There is more than one way to skin a cat, but they are not all the same. So it goes with getting rid of body fat. Many of us reduce the problem to a question: “How can I maximize efficiency and minimize time?” Multiple methods and exercises should be considered when building any worthwhile fat loss workout, and some work better than others. Take a look at the 3 Pillars of Weight Loss before setting up your own workout:
1.) Diet is decisive
Diet may not be on your gym checklist. However, eating healthy and in proportion is just about the most important part of any fat loss workout. While there may not be a “diet lift” at your local training club, if you’re not eating right, all the time you spend lifting weights, doing cardio, or any other calorie-burning activity just won’t matter.
There are two ways to approach diet: ‘eat well and eat light’. First, eat calories from all five food groups and make sure the food is healthy—that means no fast food! Eat soft? Eat less than you normally would. The average person requires between 1,500 and 2,000 calories to fuel a resting metabolism. Eat 400 or 500 calories each day, and your body will turn to fat stores for energy. In this way, the fat slowly disappears.
2.) Weight Training Workouts
Lifting weights regularly reduces fat in two ways. First, the stress and strain your body endures during a 50-minute weightlifting workout burns calories: when you’re breathing hard and sweating, it means your metabolism is elevated and you’re now using more calories to maintain activity. Second, muscles need calories to maintain their shape. Essentially, even while you’re sitting at your desk working, your muscles are burning calories. So when you feel inactive, your muscles are just the opposite. And as an added bonus to the two ways to lose fat through muscle toning, you look better and better with every workout. Talking to a trainer at a gym is a good way to start your own weight training regimen. Trained professionals can help you decide which workout is best for you.
3.) Cardio is critical
Cardio workouts for fat loss, like running or walking, burn fat faster than any other exercise. There are two schools of thought on the cardio approach, and each is equally effective, it just depends on what you prefer. A good cardio workout is fast, like running for miles, or slower and longer, like walking or walking for an hour or more. Each increases your heart rate and causes your body to burn calories, slowly slimming down your body.
If you rarely do cardio, a good way to start is to walk for half an hour every day and work up from there. As time goes on, walk longer, walk faster, and in the near future, you may just be jogging.
Go back to the original fat loss training question: “How can I maximize efficiency and minimize time?” Diet figures no matter what, and is of the utmost importance in calculating your plan. Weight training, if you have three hours available each week, is simple and easy, and certainly efficient. And none of us does not have half an hour to walk every day. So start small, work up bigger, and watch the fat melt away.