By Darin Steen
Are you working out with no results? Are you not working out because you have tried before with no results?
I believe that the #1 reason why most get no results from their fat loss program is because they have too much information, they are confused on what works and what does not work, so they never have the staying power to see a fat loss program through for 12 weeks.
Lift weights, do cardio, don't do cardio, run a marathon, eat a salad a day, low carbs, high carbs, Atkins diet, high reps, low reps, high intensity short duration, low intensity long duration... Are you confused? Have you given up because you do not know where to start or because you have tried something with no results?
Just so you know, it is possible to get in great shape in a short amount of time (12 weeks) with a minimal time exercising per week (4-6 hours per week). Trust me, the simpler and more time efficient your work-out plan is, the better chance that you will stick with it, thus the more effective it becomes. Another big advantage of keeping your fat loss strategy simple is that you actually start to realize what works and what does not work for you, your metabolism, your personality, and "YOUR BODY".
Welcome to lesson #1 of OPERATION: BURN FAT FAST!!
Your 12-Week E-course. That's 84 days to a new you.
You need to limit the information you take in for fitness, fat loss and health;
Transforming our bodies and therefore our lives through exercise is simple.
Simply focus on the 5 areas below;
1.) Lift weights twice per week for 60 minutes working half your body-parts;
Work-out #1-- Chest, hamstrings (back of leg), biceps, rear shoulder (use lateral or pull shoulder exercises)
Work-out #2-- Back, quadriceps (front of leg), triceps, front of shoulder (use press shoulder exercises). Follow the order of body-parts as I have them listed.
>Perform 2 sets to complete failure in the 10-14 rep range, 3 exercise's per body part
>1 minute rest between sets
> Perform exercises in a circuit style; never two sets in a row of the same body-part;
For example on Work-out Day #1 perform your first set of your first chest exercise, then within 1 minute perform your first set of your first hamstring exercise, then perform your first set of your first biceps exercise, then perform your first set of your first rear shoulder exercise.
Then within one minute start over with the same sequence on your second set of your first chest exercise and so forth. Once you complete your second set for each of the first exercises then start on exercise #2, then exercise #3, then
you are done. Do the same for Work-out Day #2. That is 24 sets per session.
You have to really be ready with your plan written down in order to be done in 60 minutes, but you can do it. More time spent on each work-out and more sets does not equate into a better, more productive work-out.
>Perform each repetition with a 3 second negative, a one second pause, & a three second positive. GO SLOW!
2.) Cardio three times per week, first thing in the morning, intense interval style on days that you don't train with weights.
>6-9 1-2 minute challenges, progressively making each one more intense
>Rest periods between each challenge gets longer as challenges gets more intense
>Make sure to warm up for 10 min. with a power-walk
>Stretch out hamstrings, quads, glute's (bun's) & inner thigh twice, once after
challenge #1 and #5
>Perform 2 sets of 2 different abdominal exercises before cardio session
3.) Nutrition (precise personalized athletic nutrition program)
>5-6 small meals with protein and carbs combined together (low fat)
>More calories (in the form of starchy carbs) on days you lift weights
>Starchy carbs are brown / wild rice, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, sweet potatoes
>No starchy carbs on days that you do interval cardio or are sedentary (no exercise). Use veggies, green beans, salads, apples instead
>Eat as much unprocessed foods as possible; If it came from a plant; EAT IT, if it was manufactured in a plant, STAY AWAY FROM IT!
>Drink lots of water, & stay away from calories in liquid form. The more you lower your stress levels, stay away from highly processed foods that are high in sodium, & drink as much water as possible, the more your body will let go off water retention. It is such a great feeling to feel looseness in you shoes, and your skinny jeans :)
4.) Goals (draw up a commitment sheet) and read it out loud every day
> Example: I, John Doe, am very x-cited about my new "FATLOSS LIFESTYLE" 12 Week Body Transformation Program. On _________ (Some date 6 weeks into the future)
I will;
Goals:
1. Lose 15 lbs. of fat,
2. Gain 6 lbs. of muscle,
3. Lose 3 inches off my waist,
4. Gain 1/2 inch on my arms
so that I:
Emotional Elements
1. Will look good in my Sunday suit
2. Get off of blood pressure medication
3. Feel attractive to the opposite sex
4. Be more confident at work so I can get a promotion
5. Will look sexy in my thong underwear
6. Can have the ability to age gracefully and be independent
7. Can be the best mom, daughter, spouse that I possibly can be (These are just examples, you must think on this one)
It does not matter what your emotional elements are. But they must stir emotion in you. Make sure that you list the 3 most emotional reasons that you want to reach your goals. It is not enough to have a date, nor is it enough to have a goal. You must know why you want it.
Once you have your commitment sheet that is personalized for you, read it out loud (twice) with a positive tone in your voice first thing in the morning and right before bed.
The "Law of Attraction" is real. Let's harness its power. As you are reading your commitment sheet out loud I want you to see yourself 12 weeks into the future. You have reached your goals and you physique is lean and ripped.
In fact, when you are in the best shape of your adult life all the areas of your life explode in quality.
I want you to see this in your minds eye. Act like a kid and pretend as you visualize. Now, feel the sweet emotion of how it will feel when you accomplish what you have given up on. So, it is very important to visualize yourself as if you have already accomplished your goals on you commitment sheet.
But it is even more important to feel the sweet jubilation of emotion at your accomplishments.
Do this every day / twice a day as you read your commitment sheet out loud you will be well on your way to a total life of fulfillment. Please believe in the Law of Attraction. Because it is real & it works!!
Trust me, I know it is hard to believe. In fact, I would not have believed it if I did not see it working in my clients lives. TRUST ME, IT WORKS!
Do not overlook how powerful this can be. I have found that this is the most important step of transforming your body and life through exercise.
5.) Social Support: YOU WILL TURN INTO WHO YOU HANG AROUND!
>Announce your attentions by unveiling your commitment sheet to your family, friends, & coworkers
>Do not spend time with anyone who does not totally support you and your goals
>Spend more time around those who have done what you want to do
>After you reach your goals then you can be strong enough to be around those who do not support you healthy lifestyle (but only for small increments of time).
Actually, you will be able to inspire others to live a healthier lifestyle
6.) Habitually Thinking More Positive
>We are bombarded with negativity every day from every angle
>Go on a low information diet, no news, no papers, no t.v., no gossip at work or with neighbors. Do it for just your 12 week transformation and you will be hooked
Stand guard over you mind because;
>Your thoughts become words
>Your words become actions
>Your actions become habits
>Your habits become character
>Your character becomes your destiny
>THOUGHTS BECOME THINGS; SO CHOOSE THE GOOD ONES
>GARBAGE IN / GARBAGE OUT
>POSITIVE IN / POSITIVE OUT
You need to start and finish one plan on weights,cardiovascular, and nutrition for 12 weeks. Keeping things simple and time efficient gives you your best chance.
When is the last time you stayed consistent on a fat loss / fitness / exercise / nutrition plan for 12 weeks?
You can do this. Simply get started, keep things simple, and have a faith in yourself that your are going to live a fulfilled life because you are going to peak you energy through a healthy lifestyle. Grow your faith into a confidence. See it as if it has already happened, limit your information, expect success, get started and you will be well on your way.
Starting out, you can use your confidence in my success (with myself as well as my clients) with this simple system. Then with in a few weeks the confidence will transfer to you. Faith it till you make it, just commit & take the first step. JUST DO IT!
Darin Steen, the "Trainers Trainer" is America's Top Fat loss, Healthy
Lifestyle Coach. A best selling Author, drug-free for life professional
Bodybuilder, Personal trainer, Motivational Speaker, and family man, he
is an expert on fat loss, fitness, gaining muscle, and aging gracefully. His
goal in life is to help 2 million people realize a higher quality life through
making healthier FATLOSS LIFESTYLE choices by leading by example.
Learn cutting edge fat loss / fitness strategies & get your free "Fat loss 12 Week
E-course" OPERATION BURN FAT FAST at http://www.fatlosslifestyle.com
To view over 90 success stories of personal clients who have graduated from
Darin's 12 Week FATLOSS LIFESTYLE Program go to http://www.fatlosslifestyle.com
Media Requests: Darin Steen is a dynamic, high energy television and
radio guest available for interviews and corporate speaking engagements.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darin_Steen [http://ezinearticles.com/?Easy-to-Follow-Systems-to-Lose-Fat-Fast-and-See-Your-Rock-Hard-Abs!&id=1213525 ]http://EzineArticles.com/?Easy-to-Follow-Systems-to-Lose-Fat-Fast-and-See-Your-Rock-Hard-Abs!&id=1213525
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Monday, August 17, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
How To Lose Fat, Not Just Weight
By Perce Tionic
“I want to lose weight.” Have you ever said that to yourself? If you’re reading this, chances are you have. Millions of people around the world are looking for new and better ways to lose weight; they try every new pill or diet out there. Unfortunately, they eventually realize that these diets are always temporary. In fact, most of them don’t even work! When someone wants to lose weight, they get desperate. I know this, because I was one of them. I used to weigh 265lbs. my senior year in high school. Granted, I was a lineman in football, and still had lots of muscle. But, there was that annoying fat around the belly.
After I graduated from high school, I stopped lifting weights completely. All the muscle I had underneath that layer of fat, disappeared. I was in much worse shape now. I was also a heavy smoker. I was smoking 1-2 packs a day. Actually, this is why I started to exercise again. I was hoping to clean out my lungs. However, I did not lift any weights; all I did was Cardio. Since I was going to college at the time, I had time to run during the day. I started out jogging for 20 minutes; it was EXTREMELY HARD at first because of all the smoking. But, I was eventually running 7-10 miles a day!
After running for several months, I quit smoking and lost a bunch of weight. Of course, when I looked in the mirror, I didn’t think I lost that much weight. I can see why anorexics look in the mirror and think they’re fat. It was when friends and family complimented me on my looks that I started to realize that I had actually lost a lot of weight. That gave me more of an incentive to continue running. Over the next year, I had lost a bunch more weight. I was 265lbs. when I started and I got down to 170lbs. That’s 95lbs of weight I lost! Notice I said weight, not Fat. I did lose a lot of fat, but I lost a lot of muscle too! I had a lot of muscle, due to being in football and track back in high school. Back then, I was benching 365lbs. and squatting 615lbs. That should give you an idea of what I used to look like. Now add about 50lbs of FAT on top of that muscle and you’ll get a better idea of what I used to look like. I lost that 50lbs of fat, but I also lost that 45lbs. of MUSCLE! Now, these are just my estimates, but they’re pretty close.
So, a couple years go by and I see some friends from high school at an event over the summer. When I go up to them to say hi, they didn’t recognize me. To some people that might seem like a compliment, but to me, it was not. When they realized it was me, they had an almost disgusted look on their face. Some actually asked me if I got sick or something. I told them that I was just doing a lot of running. After getting many of these looks, I took a long look in the mirror and realized that I was way too skinny. Keep in mind, I was always bigger and stronger than all of my friends at 6 Foot 265lbs. Now, I was their size or smaller, with not that much muscle left. So, after losing all that WEIGHT, I decided to gain it back in the form of MUSCLE. Wow, was that going to be hard!
I knew that in order to gain muscle, I had to eat much more than I was now. That means all the hard work, the 10 mile a day runs, would go to waste. I was so pissed! In the next few years or so, I started my journey to a better more muscular body. I have been struggling ever since. It has been 12 years since I graduated from high school. I have still not reached my goal. I am 30 years old and 220lbs. with 19% body fat at a height of 6 feet. I am not in the worst shape in the world, but I am nowhere near where I wanted to be. I am in the same place I was back in high school, only smaller. I have lots of muscle, but still have the fat around the mid section, which is where almost all of my fat is. I know exactly what to do to gain muscle and burn Fat, but I have not been able to be consistent with it, since I don’t always have time due to work. I know exactly how many calories, fat, carbs, protein that I need and how much and what kind of exercise I need. But, the problem is actually implementing it all. I have started lifting weights during my lunch hour and doing light cardio after work. I am eating a pretty good amount of GOOD calories so I can lift and gain muscle, and I am making sure I do enough low level cardio (walking, biking) for at least 45 minutes so I can BURN FAT and not just LOSE WEIGHT.
Up till now, I have been giving you a little background on me and my experience. I have done lots of research on burning fat and not just losing weight. I know I am now on my way to achieving the body and health that I want, and I would like to share that with you. There are many ways to lose FAT and KEEP MUSCLE. I know I am on the right track now and have seen the results. Now, I know not everybody is not looking to bulk up with muscle and lose fat. But, the techniques I use work for everybody. In the next paragraph, I will give you three simple steps that you will need to implement in order to Lose Fat, Not Just Weight.
If you are overweight and want to lose FAT, Not Just WEIGHT, there are several things you need to do. This formula is very simple; I’m not going to get into so much detail about exactly what you need to do, because each of you will find what works best for you after hearing the basics here. First of all, you can’t be Lazy! You will have to workout! Now, you don’t have to work out 5 days a week at an intense level, but you do have to work out. You can work out as little as twice a week. Second, you will have to find out how many calories, fat, carbs, and protein you will need for your age/height/body type. This is extremely important, because it will give you a guide on how to eat right. This does not necessarily mean you have to change your eating habits completely; you may just have to change how often you eat and what you are eating. The best thing to do is to eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day. This will make sure your metabolism is up. The higher your metabolism, the more fat you burn. Third, you will need to be consistent! You have to make this a life style. This is not something you can do for a little while, and then give it up because you achieved your results. You have to continue to do this your whole life, and change your exercise and eating habits accordingly throughout your life. If you can’t come to terms with this, then you will never be able to be in the shape you want. Well, that’s it; that’s all you have to do. You may have heard all of this many times, but that is because it is the best and only way to lose fat, not just weight. You will need to find what works for you with this formula. You can start now, and perfect it at your own pace.
It’s extremely important for you to do SOME reading on the three steps you need to Lose Fat, Not Just Weight. You need to make up your own eating habits and your own workout schedule. There is lots of information on these subjects and others that work, and you can find them at www.akkadians.org. This site will give you tons of information on the three important steps and more. If you’re serious about losing Fat, not just Weight, then you’ll try to learn more about the steps above, rather than wasting your time like I did for years. It does not take long, because they are very simple ideas. You just have to apply them. Good Luck! http://www.akkadians.org
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Perce_Tionic http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Lose-Fat,-Not-Just-Weight&id=494288
“I want to lose weight.” Have you ever said that to yourself? If you’re reading this, chances are you have. Millions of people around the world are looking for new and better ways to lose weight; they try every new pill or diet out there. Unfortunately, they eventually realize that these diets are always temporary. In fact, most of them don’t even work! When someone wants to lose weight, they get desperate. I know this, because I was one of them. I used to weigh 265lbs. my senior year in high school. Granted, I was a lineman in football, and still had lots of muscle. But, there was that annoying fat around the belly.
After I graduated from high school, I stopped lifting weights completely. All the muscle I had underneath that layer of fat, disappeared. I was in much worse shape now. I was also a heavy smoker. I was smoking 1-2 packs a day. Actually, this is why I started to exercise again. I was hoping to clean out my lungs. However, I did not lift any weights; all I did was Cardio. Since I was going to college at the time, I had time to run during the day. I started out jogging for 20 minutes; it was EXTREMELY HARD at first because of all the smoking. But, I was eventually running 7-10 miles a day!
After running for several months, I quit smoking and lost a bunch of weight. Of course, when I looked in the mirror, I didn’t think I lost that much weight. I can see why anorexics look in the mirror and think they’re fat. It was when friends and family complimented me on my looks that I started to realize that I had actually lost a lot of weight. That gave me more of an incentive to continue running. Over the next year, I had lost a bunch more weight. I was 265lbs. when I started and I got down to 170lbs. That’s 95lbs of weight I lost! Notice I said weight, not Fat. I did lose a lot of fat, but I lost a lot of muscle too! I had a lot of muscle, due to being in football and track back in high school. Back then, I was benching 365lbs. and squatting 615lbs. That should give you an idea of what I used to look like. Now add about 50lbs of FAT on top of that muscle and you’ll get a better idea of what I used to look like. I lost that 50lbs of fat, but I also lost that 45lbs. of MUSCLE! Now, these are just my estimates, but they’re pretty close.
So, a couple years go by and I see some friends from high school at an event over the summer. When I go up to them to say hi, they didn’t recognize me. To some people that might seem like a compliment, but to me, it was not. When they realized it was me, they had an almost disgusted look on their face. Some actually asked me if I got sick or something. I told them that I was just doing a lot of running. After getting many of these looks, I took a long look in the mirror and realized that I was way too skinny. Keep in mind, I was always bigger and stronger than all of my friends at 6 Foot 265lbs. Now, I was their size or smaller, with not that much muscle left. So, after losing all that WEIGHT, I decided to gain it back in the form of MUSCLE. Wow, was that going to be hard!
I knew that in order to gain muscle, I had to eat much more than I was now. That means all the hard work, the 10 mile a day runs, would go to waste. I was so pissed! In the next few years or so, I started my journey to a better more muscular body. I have been struggling ever since. It has been 12 years since I graduated from high school. I have still not reached my goal. I am 30 years old and 220lbs. with 19% body fat at a height of 6 feet. I am not in the worst shape in the world, but I am nowhere near where I wanted to be. I am in the same place I was back in high school, only smaller. I have lots of muscle, but still have the fat around the mid section, which is where almost all of my fat is. I know exactly what to do to gain muscle and burn Fat, but I have not been able to be consistent with it, since I don’t always have time due to work. I know exactly how many calories, fat, carbs, protein that I need and how much and what kind of exercise I need. But, the problem is actually implementing it all. I have started lifting weights during my lunch hour and doing light cardio after work. I am eating a pretty good amount of GOOD calories so I can lift and gain muscle, and I am making sure I do enough low level cardio (walking, biking) for at least 45 minutes so I can BURN FAT and not just LOSE WEIGHT.
Up till now, I have been giving you a little background on me and my experience. I have done lots of research on burning fat and not just losing weight. I know I am now on my way to achieving the body and health that I want, and I would like to share that with you. There are many ways to lose FAT and KEEP MUSCLE. I know I am on the right track now and have seen the results. Now, I know not everybody is not looking to bulk up with muscle and lose fat. But, the techniques I use work for everybody. In the next paragraph, I will give you three simple steps that you will need to implement in order to Lose Fat, Not Just Weight.
If you are overweight and want to lose FAT, Not Just WEIGHT, there are several things you need to do. This formula is very simple; I’m not going to get into so much detail about exactly what you need to do, because each of you will find what works best for you after hearing the basics here. First of all, you can’t be Lazy! You will have to workout! Now, you don’t have to work out 5 days a week at an intense level, but you do have to work out. You can work out as little as twice a week. Second, you will have to find out how many calories, fat, carbs, and protein you will need for your age/height/body type. This is extremely important, because it will give you a guide on how to eat right. This does not necessarily mean you have to change your eating habits completely; you may just have to change how often you eat and what you are eating. The best thing to do is to eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day. This will make sure your metabolism is up. The higher your metabolism, the more fat you burn. Third, you will need to be consistent! You have to make this a life style. This is not something you can do for a little while, and then give it up because you achieved your results. You have to continue to do this your whole life, and change your exercise and eating habits accordingly throughout your life. If you can’t come to terms with this, then you will never be able to be in the shape you want. Well, that’s it; that’s all you have to do. You may have heard all of this many times, but that is because it is the best and only way to lose fat, not just weight. You will need to find what works for you with this formula. You can start now, and perfect it at your own pace.
It’s extremely important for you to do SOME reading on the three steps you need to Lose Fat, Not Just Weight. You need to make up your own eating habits and your own workout schedule. There is lots of information on these subjects and others that work, and you can find them at www.akkadians.org. This site will give you tons of information on the three important steps and more. If you’re serious about losing Fat, not just Weight, then you’ll try to learn more about the steps above, rather than wasting your time like I did for years. It does not take long, because they are very simple ideas. You just have to apply them. Good Luck! http://www.akkadians.org
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Perce_Tionic http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Lose-Fat,-Not-Just-Weight&id=494288
Friday, July 3, 2009
Can I Just Lose Fat from My Legs, Hips, or Just My Stomach?
By Eduardo G. Perez
The most common and everlasting question I receive as a personal fitness trainer continues to be based on the myth of spot reduction. The questions tend to be, "Eduardo, show me an exercise to lose my love handles," “Eduardo, I just want to reduce the size of my thighs,” “Eduardo, I know you said that it’s not scientifically possible, but can you just give me a couple of exercises to tone my arms?”
Even though media has done a great job of debunking this myth it still persists. This is such a powerful notion that marketers have taken full advantage of it and invest a minimum of thirty-thousand dollars just to produce an infomercial on stomach and thigh saunas, abdominal machines, and leg toners. It’s a pretty large sum that provides four to ten times the return on their initial investment. I must have a sense of moral obligation when I am not joining that extreme money making bandwagon. As a matter of fact, in this brief article on the myth of losing fat from a specific area, I plan on joining the few in the fitness industry that want to inform the consumers on the truth.
As Personal Trainer, I consistently answer this question with a NO. The misconception of burning fat from a specific area of the body has been proven by research that it is false. Of course, if I am going to tell you that science has proved it false, I made sure to do my homework and dig up three studies that illustrate how flawed spot reduction is as a runner up to an urban myth.
The first study I want to illustrate will answer the questions of “I just want to lose fat from my stomach, can I just do crunches?” In 1984, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport reported that thirteen males did a total of 5000 sit-ups in 27 days. Biopsies of the subject’s fat cells were used to measure the change in fat cell diameter. The results showed that the subjects lost fat equally from the stomach, glutes, and upper back even though they only worked their abs.
“Eduardo, just give me leg exercises since all I want to do is lose fat from my legs and hips?” In a six-month long study of women who mainly did leg exercises for approximately nine hours per week lost an average of 5.7 pounds of fat. The Journal of Applied Physiology, the periodical that published this study, reported that the distribution of fat loss was 2.9 pounds from the trunk, 2.8 pounds from the arms, and 0 from their thighs. Their weekly nine hours of leg work resulted in zero fat loss from their thighs!
“Ok, so you say…” This is what I begin to hear after I try to explain spot reduction is a myth. It continues as, “that spot reduction doesn’t work, but can you just give me some arm exercises to reduce the fat from my arms?” This last illustration is from a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 1971, where world-class tennis players were tested to see if spot reduction could help in reducing the fat from the arms. The idea behind this study was that if spot reduction worked, the players would have one arm that's leaner than the other. Obviously, tennis players use their dominant arms forcefully everyday while doing relatively little with their non-dominant arms. Though the researchers did find the dominant arm to be bigger due to more muscle tone, there was no difference at all between arms in fat thickness. This study showed that working a certain muscle does not necessarily affect the fat deposits that may be lying above that muscle.
What are your weight loss options?
Your options are healthy eating and moderate to intense exercise. Going back to science, research has proven that exercise and healthy eating habits are the most important part of a weight loss and weight management program. Exercise helps to lose or control weight by using any extra calories that would have otherwise been stored a fat. For example, if you were to eat more calories than you actually use through physical activity, the extra calories would be stored as fat and you would gain weight. On the other hand, if you were to eat fewer calories than you actually use, your body would use stored calories resulting in weight loss. Of course, if your calories in are equal to the calories you use, your weight stays the same.
How many calories do I need to burn in order to lose one pound of fat?
In order to lose approximately one pound of fat you would have to expend about 3,500 calories in a week. One way to do this is to eat fewer calories, and burn more through exercise. If you burn about 300 calories a day and eat 200 less calories per day, you will have a 500 calorie deficit. In one week that would be 3,500 calories. My recommendation is that you keep a food journal, like the one found in the www.tartesos-fitness.com 6 Week Exercise Journal in order to start recognizing your calorie intake.
How do I set up my exercise routine to lose fat?
In order to lose fat, you would have to spend a minimum of one-hundred and fifty minutes exercising per week. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least thirty minutes of moderate to high intensity exercise at least five times per week. An example of a fitness program could be:
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday thirty minute power walk.
Every Tuesday and Thursday you do a thirty minute full-body weight training program followed by a fifteen to twenty minute moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise such as power walking.
Eduardo G. Perez is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise. He has over 16 years of experience in assisting individuals achieve their fitness and weight loss goals. In addition he is owner of http://www.myonline-fitness-coach.com an online fitness resource for achieving fitness goals at home, in your apartment or condo gym, without equipment, or a real life trainer.
If you would like more information on customized exercise and meal programs please see a personal trainer to assist you in achieving your goals. Remember, my mission as a personal trainer and fitness coach is to see you succeed. I hope that I have been able to debunk or at least make a dent in the spot reduction myth and put you on the road to an over all fat-free and healthy body in 2006.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eduardo_G._Perez http://EzineArticles.com/?Can-I-Just-Lose-Fat-from-My-Legs,-Hips,-or-Just-My-Stomach?&id=110698
The most common and everlasting question I receive as a personal fitness trainer continues to be based on the myth of spot reduction. The questions tend to be, "Eduardo, show me an exercise to lose my love handles," “Eduardo, I just want to reduce the size of my thighs,” “Eduardo, I know you said that it’s not scientifically possible, but can you just give me a couple of exercises to tone my arms?”
Even though media has done a great job of debunking this myth it still persists. This is such a powerful notion that marketers have taken full advantage of it and invest a minimum of thirty-thousand dollars just to produce an infomercial on stomach and thigh saunas, abdominal machines, and leg toners. It’s a pretty large sum that provides four to ten times the return on their initial investment. I must have a sense of moral obligation when I am not joining that extreme money making bandwagon. As a matter of fact, in this brief article on the myth of losing fat from a specific area, I plan on joining the few in the fitness industry that want to inform the consumers on the truth.
As Personal Trainer, I consistently answer this question with a NO. The misconception of burning fat from a specific area of the body has been proven by research that it is false. Of course, if I am going to tell you that science has proved it false, I made sure to do my homework and dig up three studies that illustrate how flawed spot reduction is as a runner up to an urban myth.
The first study I want to illustrate will answer the questions of “I just want to lose fat from my stomach, can I just do crunches?” In 1984, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport reported that thirteen males did a total of 5000 sit-ups in 27 days. Biopsies of the subject’s fat cells were used to measure the change in fat cell diameter. The results showed that the subjects lost fat equally from the stomach, glutes, and upper back even though they only worked their abs.
“Eduardo, just give me leg exercises since all I want to do is lose fat from my legs and hips?” In a six-month long study of women who mainly did leg exercises for approximately nine hours per week lost an average of 5.7 pounds of fat. The Journal of Applied Physiology, the periodical that published this study, reported that the distribution of fat loss was 2.9 pounds from the trunk, 2.8 pounds from the arms, and 0 from their thighs. Their weekly nine hours of leg work resulted in zero fat loss from their thighs!
“Ok, so you say…” This is what I begin to hear after I try to explain spot reduction is a myth. It continues as, “that spot reduction doesn’t work, but can you just give me some arm exercises to reduce the fat from my arms?” This last illustration is from a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 1971, where world-class tennis players were tested to see if spot reduction could help in reducing the fat from the arms. The idea behind this study was that if spot reduction worked, the players would have one arm that's leaner than the other. Obviously, tennis players use their dominant arms forcefully everyday while doing relatively little with their non-dominant arms. Though the researchers did find the dominant arm to be bigger due to more muscle tone, there was no difference at all between arms in fat thickness. This study showed that working a certain muscle does not necessarily affect the fat deposits that may be lying above that muscle.
What are your weight loss options?
Your options are healthy eating and moderate to intense exercise. Going back to science, research has proven that exercise and healthy eating habits are the most important part of a weight loss and weight management program. Exercise helps to lose or control weight by using any extra calories that would have otherwise been stored a fat. For example, if you were to eat more calories than you actually use through physical activity, the extra calories would be stored as fat and you would gain weight. On the other hand, if you were to eat fewer calories than you actually use, your body would use stored calories resulting in weight loss. Of course, if your calories in are equal to the calories you use, your weight stays the same.
How many calories do I need to burn in order to lose one pound of fat?
In order to lose approximately one pound of fat you would have to expend about 3,500 calories in a week. One way to do this is to eat fewer calories, and burn more through exercise. If you burn about 300 calories a day and eat 200 less calories per day, you will have a 500 calorie deficit. In one week that would be 3,500 calories. My recommendation is that you keep a food journal, like the one found in the www.tartesos-fitness.com 6 Week Exercise Journal in order to start recognizing your calorie intake.
How do I set up my exercise routine to lose fat?
In order to lose fat, you would have to spend a minimum of one-hundred and fifty minutes exercising per week. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least thirty minutes of moderate to high intensity exercise at least five times per week. An example of a fitness program could be:
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday thirty minute power walk.
Every Tuesday and Thursday you do a thirty minute full-body weight training program followed by a fifteen to twenty minute moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise such as power walking.
Eduardo G. Perez is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise. He has over 16 years of experience in assisting individuals achieve their fitness and weight loss goals. In addition he is owner of http://www.myonline-fitness-coach.com an online fitness resource for achieving fitness goals at home, in your apartment or condo gym, without equipment, or a real life trainer.
If you would like more information on customized exercise and meal programs please see a personal trainer to assist you in achieving your goals. Remember, my mission as a personal trainer and fitness coach is to see you succeed. I hope that I have been able to debunk or at least make a dent in the spot reduction myth and put you on the road to an over all fat-free and healthy body in 2006.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eduardo_G._Perez http://EzineArticles.com/?Can-I-Just-Lose-Fat-from-My-Legs,-Hips,-or-Just-My-Stomach?&id=110698
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