A few years ago I read an article that claimed you could lose weight by waking up, drinking a cup of black coffee, and then working out. The thinking behind it was this: Your body is empty. Everything has been digested and tucked away where it’s supposed to be. The coffee is gonna give your system a quick kick so your body goes straight to the fat cells for energy. And there you have it.
I’ve found out since then that this is called “fasted cardio,” but I haven’t seen anyone calling for the black coffee outside of the first time I’d read about it…and I’m fine with that. I’m also fine with the mixed reviews the method has gotten…for what I’m doing it works just fine…and then some (that’s part of what this post is about). Although I can’t say definitively that it’s helped with weight loss, it has seemed to help [me] with appetite and energy throughout the day, and I’m certainly enjoying it for that.
In any case, on 83 summer mornings since June of 2017, I’ve gotten up around 4am, geared up, pounded my cup of coffee, and headed out the door. Last year, I got my friend Chris to come along on a lot of mornings…although Chris is the kind of cyclist who needs zero convincing to get out on the bike. And just this morning, we were joined by another friend, Joon, who, on the other hand, needs a bit more convincing.
Who knows, maybe we can get a little traction with this movement…
If you follow me on Strava (if you’re reading this blog, you can see my Strava stats either on the right (on a computer) or all the way on the bottom of the page (if you’re on a phone)), you’ll see me post these rides as a “BCFB” – that is, “Black Coffee Fat Burner.” They’re all going to be around 20 miles and take an hour and 20 minutes or so. I’ve even got a playlist that covers the time quite well, but only if I’m riding alone.
Just about every time I go out, I have a general idea of where to go, if only based on the morning’s wind direction, but my plans change often. And on some mornings I have no idea. Those rides are usually labeled, “Whatever,” and start with me pointing my bike down a road and peddling. As long as I get in about 20 and wrap it up by 6 (hey, maybe I should call them “20×6” rides), I’m good.
There have been times when I was about two miles into the ride before I woke up and realized where I was (not really, but it sure seems that way). And that’s not a problem, because 9 7/8 times out of 10, it was worth waking up anyway…wherever I was when that happened. And it isn’t because I wake up thinking “I’m burning fat!” Despite my early interest in “fasted cardio,” I hardly give the “FB” part of my BCFBs any thought at all anymore. A big part of why it’s worth it is that I’m getting to do something I love to do before the brutal Korean summer sun and humidity can suck the life out of me (the older I get, the more it seems to do that). On top of that, it just helps me feel more energetic throughout the day (not to mention that I seriously enjoy the breakfast after a ride – almost always an oatmeal and soy-milk mixture that includes cranberries, walnuts, ground flax seed, and a sliced banana).
But I’ll tell you the number one reason I love to get out early in the morning.
Or maybe I’ll just show you instead…
The mornings are just gorgeous here. And that is worth waking up for…