How to Burn Fat Fast: Myths vs. Facts
By
Eat right and exercise.
Yeah, it is really that simple.
Wait a minute!
If it were that simple, why isn’t everybody doing it—and losing weight? And how come if you ask 10 experts, each is going to give you a different answer?
We do have a lot of information available. Then add infomercials, companies who make money by selling you a product, exercise gadgets, or the miracle pill or food that helps you to burn fat. I am sure you have heard about green tea, acqui berries, or dark chocolate that supposedly burn fat for you. It’s a noisy jungle out there.
Before you get beach-body ready, or burn off the fat that’s been hiding under your winter coat, or just get in your best possible shape ever, you need to clear your mind, turn down the background noise and focus on the information that helps you to burn fat and build muscle.
Here are the facts behind the top 5 fat burning myths:
Myth: Long-duration aerobics is better for shaping up than weight training.
Fact: Weight lifting transforms your body and High Peak Cardio training burns the most fat
Walking or running for a long period of time is better then doing nothing; I agree. But the best exercise to burn fat and reshape your body is weight training.
When you weight train, you increase your muscle mass, which in turn, increases your metabolic rate. You burn more calories overall. Also, your fat burning benefit lasts about 2 hours longer after weight training vs. cardiovascular training. The moment you stop cardio training, your fat burning benefit also stops.
Aerobic exercise is beneficial for fat burning when you use the following technique: High peaks of anaerobic threshold training. This form of interval training has been proven not only to burn the most calories but also the highest fat calories overall.
Myth: You can eat what you want when you exercise.
Fact: To burn fat you need to eat the right amount and quality calories.
More of us exercise every day. Many celebrities are helping to bring awareness about the benefits of being active. Michelle Obama joined this movement when she moved into the White House.
Wouldn’t you think that individuals are getting healthier since we exercise more? The fact is that our food supply has changed. High-fat, high- calorie diets cancel the benefit gained from exercise for weight loss.
Physically active individuals need more nutrients than their sedentary counterparts. You need nutrients for energy and restoration. When you start exercise with a body that’s deficient in nutrients, you are creating an even greater nutrient deficiency. Your body is using what it has available.
This deficiency can cause even more problems, as your body can’t restore itself properly after physical activity. For example, calcium will be taken from your bones if your blood doesn’t have sufficient quantities available. Your body tries everything to maintain its natural balance, or homeostasis. When nutrients and minerals are used up and not replenished, then your body gets out of whack.
This can show up in your endocrine system, affecting weight loss and fat burning. This system is a very fine tuned one that is affected by foods that we eat. So pay attention to what you eat; consume lean proteins, whole grains, brightly colored produce and “good” fats.
Myth: A certain number of reps and sets will burn the fat.
Fact: The best results are created by high intensity workouts.
We’ve established that weight training is beneficial. Even when you train with light weights you do benefit in one way or another through the movement – stimulating your immune system, digestive system, cardiovascular system, endocrine system, joint range of motion, building your self esteem, increasing strength … the list goes one.
As I said before, any activity is better then no activity.
But if your goal is to burn fat fast, you do need to schedule high intensity workouts. You have to push yourself. You need to sweat and feel fatigued once you are done with your workout.
I agree that not everyone can work at this intense level due to injury, chronic conditions or if you are feeling burned out (the likelihood of injury is higher if you are in this state).
But remember, if your goal is to burn fat fast you need to go above and beyond. You need to train to point of failure when you lift weights after 3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions. When you do high intensity interval workouts (vs. low and medium), you need to able to rest the next day before doing cardio training again.
Those who can do this–go over the mountain peak–will experience results fast.
Myth: Don’t eat to lose fat.
Fact: You have to eat to build a lean, healthy body.
Starvation slows your metabolic rate. When you eat less to lose fat and go throughout the day without food, you do your body more harm than good. Your body responds to starvation by slowing down your metabolism. This is the last that you like to do when you want to burn fat.
This is the approach that you see over and again in January. The commitment to New Year’s revolutions are high. Goals have been established and competitions start. Who loses the most amount of weight?
When you don’t eat when you start an exercise program, you don’t provide your body with energy to be able to perform the workouts that are required to burn fat and build lean muscle tissue. Dizziness, low energy and low blood pressure can be all the result within 10 minutes of starting your workout. This will not help you to commit to a workout schedule that you can follow for the rest of your life.
You do need to eat when you build lean muscle. Lean muscle tissue is your metabolic furnace. Fat tissue just lies there and muscles use energy in the form of calories even while you are sleeping.
No doubt you will lose weight when you go on a crash diet. But this is the body weight that you don’t want to lose—it’s mostly muscle weight and water. The feeling of weight loss will fool you. When you start eating again, your body has still a slow metabolism and therefore will store calories as fat again. In short, you will gain more fat while you lose lean muscle tissue.
Myth: You need to drink only when you are thirsty.
Fact: You need more fluid than you think you need
According to Dr. Jeffrey Utz of Allegheny University, different people have different percentages of their bodies made up of water.
Babies have the most. When babies are born, 78% of their body is water. When they reach one year their percentage drops to about 65%. In adult men, about 60% of their body are water. In adult women, it’s about 55% because they have more fat due to genetics. Fat tissue does not contain as much water as lean tissue.
You do need to stay hydrated to transport minerals and nutrients to working tissues. Water also helps transport waste out of your system. When you’re fully hydrated, you will feel more energetic.
When it comes to eating, drinking before eating can be a weight loss strategy. Fluids before eating will give your body a sense of fullness and your brain will register that you had enough food. This will help you to alleviate that feeling of not having enough eaten when you reduce your calories for weight loss.
During exercise, do drink. Water is important to stay hydrated when you sweat. I can’t overemphasize how important water is for your success.
Implement these 5 Facts to start your fat burning success.
Stay focused and expect success.
Best,
Stefan
P.S.: Announcing the Quick All Natural Weight Loss Summer Challenge 2012. Participate officially or unofficially and win big. Check it out here.
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