There is a flood of information about fat loss and weight loss out there in the marketplace. Some of the information is garbage! A general rule for you to follow with regard to fat loss and weight loss is this: Don’t waste your money if the program offers a quick solution to your weight problem! Why? Because what you need is the permanent solution to your weight problem!
A permanent solution takes hard, smart work and sacrifice on your part. Human nature always seeks the path of least resistance. So, you can see why commercial weight loss programs promote things such as “in 2 weeks….” The promotion may be partially true, but what they don’t tell you is the most critical part of the fitness equation: fat loss is the key to permanent weight loss! This is how you can achieve fat loss and weight loss:
FAT LOSS TIP #1 Make a commitment to a lifetime of fitness! This commitment trumps all other fitness commitments. Without it, you will always fall prey to the inevitable obstacles and pitfalls along the way. Get your motivation right!
DON’T LET FEAR OF FAILURE STOP YOU FROM PURSUING YOUR HEALTH AND FITNESS GOALS (OR ANY OTHER GOAL FOR THAT MATTER)!
FAT LOSS TIP #2 Be willing to change your eating habits! Sixty to 70% of your fitness goal success or failure will depend on following a good meal plan! Get to know your body and what types of food you are better off not eating. For example, grains/starchy carbohydrates cause some people to not make progress with fat loss.
You must burn more calories than you consume (caloric deficit over time) in order to lose weight and burn body fat. This is the law of thermodynamics. Even if you are a "workout warrior," the law of
thermodynamics still applies. You cannot eat as much as you want (or maintain a caloric surplus) and still lose weight!
FAT LOSS TIP #3 A pill, patch or cream will not make you lose fat and weight! You’ve seen the ads for diet patches or creams that claim to melt away the pounds. Don’t believe them. There’s nothing you can wear or apply to your skin that will cause you to lose weight. Try your best to get the nutrition you need from the food you eat! Save your money! Supplements have no long-term effect on fat loss and weight loss!
FAT LOSS TIP #4 You must change your body composition! You must increase muscle mass to become a “fat-burning machine.” Concentrate on compound (multi-joint) strength exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, bench press, planks and rows because they work and build more muscle groups. Do less single-joint exercises like biceps curls, calf raises and triceps extensions.
Your training program should contain 3 days-a-week of full body circuit weight training tailored to your body type and 3 days-a-week of interval cardio (or high intensity cardio). You only need 20 minutes of cardio per session. Too much slow, long-duration (like 60 minutes per session), steady-state cardio can cause a loss of muscle mass.
FAT LOSS TIP #5 You must do more than cardio exercise to burn body fat and change your body composition to “lean and toned!” Your muscles will waste away on those cardio machines if that’s all you do! Your body will not be toned! Some of the best fat-burning, body-toning cardio exercises are sprinting on grass, bodyweight cardio exercises (like mountain climbers), stepmill and jump rope.
FAT LOSS TIP #6 Keep a food journal. This will help you keep track of your eating habits and help you make needed changes. Here is another fact: research has proven that you will have a better chance of succeeding with your nutrition plan if you keep a food journal! By logging your actual food choices, you are holding yourself accountable throughout the day. You will also be forced to plan your meals better and it will help you control binge eating.
List foods, calories and serving sizes for every snack or meal. List details such as meats, drinks, vegetables, fruits, etc. For each meal, list why you ate--such as you were angry, sad, happy, hungry, etc. This is very important because moods can affect food choices! You need to know your motivations for eating!
FAT LOSS TIP #7 Find out your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Your BMR is the amount of daily calories your body needs to maintain itself. You will use this amount and your daily activity level to set your daily menu. If you use severe calorie restriction (i.e., don’t eat enough), your body will store fat because it will think you are starving. And, you don’t want to lose muscle, you want to lose fat!
FAT LOSS TIP #8 Find an accountability partner such as friend, spouse or personal trainer. This is also a critical step to help you succeed. Don’t try to do your exercise program alone!
FAT LOSS TIP #9 Get a fitness assessment performed by a certified personal trainer to identify your postural deficiencies, muscle imbalances, etc. You need to get started on your program the right way! The trainer can also tailor the program to your individual needs. Two people following the same program can get different results. A personal trainer will take your “body type” into account when designing a fitness program.
FAT LOSS TIP #10 Fat loss is more important than weight loss!
Up to 50 daily calories are burned by one pound of muscle. If you lose major poundage without strength training, most of your weight loss will be muscle mass. And, this will “slow down” your metabolism. That is why you see some people who are "skinny-fat" (skinny with high body fat). Your goal should be to have a “lean and toned” body.
DON’T PROCRASTINATE! START YOUR EXERCISE PROGRAM NOW! TODAY IS ALWAYS THE BEST DAY TO BEGIN! DON’T WAIT UNTIL JANUARY 1st. What will be different then?
Make the commitment to a lifestyle of health and fitness! Your body will thank you for the rest of your life and you’ll look great!
Mark Dilworth, Certified Personal Trainer
Her Fitness Hut http://herfitnesshut.com