Fat Loss with Effective Training Strategies

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW…

Too often, people trying to lose body fat use intense metabolic resistance training and HITT (high-intensity interval training). With fat loss programs, It would help if you switched as needed to different strategies, such as metabolic resistance training, strength training, bodybuilding, and strength plus conditioning.

When designing a weekly plan for your training, consider how different styles of training affect different systems and thus affect recovery. You need to allow for some “space” between different kinds of stressors, such as nervous System stressors, joint stressors, spinal compression, and metabolic stressors.

When trying to burn fat, you should rotate between different types of lactate (Without lactic acid) conditioning that consists of short, intense work and Lactate (produces lactic acid as a byproduct) conditioning that consists of Longer duration work.

Want to lose body fat quickly and keep it off? Stop following those mainstream fitness workouts designed for your granny. Real fat loss training should build calluses on your hands. Here are eight practical fat loss training rules, plus a sample workout plan that puts them all into action.

Here are the 8 Rules for Fat Loss Training

1. PRIORITIZE NUTRITION

Yes, this is a training article, but nutrition is the single most important thing for fat loss. If you’re serious about stripping off body fat, you must make time for grocery shopping, cooking, meal prep, doing dishes, and keeping a food journal. If you don’t have time for this, make time. Cut down on time wasters like social media, web surfing, playing on your cell phone, or TV.

If you truly have eliminated every possible waste and are still pressed for time, train less to have the time to take care of your nutrition. That’s right, train less! For example, in my fat loss programs, I have Tuesdays and Saturdays as shopping/meal prep days. You can still train on these days, but if you’re truly pressed for time, sacrifice your training on these days to take care of your top priority for fat loss – your nutrition.

2. PICK BIG, HARD EXERCISES

Regardless of your goals, effective training starts with picking the right exercises. The best exercises for fat loss are the best exercises for almost any goal. The big, hard compound movements are the ones you should be doing.

3. GET STRONGER

While most people understand that getting stronger is important for building muscle and enhancing performance, its relevance for fat loss is often overlooked. When your goal is fat loss, you want to burn as much fuel as possible. To do this, you want your body to be as fuel inefficient as possible. One of the huge problems with cardio for fat loss is that the more you do, the better you get at it and thus the more fuel efficient you become. With resistance training the opposite is true. The better you get at strength training, the more weight you can lift and the more it takes out of you. Spending some of your training time getting stronger allows you to do all your other forms of training (e.g., metabolic resistance training, conditioning) at a higher/faster level and this makes them even more effective for getting rid of unwanted body fat.

4. BUILD MUSCLE

Virtually everyone trying to lose body fat should gain some muscle. Most people know this, but it bears repeating again and again. Even a few extra pounds of lean muscle means a lot more calories burned each day.

5. JACK UP METABOLISM POST TRAINING

Years ago exercise scientists told us to do long, slow cardio in order to burn fat. However, this answer was a response to the wrong question. Fat loss training isn’t about what burns the most amount of fat during a training session, it’s about what burns the most amount of fat in a 24 hour period. Short, high-intensity exercise creates an oxygen debt (known in geekspeak as E.P.O.C., or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) and this results in a metabolic boost long after the training session is over.

6. SCHEDULE WISELY

When designing a weekly plan for your training, consider how different styles of training affect different systems and thus affect recovery. For example:

· Joint stressors: sprints, high impact jumps, heavy barbell training

· Spinal compression: heavy squats, deadlifts, farmer’s walks

· Nervous system stressors: speed/power training, heavy, low-rep training (especially >90% 1RM), training to failure

· Metabolic stressors: lactate work (i.e., doing things that last about 30 seconds to 3 minutes and produce a lot of lactic acid. Great for fat loss, but harder to recover from)

Allow for some “space” between different types of stressors. For example, if you stress something one day, do a lighter session or work a different type of stress the next day. The sample plan at the end will show you how to program this.

7. ROTATE STRATEGIES

As with any goal, following an effective program will only work for so long before you hit a plateau. Too often people trying to lose body fat just use intense metabolic resistance training and HITT (high intensity interval training). While these are excellent, they won’t work forever. With fat loss programs, switch as needed to different strategies such as the following:

· Metabolic resistance training: Use moderate weights for moderate reps while alternating upper/lower body exercises or doing whole body circuits.

· Strength training: Use more traditional strength training methods to allow you to lift more weight when you return to metabolic resistance training.

· Bodybuilding: Focus on building lean muscle to raise metabolic rate and doing brisk walking to burn a few extra calories.

· Strength plus conditioning: Focus on getting stronger in the weight room and doing challenging forms of conditioning to boost EPOC (that after-burn effect).

The trick is to not only period your training but to period your diet, too. When some people try a lower-volume strength training program, they find they gain fat. This isn’t because of the training. Obviously, strength training doesn’t cause fat gain. However, if you switch from higher volume training (think typical fat loss metabolic stuff) to a lower volume training (think powerlifting program) and don’t drop down your carbs and total calories, you’ll gain fat.

8. GET OUTSIDE

We’re made to be outdoors. While it’s not always practical to haul a whole barbell set outside or train at Muscle Beach, look to do something physical outside. Run sprints at the track, find a hill and do sprints, push a Prowler or pull a sled. Grab a sledgehammer and try to beat an old tire to a pulp. Also, consider bringing minimal equipment like kettlebells to a park and having an outdoor session. Or, do what I do, which is train with barbells in my basement gym and then do farmer’s walks up and down the sidewalks of my neighborhood. Also, doing some other activities such as sports or outdoor recreation is great to not only burn a few extra calories, but also to have fun, reduce stress, and enjoy the benefits of the finely conditioned machine you’re building in the gym.

If you’re ready to embark on your fat loss journey and achieve lasting results, consider partnering with Abhinavfitlife | Personal Training and Group Fitness. Our experienced trainers in Surrey, BC, are dedicated to helping you reach your goals. Fill out our online client form today to take the first step towards a healthier, fitter you.

If you need any help with a personal trainer to implement these guidelines, consider working with our Personal trainers in Surrey. 

Fill out the online client form and one of our qualified personal trainers will contact you to give you a gym tour.