couple lost weight

Finally, we get to the exercise aspects of the lose body fat or lose weight series. It has been a long time in coming.

Okay so let’s look at how exercise works. This will be somewhat simplistic so that even I can understand it:-).

When you start exercising you first burn ATP (adenosine-5-triphosphate).

ATP transports chemical energy within cells for metabolism. This immediate source of energy gets used up within the first few minutes of exercise.

Then the body look for more energy. It gets it from the carbs stored in your muscles. Once that gets too low then it goes looking for carbs stored in your fat.

This happens after about 20 minutes. Thus the you have to do aerobics for at least 20 minutes before you burn fat.

Problem is you really don’t want to burn fat during exercise.

If you do you are signaling the body to store more fat, so that it will be on hand when you exercise the next time.

What we are saying here is that long term, low endurance exercise will actually help your body store more body fat. Not exactly what you are looking for.

The goal then is to do the correct amount and type of exercise.

We touched upon this in other posts before this series.

You want to do high intensity exercise for short periods of time.

For example you would do a sprint, whether running or on a stationary bike, for 10-60 seconds. Then you would walk or pedal slowly for say 30 seconds or until you get your breath back.

Then you do the same thing again. Do that series for 20 minutes. Or at least build up to that.

Remember how you have to introduce diet changes gradually. Well, the same is true of exercise changes.

If you go out and try to sprint and walk for 20 minutes, you probably won’t be able to move for a few days afterwards. That is because your body isn’t used to it.

Maybe you have to start out with a jog and walk. Or a walk and stop and rest. It doesn’t matter. Start somewhere and build up to that level.

Exercising this way will burn way more body fat than long term slow and steady workouts.

The reason this happens is because of the after burn effect, or more scientifically (EPOC – excess postexercise oxygen consumption).

This means that you will burn way more body fat after the exercise stops than you ever could by doing normal exercising.

In effect this high intensity exercise affects your hormones in a positive way. Here is a very -again – simplistic way of following the hormones.

Exercise raises adrenaline and cortisol (remember you do need cortisol in the picture). This builds up lactic acid which in turn triggers the release of testosterone and HGH.

So this hormonal concoction of adrenaline, cortiso, testosterone and HGH puts your body into a fat burning mode – turning on the EPOC effect. This effect can last up to 48 hours after you stop exercising.

Long term medium aerobic exercise does not affect any of these hormones (at least not in the same way), so your fat burning switch does not get turned on.

Okay, so there you have it. A simple way to lose body fat, along with losing weight.

Now you can use this high intensity stuff with running, biking and weight lifting or just about any activity. Again, just build up to it and once you reach your body fat loss goals then keep on the program exactly as it is for another 36 days.

Then you will have the body of your dreams for your lifetime.

Well, I hope you haven’t overdone your cardio for fitness program here.

If you are one of those people that are used to doing 1-2 hours of the slow to medium cardio a day, then you might have a problem.

I see this all the time for so called fitness gurus also.

They always want to increase the time frame.

I mentioned that you can greatly shorten the amount of cardio time if you alternate fast paced cardio with slow paced cardio.

I also brought up the point about sprinting to really rev up your metabolism.

Woman Sprinting

Yet, I see people saying oh, you need to do the high intensity cardio for 30- 60 minutes a day.  And sprint for 30 minutes.

I really hope you are not one of these people.

Look, you have to ask yourself, what is the point of cardio in the first place.

Is it to burn body fat?  Most people would agree with that.  Although you do get some cardio vascular benefits as well.

But, let’s just talk about the burning fat.

Once you start increasing the intensity, you have to decrease the time.  Otherwise you are going to burn out.

And not only will you burn body fat, but you will really start burning muscle tissue also.

Your body is a fine mechanism.  And since it is your body, you have to learn what works best.

What works best to get you looking and FEELING the best.

Many ignore the feeling part.  They might look great but feel like crap.  They have no energy.  And eventually this will show.

If you increase your intensity and try to increase the time as well, then you will start feeling lethargic and have no energy.

After that your body will start looking – not like a fitness model – like just a skinny person.  A skinny person with no energy.

This is not what you want.

So please.  Do not think about increasing the time when you start doing the higher intensity cardio and the sprinting.

If anything, work on increasing the speed and the intensity.

Yes, you want to vary the times of fast vs slow cardio.  And you will naturally do this as you adapt to the stress.

I mentioned before that the body is very good at adapting.  But, at a certain point it can’t adapt anymore and starts shutting down.

You and your coach have to find that point.

Now there are several strategies that you can use to maintain, to push, to get ready for a fitness show, etc.

And we will go over these in future posts.

In the meantime, use your cardio for fitness program to help you make progress, not to beat up your body.

That’s all for today.

Many fitness models spend hours on the cardio machines in

the hope that the cardio will lead to supreme fitness. 

Usually this isn’t the case. 

Now don’t get me wrong.  Doing cardio for 1-2 hours a day will definitely burn some body fat. 

After all, most experts say you need to do at least 20-30

minutes a day just to get into the fat burning zone. 

So that means the first 20-30 minutes is just a warm up

basically.  Then whatever time you spend after that is the fat

burning zone. 

The problem with this is that it is not very efficient.  There are

several other things you could be doing to get into a fat burning

zone in a few minutes, not 20 to 30.

The other problem with long term cardio for fitness is that once

you stop the fat burning stops. 

You get absolutely no after burn effect. 

The after burn, which with some exercises can last 48 hours or

more, is what you are really after.  And it is much more

efficient. 

In just a matter of minutes you can burn way more calories and

body fat than you can by doing 1-2 hours of cardio. 

Then you will have more time for family and friends.  Which will

be a lot more fun than grinding it out on the cardio machines. 

Tomorrow we will look at a way to really change your cardio

into a fitness machine.

Woman Training

Hi,

Let’s look at the exercise protocols we have been talking about the last few posts.

First we saw how long cardio sessions are not the most productive way to burn fat.  Short bursts of exercise are much better for burning fat and sprinting is an excellent way to rev up your metabolism.

Then we added a word of caution for those of you who thinking doing more of something – even if it is good for you – is the best way to go.

It isn’t.  Your body can only take so much.  You and your coach have to find that balance point of pushing yourself without over pushing yourself.

There are a lot of exercise protocols that are really pushing the envelope for fitness.

These are usually high intensity programs.  The premise is to get you sweating and breathing hard for a really long period of time.

Again this is a problem.  Your body needs breaks from non-stop activity.

So doing 10 pushups, 10 squats, 10 lunges, 10 pushups, 10 pullups, 10 DB shoulder presses and so on non stop is not the way to go.

However, doing just that will burn more fat.  the problem is you can’t do it for long.  Trying to go 45-60 minutes non-stop will only work for very young fitness buffs.

That doesn’t mean these fitness programs are entirely wrong.  They have the right idea.  They just fall victim to the same “more is better” mantra that is so popular.

So what can you do?

Let’s break the above example down.  Instead of doing 10 pushups, 10 squats and so on, do this instead.

Do as many pushups as you can, then stand up and do as many squats as you can.  Don’t worry about making a certain number, just do as many as you can.

Now rest.  Rest until you feel like you are ready to go again.  Do as many pushups as you can, then do as many squats as you can.

Rest again.  When you are ready, go on and do two different exercises.  Repeat the same pattern as above.

When you are done with those two exercises, then do one more group of two different exercises the same way.

Now this program is not designed to work on strengthening or building up  a specific muscle – although it can be adapted for this pretty easily.

Rather this program is designed to improve your fitness levels.  And it will help you burn fat much easier.

Stay tuned for ways to modify this specifically for you.

Thanks,