Ok, ok, it’s been a couple of weeks since the last step. Between internet issues and being sick, I’ve had a hard time getting on here. But here it is: the final step from the Beachbody Nutrition Guide. Try to eat your last meal about 3 hours before bedtime. By going to sleep on an empty stomach, your body will burn stored fat while you sleep.
It’s best not to consume a sports drink or energy bar before working out. It’s the wrong food at the wrong time, as they encourage your body’s “carb-burning mode.” Try to eat a couple of hours before you work out, and drink only water. Conrtrolling the foods you eat before a workout will maximize the ability of your exercise to burn stored fat.
Your body has two main sources of energy: stored fat and stored carbohydrates. When you eat or drink substances like energy bars or sports drinks, which are generally high in carbs, your body’s insulin levels rise to cope with the additional carbohydrates in your system. That means that during the time you process those carbs through your bloodstream, your body’s hormones are focused on burning that type of fuel for energy. Thus, if you consume those carbs before you workout, you will be in the mode to burn the carbs in your body more than the stored fat around your waist and thighs. That’s why we highly recommend putting your body in a semi-fasting state, meaning you are working out with little to no food in your digestive system. For hydration, don’t use sports drinks, use water. Your body will then be in “fat-burning mode,” and the results from your effort will be maximized.
According to some high-profile dieticians and trainers, if you exercised for a month and didn’t see the fat reduction you wanted, it’s probably due to your insulin levels being too high while you were working out. That means your body wasn’t attacking the fat stores, even though you were working your hardest.
So if you limit your carbs before exercise and before sleep, your body has more time to function as an effective fat-burning machine.