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Most of us would probably like to reduce our body fat percentage. However, fat loss is confusing and there is a lot of misinformation that exists in the health, fitness, and nutrition realms. Fortunately, there are small steps we can take each day that will take us down the path of fat loss. One such small step is a simple, 2-step protocol. Here, I will outline what this protocol is and how you can implement it into your daily routine.

The protocol

Caffeine + fasted morning cardio.

Caffeine

When you wake up, drink a cup of coffee, green tea, or black tea, without any added milk, sugar, or any other form of calorie. This needs to be a calorie-free drink that you’re drinking in a fasted state, but something that contains some level of caffeine.

Cardio

When you’ve finished your beverage, engage in 10–30 minutes of light to moderate cardio. Pick something that will be sustainable — something you can do every single day. It doesn’t have to be strenuous, just something that will raise your heart rate and get your blood flowing. As you’re in a fasted state, you don’t want to spike your cortisol or otherwise stress out your body.

Some examples include:

• Walk around the block
• Swimming
• Cycling
• Elliptical
• Bodyweight movements
• The 7-minute bodyweight workout
• Turkish Get-Ups

How it works

Fasted cardio is a powerful fat loss strategy on its own, but combined with caffeine, it becomes even more potent. Caffeine helps to mobilize fatty acids during your cardio, leading to even more fat burning.

During fasted cardio, your body will have minimal to no stores of readily available energy— i.e. glycogen from the foods you eat. Your body will therefore need to tap into energy stores in the body — i.e. stored fat. In fact, a study has shown that you will burn up to 20% more fat than you would have if you had eaten beforehand.

Interestingly, it is suggested that this protocol is particularly effective for stubborn areas, such as the thighs.

Furthermore, exercising in the morning will boost your metabolic rate and lead to EPOC — excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. This is where your body continues to burn calories for up to 24 hours after a workout, meaning you’ll be burning extra calories for the rest of the day.

If your primary goal is to build muscle, it is advisable to have some fast-absorbing protein, such as a whey protein shake, immediately after your fasted cardio. Fasted cardio can lead to utilizing amino acids for fuel — the building blocks of muscle — which can lead to some muscle loss.

You can also take some calorie-free aminos before your cardio to help promote muscle building and prevent any potential muscle loss.

This simple, 2-step protocol of caffeine and cardio in the morning has potent fat loss effects. As many mornings as possible, drink some calorie-free caffeine and do 10–30 minutes of fasted cardio. This is a powerful way to jump-start your fat burning each morning and help you on the path toward your goals.

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