is/does, then you have something. Don't freaking confuse people!
5. "Fat loss is severely inhibited by insulin (released in response to carbs)." JUST PLAIN STUPID! Did you make this up?
6. "Humans were never meant to eat food like grains. Did caveman eat cereal?" I cannot believe you even thought up and typed this statement. Anyone who thinks this is true is ignorant. Look at countries whose diets revolve around grains instead of meats. They are not fat people. Caveman diets? See this reference:
John Berardi - Digging Up Our Nutritional Past
7. "Note that humans weren't commonly fat until processed carbs were the mainstay of their diet in the 20th century." I would argue that humans became fat due to a cumulative effect not a single circumstance. I say this though, we are predominantly fat due to technological advances that make us less physically active.
