Successful Cardio

Did you know that doing aerobic exercise is making people fatter?

If you have ever been a health club you’ve seen em’ people who run for hours on end or climb until you are pretty sure they should have made the top of the mountain by now. Yet day after day month after month, they are showing no signs of physical change. Some may even look like they are in good shape have a nice physic, but get them our of their clothes and they are just a self-conscious as you might be. Let us refer to them as the fat-skinny-yes it is possible to be skinny and yet have enough fat on your body to be classified as obese.

Do I have your attention? Good!

You probably already know that aerobic exercise burns fat, so it seems logical if we want to lose fat, we should do aerobic exercise. So what’s the answer?

The answer is complex so I am going to simplify things a little. The body does not exclusively burn fat during aerobic exercise, its direct fuel source is ATP. ATP can be created from fat and glucose. In addition, the fat you have accumulated is not the exclusive fat supplier to meet your body’s energy needs. The dietary fats in your digestive tract can be broken down into fatty acids that travel as triglycerides in your blood stream; therefore, there is no guarantee that your stored body fat will be the preferred source.

If you exercise aerobically beyond your body’s ability and/or willingness to supply fat and stored sugar (glycogen) as fuel, your body can do a little trick. It will convert amino acids (protein) into sugar and use the newly created sugar as a source of ATP. Those amino acids are coming from muscle tissue and muscle is huge in improving your ability to burn fat. (More on this in a later article)

Far too often aerobic exercisers cut back on their caloric intake and exercise more trying to burn more fat, cannibalizing muscle.

While they are losing weight, doing to much aerobic exercise and lacking concern for muscle, you will lose muscle. If you lose weight and a predominance of that weight is muscle you not only increase your body’s percentage of fat, but you have decreased your body’s ability to burn fat.

I hope you are still with me. Aerobic exercise is part of the secret just not all of it.

Recommendation

For fat burning do some sort of aerobic exercise at least 5 days a week for a minimum of 20mins and no more than 45mins. (If you are just starting our work your way up to 20mins and then go from there) Work with in your Targeted Heart Rate Range:

220-Age= Max Heart Rate (MHR)

MHR x 60%= Lower end of Range

MHR x 80%= Upper end of Range

Any activity will work!

Motivation For Fat Loss

 

Finding the motivation to lose fat should be easy.  Nearly 2/3 of Americans are considered overweight or obese.  The side effects of carrying extra fat have been well documented: side effects such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, etc.  Let us not forget about the psychological effects that can be associated with being overweight or obese. Such as low self esteem, decrease sex appeal and decreased libido. So how does one find the motivation to lose fat?  It starts with two choices.  1. A choice to commit to making healthier choices.  2. A choice to be consistent. 

 

Let me be more specific.  It starts with YOU making the two choices.  Understand nobody else can make the choice for YOU. 

 

Here are 5 tips to help you find motivation:

 

1. Action is Power

 

The idea behind losing fat isn’t complicated.  In fact I am sure if I asked, you could easily name 5 or more methods of losing fat. So it is not a lack of knowledge that is holding anyone back.  So, what is holding them back?  Fear!  I believe most people are afraid to take control and make changes in their personal lives.  They have become accustomed to how things are.  When it comes to making changes goals must be set.  The goals need to be realistic.  Start the journey towards losing fat by setting up realistic goals.  And take action.  Take that first step.  Start with the easiest goal and proceed.

 

2. Reward the Day to Day Successes

 

Eating healthy should be one of the goals. But what is eating healthy?  Sure, there is a ton of information about eating organic foods, cutting out processed foods, avoiding sugar and increasing intake of lean proteins, but what are your current eating habits?  Current eating habits will dictate how successful you will be in changing future eating behaviors.  Here is what I mean: if you food eat 3 jelly glazed donuts for breakfast, a candy bar for a mid morning snack, a hamburger, fries and coke for lunch, another candy bar for a mid afternoon snack, then fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn on cob for dinner, followed by 4 brownies before bedtime, the likelihood of you switching over to organic foods, cutting out process foods, avoiding sugar and increasing you intake of leans proteins at a moments notice is unlikely.  Sadly, this is how many try to change their eating behaviors.  But it is not realistic and leads to failure.   The goal should be to make small changes.  Using the above example if you cut down to one jelly glazed donut and one brownie you will have eliminated over a 1,000 calories from the diet. This is something worth celebrating!  That change is the equivalent of a 2 pound weight loss after one week.  Okay so you didn’t eat any vegetables (and NO I’m not counting fries as a vegetable).  Once able to sustain the reduction in donuts and brownies a new norm will be established.  Next, make another healthy change perhaps instead of the jelly glazed donut for breakfast you switch to oat meal. Recognize the small changes as a series of successes.

 

3. Don’t focus on the end result

 

Don’t get me wrong the end result is important.  However, it can be quite a distance from the starting point.  This can lead to feelings of despair and hopelessness.  Make sure you have set a series of short terms goals, sometimes referred to as mile markers, and focus on the positives.  We already discussed the impact of small realistic changes to your diet, but what about exercise?  If you are a couch potato now, a short realistic goal might be to walk in a 1k walk.  This could be something you would be ready to do in just a week.  In 30 days you could be ready to do a 5k.  Focusing on the positive short term success is part of the journey towards achieving the end result.

 

4. Seek Out Supporters

 

People who share their goals and associate with like minded individuals are more successful at losing fat.  Seek out people whom you trust and share a common interest or goal.  Sharing your goals with someone you trust makes the goal real and creates a sense of accountability.  For this reason it is important to confide in someone you trust.  It is also important to understand hanging around family and friends who don’t share common goals will dramatically decrease your chances of success.  I know this can be scary but if they are true friends they will understand.  It is about putting yourself in a position to be successful.  This is an action step and often times a difficult step.

 

5. Plan for Success

 

When it comes to fat loss success planning ahead is vital.  When we fail to plan, we plan to fail.  This could not be any truer than when it comes to fat loss. If you plan what to eat on any given day you are much more likely to be successful.  If you don’t plan you will eat what ever is most convenient.  Planning ahead is a choice and takes a commitment.  It is not always easy and comes with a sacrifice.

 

Motivation will vary from day to day.  There will be days motivation is greater than others. Such is life.  However, hold to the 5 tips provided and excel on the days motivation is high and preserver through the days motivation is low.

6 Great Tips for Fat Loss

Exercise alone will not lead to fat loss.  Exercise must be accompanied by sound nutrition.  The success of any fat loss program is dependent not on the number of workouts you get per week, but the quality of food you eat.  Support your fat loss efforts by incorporation the follow 6 Great Tips for Fat Loss.

1. Eat every 2-3 waking hours

It is important to focus on fueling the body for the results you want.  In the case of fat loss you will be looking to fuel the body every 2-3 waking hours.  Use hunger as your guide. If your start the day off with a healthy breakfast you will find with in 2-3 hours you will be hungry again.  This pattern will repeat through out the day as long as you are eating healthy foods.  If you find yourself feeling hungry sooner then increase the protein intake for each meal.  Don’t confuse hunger with boredom.  Often people with nothing to do will hunt through the kitchen in search of something to eat.  Don’t fall into this trap. Two tips to prevent you from falling into the trap: 1. find something to do, 2. drink water.

2. Don’t count calories

Counting calories isn’t fun.  I do recommend food journaling as a means of keeping you accountable and knowledgeable about what you are eating, but it is not necessary to count the calories.  The key is to adjust your mindset when it comes to portion sizes.  Use visualization to help you determine portion sizes.

 

3. Don’t drink you calories

Don’t forget to account for the calories in drinks.  Juices, coffees, teas and alcohol contain additional calories.  If your goal is to lose fat; you need to be accountable for these hidden calories.  The extra calories consumed in most beverages come from sweeteners.  Sweeteners will impede the body’s ability to burn fat.

4. Start the day with breakfast

Eating a healthy breakfast to start the day will start the day off on the right track.  It gets the fat burning engine running.  Skipping breakfast to save calories is a flawed strategy.  People who skip breakfast, in an effort to save calories, are more likely to be famished by lunch time. Therefore, consuming more calories at lunch than they would have if they eaten breakfast.

5. Cheat once a week

Eating healthy is good for our bodies, but sometimes we need a mental break.  It is okay to give into a craving from time to time.  Give yourself permission to cheat on one meal per week.  This concept allows you to post pone bad eating choices through out the week.  So go ahead and choose one meal to indulge in your favorite foods.

6. Focus on single ingredient foods

Look at it this way: avoid processed foods. Nature has served man well for thousands of years.  There is no need to venture far from the life giving foods that are naturally provided for us.  Processed foods do more harm that good.  Make a concerted effort to avoid them whenever possible.

Here are two examples of processed foods (comment below if you know what they are):

Item 1: Whole grain oats, modified corn starch, sugar, salt, tripotassium phosphate, wheat starch, vitamin E (mixed tocopherols) added to preserve freshness.

Item 2: mechanically separated turkey, turkey, water, sugar, salt, potassium lactate, natural smoke flavor (canola oil, natural smoke, natural flavoring), sodium diacetate, sodium phosphate, natural flavoring, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite.

Integrate these six tips into your fat loss regimen and you will be well on your way to a leaner sexier you.

How to Journal for Fat Loss Success

Failing to journal leads to failure.  When it comes to fat loss; being accountable is the best determining factor of success.  If you looking to lose fat you need to be honest about the types and amounts of foods you are consuming.  Journaling has proven time and time again to be the best method for being held accountable. 

We don’t have a clue. If someone were to ask you what you ate today, you would do your best to remember everything you ate.  You would list what you had for breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, you will leave out either several items or underestimate the quantities. This could be intentional or unintentional.  In either case studiesshow normal weight people underestimate their caloric intake by 20%, whileoverweight people by 40%*.  Simply put we need to know what we are consuming.

There is a great deal of power that goes into putting pen to paper. When it comes to losing fat writing down what you eat will have a great impact on current and future food selections.  Once you understand what you are putting into your body you can take ownership. If you know one serving (2 cookies) of the Girl Scout Cookies Samoas’ contains 140 calories: just for the record if you consume the entire box that would be 1050 calories (15 per box).  Writing down what you eat puts you face to face with the truth. Does this mean you can’t have the cookies? No. What it means is that you should limit how many you should have in any one day.

When journaling the foods eaten you will gain an understanding of how much you are actually consuming. This will allow you to practice moderation.  Moderation doesn’t mean you have to give it up favorite foods.  It means that you need to limit their consumption. So instead of sitting down in front of the TV and eating the entire box of cookies, eat one serving and walk away.  It is the awareness of what we consume that can foster an environment of change.

Accountability begins with being honest.  Facing the truth can be very difficult.  In theory I think it is easy to realize we are not perfect, but when there is documentation to confirm the theory we are frightened. We go into denial. We hide. We joke. We justify. Let the truth set you free.  By being honest with yourself you can set goals and create change.  You can lose the fat.  You have nothing to hide from, nothing to justify.  You are ready to make a change.

Start keeping a journal today.  Here are 2 simple suggestions to start journaling food intake:

1. Use your smart phone to take a picture of everything you eat.
2. After lunch and before bed write down what you ate.  Referring to the pictures of course and reference when and where.  This can be written in a small spiral note book or logged into any digital option.

Dynamic Warm Up

If you are tired of the traditional warm up routines then take a shot at a Dynamic Warm Up.  The concept behind doing a Dynamic Warm Up is to engage as many muscles as possible and get the blood flowing to all areas of the body.  Complete a Dynamic Warm Up and cut your warm up time by 50%.

Here is the routine:

1. Standing Twist 10 per side
2. Wood Chops 10 per side
3. Extensions 10 reps
4. Push Ups 10 reps

Choose a medicine ball that is approximately 5-10% of your body weight.  You can also use DB's or resistance cords if a medicine ball is not available.

p.s. on the extensions you don't want to arch the back.  In the video I am a bit soft spoken and all you hear is arch the back.  Remember don't arch the back.

Fat Loss 101 Believe That You Can

In the third part of the fat loss series I want to address the importance of believing in you.  When you watch infomercials and see before and after pictures there is a disclaimer at the bottom that states ‘results may vary’ or ‘results not typical’.  This is because one of the three items was missing; commitment to make better choices, a technology that works, or a belief that you can.  If you commit to making better choices and find a technology that works; then all that is missing is the belief that you can.

I find the vast majority of people when looking for the best fat loss plans or best fat loss programs truly don’t believe that they can change.  Believing and wanting to change are two different things.  It is easy to want.  Saying I want to lose body fat is easy.  Believing that you can is another.  Everyone wants something very few ever get what they want. 

It is not uncommon for someone to start a fat loss program with the best of intentions.  They believe they can use will power to get them through the program.  In reality will power only buys you a couple of days.  In fact will power usually doesn’t kick in until day three or four and quickly fads away between days eight and fourteen.  Most fat loss programs target this two week window.  The marketing is designed to feed upon the individuals emotional needs and achieve a fast result.  The programs are designed to provide fast results to strengthen the belief that you can do it.  Resolve gets tested.  Excuses begin to arise. Distractions become obstacles. It is at this point that distinguishes those who can and those who won’t succeed.  It is the person who has a strong enough belief in themselves that will go on to be successful.  The person that truly doesn’t believe they will succeed will not. Think of the first two weeks on a fat loss program as a jump start to developing a habit.  On average it takes 28 days to make a habit.  It is going to be your belief that you can and your commitment to make better choices that will allow you to press on after will power is no longer the driving force.

                     

There are hundreds of books and resources discussing the power of belief so I am not going to go into all the science and research.  What I am going to tell you is that if you have doubt in yourself and you do not believe you can be successful you are selling yourself short and I truly believe you will never be happy or satisfied with who you are.  Remember this quote “whether you think you can or can not, you are right”. 

 

When starting a fat loss program make sure it meets the criteria “A Technology that Works”. If the program meets the criteria then it is up to you to bring a commitment to make better choices and a belief that you can.  If all three are present you will succeed.

Fat Loss 101 'A Technology That Works'

In the first article in the Fat Loss 101 series we discussed the number one priority when it comes to fat loss; committing to make better choices. The second thing you need to have is a technology that works.  The phrase “a technology that works” simply refers to the right knowledge.  Here is what you need to know regarding fat loss.  First you need supportive nutrition.  Second a concern for muscle and third moderate aerobic exercise.

Supportive nutrition - Supportive nutrition means fueling the body for the desired results.  If fat loss is the goal then you need to practice the following two nutritional concepts.  First, eat a supportive meal every 3 to 3.5 waking hours. Second, each supportive meal should consist of the following: a lean protein, starchy carbohydrate and fibrous carbohydrate. Here is a sample of what your meals might look like:

• Breakfast- eggs, spinach and brown rice
• Mid morning snack- goat yogurt w/celery
• Lunch- spinach based salad with broccoli, green peppers and chicken
• Mid afternoon snack- almond butter with apple slices and celery sticks
• Dinner- Salmon, asparagus, quinoa

Have a concern for muscle - Fat is burned in the muscles. In fact you should think of your muscles as a fat burning furnace. The more muscle you have the more fat you can burn.  This doesn’t mean you have to be a massive body builder.  But it does mean that you need to maintain or increase the amount of muscle you currently have.  In order to maintain or build muscle you need to provide a stimulus the challenges the muscles. The easiest way to challenge the muscles is through resistance training.  Resistance training can come through the use of body weight exercises, dumbbells, exercise tubes, etc.  How much weight, how many times, and how often will be determined by your current fitness level. 

Moderate aerobic activity (cardio) - Performing endless hours of cardio is not the goal.  In fact the mere thought of having to do long bouts of cardio is a real turn off. I recommend only 20-30 minutes.  The best way to accomplish this is to perform interval training.  Interval training basically means combining moments of high intensity activity with periods of low intensity activity.

When you combine supportive nutrition, a concern for muscle and moderate aerobic activity you will see fat loss.  Your body will change.  You will see an increase in energy levels.  Decrease in clothing sizes.  Increase in self confidence.