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Would you believe me if I said that you could do an hour of cardio everyday for 365 days in a row and never lose 1 pound of fat? Science shows that what you eat within 3 hours of doing cardio will be one of the most important factors when it comes down to shedding the pounds.

So, stop wasting your time pounding away on the treadmill and discover one of the most important tricks to maximizing your cardiovascular efforts through proper pre-cardio nutrition.

New Year’s Resolution #3: Always do cardio on an empty stomach or on protein metabolism. During cardio, our bodies naturally burn off partially digested carbohydrates and fats (what you ate last), then stored carbohydrates (from the muscle and liver), and then stored fats (aka “holiday fun”). The trick is to allow carbohydrates and fats to digest long before performing cardio, so that stored carbohydrates and fats can be burned during cardio. This is why lower intensity and longer duration cardio sessions prove to be the most beneficial way to lose weight. Yes, a 1.5 hour-long walk is more effective than a 20 minute run because it allows the body to switch to “Fat-burning” mode.

I always recommend doing cardio first thing in the morning before eating because you are guaranteed to be on empty after not eating for 6+ hours. If you already have a hectic morning schedule like I do, then the best alternative is to plan your cardio bout for 2.5-3 hours following your last meal (try to keep this meal low in starchy carbs and low in fat). You want to feel like it is almost time to eat again, but you don’t want to feel hungry quite yet.

If it’s time for cardio and you’re starving, then it’s best to have pure protein prior to cardio because this is the last substrate the body turns to for energy and it doesn’t usually depend upon protein until cardio has reached approximately 1.5 hours in length. Most people do not perform cardio for such long durations, so having protein to avoid stomach discomfort during exercise is always your safest bet.

Examples of pure protein include a whey protein shake mixed with water only (find a protein powder that contains as close to 0 g carbs and fats as possible), ½ (for women)-1 cup (for men) of plain fat-free yogurt, or plain fat-free cottage cheese, or 4 oz (for women)-6oz (for men) plain chicken breast or turkey breast.

It’s time to get results from all of your hard earned cardiovascular efforts!

Stay fit, stay healthy, stay happy, and stay tuned for more ways to make your 2013 exercise and nutrition plan work for you!