Workout Routines | Building Muscle | Burning Fat | Weight Lifting Exercises

I’ve received a few emails about a “new groundbreaking fat loss study” and how it is supposed to burn fat faster than regular cardio (even though we know regular cardio sucks).

Researchers compared…

a) Doing a 60 minute bike (at 60% max effort) then recovering for 60 minutes

vs

b) doing a 30 minute bike, resting 20 minutes, and then doing another 30 minute bike and then resting for 60 minutes. (both rides at 60% max effort).

The results showed…

i) The total calories burned between the workouts did not differ.

ii) more fat was burned during the recovery for the split workout (77% vs 56%).

What does this mean?

Jack squat.

Nothing.

First, why would i even consider doing either of the above when a 20-minute interval workout gets more results?

Second, who is going to do this?

Third, look at the actual numbers of fat calories burned…at most, it could be 50 extra calories. Again, useless in all practical terms.

But…

Look for health clubs to be full of people sitting around for 20 minutes between cardio bouts…maybe clubs will start offering “recovery rooms” where people can sit for 20 minutes and read dry People magazines, instead of the sweat covered People magazines they are used to reading while doing their relatively worthless cardio workouts in the past.

Why am I so hard on cardio?

Because its a waste of time…

and now these researchers and the authors of these “news reports” want to waste even MORE of your life…

As I wrote recently…

A recent study published by the North American Association for the Study of Obesity, subjects aged 40 to 75 were instructed to do 60 minutes of aerobic exercise per day for 6 days per week for an entire year.

(Reference…
Obesity 15:1496-1512 (2007). Exercise Effect on Weight and Body Fat in Men and Women. Anne McTiernan*, et al.)

Given the amount of exercise, you’d expect weight losses of 20, 30 pounds, or more, right?

Well, the surprise findings showed the average fat loss for female subjects was was only 4 pounds for the entire year, while men lost 6.6 pounds of fat over the year. That’s over 300 hours of aerobic exercise just to lose a measly 6 pounds of blubber. Not time well spent, in my opinion.

***
Listen, you give 300 hours a year, and you’ll lose a lot more than 6.6 pounds of fat…trust me on that. Heck, give me 300 hours a year and I could probably turn you into a Ninja, commercial airline pilot, and accomplished mime, and still help you burn more fat than you would with 300 hours of cardio.

Here’s the best advice I can give you…

Ignore mass media news reports about fitness.

If anything worthy of note comes up, you’ll hear it from me,

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked fast fat burning workouts have helped thousands of men and women with weight loss and fat burning in less than 45 minutes three times per week. Expert fat loss workouts help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment. Craig’s bodyweight workouts for fat burning help you lose fat without any equipment at all.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Ballantyne

Workout routines for weight loss are designed to primarily kick-start your metabolism and keep it elevated for an extended period of time. If you want to seriously burn fat as quickly as possible, the primary emphasis should be placed on boosting your metabolic rate…

Most people focus on the amount of calories burned during the actual workout. Although it helps to directly burn calories, the main focus of a workout program should be to effectively elevate your metabolism, so you can burn calories throughout the day and even while you sleep. True success lies in this strategy.

So how do you effectively boost your metabolism?

Well, the best way is to train with weights, period. Cardio is good for burning calories and enhancing cardiovascular health, but it doesn’t compare to weight training in charging up your metabolic rate for a sustained timeframe.

It is well-known fact that each additional pound of muscle you gain burns an extra 20-30 calories per day, even while you rest. This is because muscle is active tissue that requires constant maintenance. By adding just 2-3 pounds of muscle, you’ll be burning an extra 80-100 calories per day.

In addition, each weight training session sends your body into…

Read the rest of this article on Weight Loss Workout Routines…

The truth of the matter is, its virtually impossible to build muscle & lose fat at the exact same moment in time…unless you’re a beginner or you’re on anabolic steroids.

It is very rare that a trainee can maximize both things simultaneously. Basically, if you want to build muscle and lose fat at the same time, you can do it over a span of a few weeks, but you’ll have to make some compromises.

The compromise is that you’ll be building a little bit of muscle and losing a little bit of fat. The end result will be that you achieved both goals, but it’ll be impossible to maximize fat loss or maximize muscle gains.

You see, in order to burn fat, you have to create a calorie deficit…and in order to build muscle, you have to create a calorie surplus. The trick to achieving both goals is to stay in the middle of your “deficit” and “surplus” range, and let your body decide which days to synthesize muscle and which days to metabolize fat.

Obviously, with this approach, you’re not gaining a whole lot of muscle or losing a whole lot of fat…

Bottomline? Do an all-out mass building cycle for 3-4 weeks and follow it up with a fat cutting cycle for 1-2 weeks. This approach is by far the most effective in building rock-solid muscle and melting loads of fat.

Can you build muscle and lose fat at the same time? The answer is a hesitant “Yes”…but is that the optimal approach? Definitely not! Focus on one thing in one cycle, and you’ll be much happier with the results.

Abdominals are no different from any other muscle group. From a physiological standpoint, the entire abdominal region is a set of interconnected muscles comprised of the same type of muscle fibers found elsewhere in the body…

So, why is it that people often train this muscle group differently? The truth is, you’re much better off focusing on intense ab workouts with resistance, in the 12-15 repetition range. It really doesn’t make sense to do a crunch marathon, unless you DON’T wanna develop ripped six-pack abs.

Abs respond very well to resistance training, just like other muscle groups. In fact, in order to develop a true six-pack, you’ll need to do some weight training style ab workouts and incorporate fat burning nutrition.

Its good to split the abs into regions, and do exercises that targets each region, such as the upper abs, lower abs, and obliques. You should also do some lower back exercises to keep things balanced, especially if you suffer from lower back pain.

Here are some popular abdominal exercises you can start doing today…

Power Fat-Loss Tip #8:

Okay, lets again take a look at the basics…

How do you find yourself breathing? Do you take long, slow breaths, or short, shallow breaths?

Believe it or not, the way you breathe can have a major impact on your metabolism.

Your body needs oxygen, and the way most of us breathe, the body’s not really getting the optimal oxygen supply it needs to function at peak performance.

You should breathe down to your stomach, not up towards you chest. Your stomach should expand and your lungs should be full each time you breathe, and then release the air slowly, preferably through the mouth.

Needless to say, you need to take deeper, longer breaths… You’ll be glad you did, and your bodyfat will hate you for it.

Power Fat-Loss Tip #9:

Now, lets get to the workout aspect of losing fat…

You don’t need to be in gym every single day to lose fat, and, you don’t need to spend hours.

If you want to burn up to 200% more fat during you aerobic or cardio workout routine, then you must do a light session of weight lifting or resistance training for about 20 minutes BEFORE your cardio.

Your body does not burn fat for the first 20 minutes of any exercise! Thats right, if you run for 20 minutes without doing any exercise before-hand, you will only be burning glycogen, not fat. Glycogen is the source of energy used by your muscles.

Basically, you have to elevate your heart rate for at least 20 minutes before your body starts burning fat…

The best way to elevate your heart rate and kick-start your metabolism is to do light resistance training for about 20 minutes before your cardio routine. What this does is two things:

1) You break that 20 minute “plateau” your body needs to start burning fat.

2) You raise your metabolism 100-200%, which means that while you do your cardio/aerobic routine, you’ll literally burn up to twice more fat.

Resistance, or weight training boosts your metabolism like no other form of exercise, often for a period of 24 hours or more. So, your body will burn fat even while you sleep, as your muscles recover overnight.

Now you know why all those successful “aerobic videos” usually make you use resistance bands or small dumbbells as part of their routine.

You can use resistance bands, free weights, or machines. Keep in mind that you must do “light” resistance training so you still have plenty of energy to run or do cardio.

Power Fat-Loss Tip #10:

Finally, we’re near the end, so I’ll keep this tip short and sweet…

Ever heard of interval training?

It works like this…Lets say you are running on a treadmill. For the first 5 minutes, you run on a low speed, then, for the next 5 minutes, you run on a higher speed. After that, you lower the speed again for the next 5 minutes, and then dramatically increase the speed after that…

You see, what’s happening here is that you’re constantly shocking your body into adapting to different intensities, which has been scientifically proven to burn WAY MORE calories than working out on one intensity.

Here’s a simple step-by-step illustration:

1) 0-5 Minutes - Do light intensity
2) 6-10 Minutes - Increase the speed or intensity by two levels (E.g.- From 3 miles per hour to 6 miles per hour)
3) 11-15 Minutes - Reduce the speed or intensity lightly (E.g. - From 6 miles per hour down to 4)
4) 16-20 Minutes - Increase the intensity dramatically (E.g. - From 4 miles per hour to
5) 21-25 Minutes - Reduce the intensity 2 levels (E.g. - From 8 miles per hour down to 5)
6) 26-30 Minutes - Boost up the intensity again, at the maximum level that you can handle (Go back up to 8 or 9 miles per hour)
7) Do a light cool-down

The example above is just that, an example. You can customize this plan to suit your needs and exercises.

The key is to remember to take yourself to maximum exertion, then lighten the load, then take yourself back to maximum exertion, lighten the load, and so on…

By doing this, you will definitely burn way more calories, since your brain has to rapidly adjust and adapt, NOT ALLOWING your body to gain efficiency in burning calories.

The trick is to throw your system off, without causing pain or discomfort, ofcourse.

Surprise Fat-Loss Tip #11:

You thought ten was all I had, didn’t you?

Surprise! Here’s an important bit of advice that is very important…

Eat about 5-6 meals of smaller portions spread equally throughout the day, with the last meal coming atleast two hours before you go to bed.

Starvation is a very bad way to lose fat, especially since it is not healthy and does not work in the long term.

When you go long periods without eating, your body actively searches for a source of energy, so it uses up your fat and glycogen reserves.

After a while, what happens is that your body realizes its not getting food for energy like it used to, so it adjusts by grabbing, absorbing, and storing most of the fat in the food you eat.

Basically, your body wants to make sure that it has sources of energy, so it adjusts by storing more fat from food. This is the last way you want to train your body if you want to keep the fat off permanently.

By eating 4-6 smaller meals, you are providing your body with a constant source of energy, and it reacts by triggering all the right responses to NOT store fat, because it has no need to.

Additionally, large meals can send your insulin levels spiking through the roof, promoting fat storage. Smaller meals keep your hormones and bodily functions operating normally.

Other Powerful Resources:

So there you have it, ten powerful tips that make it simple for you to start developing a great looking body…

Additionally, I want you to know about the world’s most powerful fat-loss system, giving you a highly specific, step-by-step plan for burning the absolute maximum amount of fat in the absolute fastest time.

Written by Tom Venuto, the name of this award-winning system is “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle”. Tom Venuto is a world renowned fitness expert with his BSc. Degree in exercise science and a certification as a strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS). He’s written numerous features in major magazines and websites, and has been bodybuilding and competing for 20 years.

He’s a personal trainer, health club manager, nutritionist, motivation coach, freelance writer, and of course, the creator of the award-winning:

http://www.weight-lifting-workout-routines.com/burnthefat.html

“Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle” includes every cutting edge fat-loss tip, trick, secret, & strategy in an easy-to-understand, easy-to-follow format. If you’re serious about developing an outrageously sexy physique without strict diets and long, grueling workouts, then check out “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle”, below:

http://www.weight-lifting-workout-routines.com/burnthefat.html

Power Fat-Loss Tip #4:

Related to the previous tip, you need to reduce the amount of bread, rice, & pasta that you eat per day, and instead replace them with fruits and vegetables.

No, this is not the atkins diet, because you are not reducing the amount of carbs you take in, you are simply modifying the “types” of carbs you eat.

Processed breads, rice, & pasta are notorious for being “bad carbs”, the ones that wreak havoc on insulin release, therefore promoting the storage of fat.

Also, with processed breads, rice, & pasta, they really hog up the water reserves in your body…

You need to eat less but more often, primarily fruits and vegetables with protein, in order to maximize fat loss.

So, replace your breads, rice, & pasta with fruits and vegetables. You will be replacing “bad carbs” with “good carbs”, giving you a fast burning source of nutrient packed energy that rarely converts into fat.

Power Fat-Loss Tip #5:

This is one of the more common tips, and something you already know, but nonetheless very few people actually abide by it…

Avoid fried foods and artificial sugary foods at all cost!

Do I even need to get into the details?

You know that these types of foods are chock full of saturated and trans fat, and even having one meal of these types of foods can set you back for days!

By avoiding fried foods, you are automatically cutting out most fast food, and by avoiding artificial sugary foods, you are cutting out pies, cakes, ice cream, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, soda and artificial juices.

There is nothing more strange than someone going to Mcdonalds, ordering a super-sized double quarterpounder, and then asking for diet soda!

Listen, at all cost, even once in a while, you need to avoid fried foods, soda, and artificial juice. Just boycott it and instead focus on 100% juice and delicious, nutritious food.

As far as dessert, it is OKAY to reward yourself once in a while, just don’t let it be more than once every two weeks.

Power Fat-Loss Tip #6:

I mentioned this earlier, but this tip deserves extra attention.

You need to get your fiber, every day…

Staying regular is extremely important for fat loss.

If you are not taking a nice trip to the bathroom atleast once per day, there is a problem.

Your body needs to get rid of that waste to efficiently function and process food.

When you are “regular”, you whole body performs better, you feel lighter, and in turn, you have more energy and an increased metabolism.

Backed up waste and toxins are terrible, flat out terrible for your system. You really need to be clean and functional in that area of the body to even have a chance for good health and fat loss.

You can take fiber as a supplement or simply by increasing your intake of certain foods, you can increase the amount of fiber in your diet.

Power Fat-Loss Tip #7:

This tip has to do with a supplement, but its not what you think…

I am not going to recommend putting excessive, artifically derived chemicals into your body.

What I will recommend, however, is truly an all-natural dietary supplement that has produced outstanding results for fitness models and bodybuilders for many many years.

This all-natural supplement is flax seed oil. The best thing is to have organic flax seed oil, since it contains the perfect balance of certain nutrients that your body needs.

Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are the winning nutrients in this oil, known to accelerate fat loss and boost metabolism.

Yes, “good fat” can actually help you “lose fat”.

Don’t believe it? Ask anyone who has taken flax and ask them how much weight they have gained. They will tell you that its nearly impossible to gain weight while taking it, unless you are completely inactive!

Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are very well known, and you can read all about them by doing a quick search on the internet. You’ll quickly realize how important these nutrients are for great health and optimal fat loss.

“Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle” includes every cutting edge fat-loss tip, trick, secret, & strategy in an easy-to-understand, easy-to-follow format. If you’re serious about developing an outrageously sexy physique without strict diets and long, grueling workouts, then check out “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle”, below:

http://www.weight-lifting-workout-routines.com/burnthefat.html

Introduction:

You’re about to discover the powerful secrets for burning fat that fitness models, athletes, body builders, & celebrities use to bring out those sexy abs, arms, & thighs in no time…

Dont’ worry, this is not another “you need to diet and exercise” report. What you’ll be learning here is very specific “power tips” for rapidly burning fat that very few people know.

The truth is, you really don’t need to “diet” or workout that intensely.

There are small changes you can make in your lifestyle that will produce results so quickly you’ll wonder why you didn’t come across this information sooner…

Okay, forget about long introductions and overviews, lets dive right into the “meat” of the material so you can start seeing results right away. Proceed below to the next page:

Power Fat-Loss Tip #1:

It starts with the basics. Listen, you are over 80% water, and all of your cellular & bodily functions depend heavily on proper hydration.

So, why then do so many of us dehydrate ourselves?

Here’s the bottom-line: You need to drink about 16 glasses of purified or spring water per day to maximize fat-loss. Sound crazy? It isn’t, you can do it…

You see, water is the essence of life. It helps your body perform its functions much more efficiently, therefore raising your metabolism, getting rid of harmful toxins, and giving you the energy to carry out your day.

Boxers, bodybuilders, & fitness models know very well that in order to quickly shed fat for “game time”, they need to down a ton of water per day.

Water will constantly cleanse your system, improve your digestive process, and help to release and burn fat in a very efficient manner.

Now, it is very important that you get your hands on either purified water or spring water. DON’T DRINK TAP WATER! Trust me on this, I don’t have room here to get into details, but do yourself a favor and stick to mother nature’s perfected spring water or the next best thing, purified water.

Power Fat-Loss Tip #2:

Hey, I told you that it all starts with the basics…

This tip is about something you do for 1/3 of your entire life…

If you guessed sleep, you are right. Most of us sleep in such horrible conditions, it is no wonder we wake up crabby and out of it, needing to drink a massive cup of coffee just to get to work.

Here’s a little secret, YOU NEED OXYGEN WHEN YOU SLEEP!

Its really a shame how many of us close all windows shut when we sleep, hoping to reduce our heating or air conditioning bills, when in fact, we are harming ourselves just to save a few dollars.

The truth is, fresh air in your room brings more oxygen, clean air, and it pushes out the dust and particles that can take a toll on our health.

Your brain and body recovers when you sleep, and adequate oxygen and clean air helps to refresh and re-energize your body, helping you to wake up refreshed, energized, and most importantly, with an increased metabolism so you burn fat throughout the day.

Here’s another sleeping tip, sleep on your back without a pillow…

Why? Well, when your spine is in straight alignment, that is when your neck and back are in a straight line, neurological activity is at its peak, allowing your brain to receive messages and signals much more efficiently.

What does this have to do with fat-loss? Well, every little bit counts. When your brain is refreshed, your body functions better. When your body functions better, you have more energy. And…More energy means more activity which brings about increased fat-loss.

Power Fat-Loss Tip #3:

This is something so important that it can literally make or break your fat-loss goals…

You need to eat atleast, yes, ATLEAST 10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day!

Fruits and vegetables are chock full of enzymes, water, vitamins, minerals, & “good carbs”.

Since they are about 80% water, consuming them throughout the day helps you to stay super hydrated…

The vitamins and minerals they contain give your body a much needed health boost, therefore raising your metabolism and efficiently burning fat.

The vitamins contained in fruits and vegetables also help to convert food into energy, which helps you to constantly burn off food.

The fiber and enzymes help you to “stay regular”, making it VERY HARD for your body to slow down, toxins to accumulate, and fat to build up.

The good, simple carbohydrates give you great energy throughout the day, so you can think better, do more, and best of all, burn fat with increased activity.

The net effect of eating 10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day is that the “fat doesn’t stick” and it literally “just melts away”.

When was the last time you saw an obese vegetarian?

Not only will you stay full, but the calories and fat content is so minimal that you’re achieving the effects of a strict diet without having to eat less.

This is probably “the” most important tip, so follow it religiously!

“Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle” includes every cutting edge fat-loss tip, trick, secret, & strategy in an easy-to-understand, easy-to-follow format. If you’re serious about developing an outrageously sexy physique without strict diets and long, grueling workouts, then check out “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle”, below:

http://www.weight-lifting-workout-routines.com/burnthefat.html