Burn fat, lose weight and keep it off by consistently working hard and smart. You can’t shape the body you want by just walking 30 minutes a day. And you know I recommend walking as much as possible each day to help make your lifestyle more active.
But, if you want significant improvements to your health, fitness and body composition, you have to work hard! Disregard commercials that promote weight loss without exercising. That road will lead you to “yo-yo weight gain land.” Besides, you appreciate what you work hard for and you will work to maintain it.
So, here is a common scenario that I see at any given health club:
1. The person “warms up” before the workout by walking on the treadmill and text messaging friends or talking on the cell phone.
2. Next up, this person will do a set on the chest press machine and then talk for three to five minutes on the cell phone.
3. This person continues this pattern for the entire “two hour workout.” Of course, this is really not a workout. This is just another social outlet for the person. I see the same patterns with friends who workout together.
4. After the “tough workout,” this person goes to the steam room to “sweat off pounds.” The only problem is that you can’t sweat off pounds. Sweating is designed to cool off your body temperature.
Not everyone works out this way but many people do. And, they wonder why they don’t make any progress with fat loss and weight loss!
Here are some tips on how to workout and improve your body’s composition to more lean and toned:
1. Time your workouts. A timed 30-40 minute circuit weight training (or bodyweight training) workout will burn fat, shape your body and keep the weight off. Talk to your friends after your workout. People know that I will not talk to them once I start my workout. You need to set boundaries for socializing if you workout at a health club. You can do both but workouts must come first.
2. The same holds true for cardio workouts. A 20-minute interval cardio session will burn fat off your body. Ditch the 60-minute, muscle-stealing cardio sessions. Do you really have an hour to spend on cardio?
3. Work out five to six days a week (three days weight lifting, two to three days cardio) and walk 20-30 minutes every day (walking during work breaks are ideal).
4. On the days you don’t work out, take a brisk 30-40 minute walk.
5. Change up your workout routine every two to three weeks to keep your body guessing. This will help prevent weight loss plateaus.
It's that simple. Just do the hard, smart work it takes to add muscle and tone to your body. How did your workout go today?
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES, CPT is a Certified Personal Trainer and former NCAA Division I athlete. Mark’s Fat Blaster Athletic Training System has been proven to give his clients the fit, sculpted and athletic-type bodies they want. Visit Mark’s sites:
My Fitness Hut http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com
Her Fitness Hut http://herfitnesshut.com
Sports Fitness Hut http://sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com