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Exercise can keep you fat! The fitness industry’s best kept secret.
What I’m about to tell you might have some fitness professionals up in arms but the fact is, in some circumstances exercise can actually work against you and keep you fat and here’s why.
In the fitness industry it is believed that the REAL “fat burning zone” is achieved after a high intensity workout where your metabolism can be elevated for up to 8 hours post workout.
However, I have tried this in the past with a large proportion of my clients and it has failed for the following reasons:
- It utilises more carbohydrate stores than it does fat.
- Due to the high intensity of the exercises a beginner finds it difficult and off putting and it leaves them feeling exhausted.
- High intensity work outs tend to make you absolutely ravenous and craving high calorie, high carbohydrate food, thus making any kind of weight loss difficult.
And there is the crux of the matter. Trying to achieve weight loss like this increases the appetite and therefore consumption of food and at the same time all you are burning off is a few carbohydrates whilst the fat remains firmly in place.
There is an answer though. I have used a technique over and over again with all my clients who come to see me for weight loss help and which does work, in fact it has never failed.
Well that is to say it has worked with what I call the “CC” clients (compliant clients) those who follow the programme. Clients who are “NCC” (non compliant clients) are never going to succeed in my eyes as they are just not mentally strong enough or don’t actually want it badly enough to put the effort in.
A weight loss programme that does work
The basis of this technique uses the “fat burning zone” off your heart rate whilst you are exercising and here are the key points.
- It burns off more fat than carbohydrates.
- It is very easy to perform for both beginners and experts alike.
- It doesn’t leave you feeling like you want to eat everything in front of you post workout.
For the programme to be successful you will need a heart rate monitor. It’s no good trying to use the ones on gym equipment, the ones where you are required to hold on to a bar or handle that is attached to the machine, as these are highly inaccurate.
Before you start if you want to track your progress you can do a simple test on a walking machine before you start the programme.
The simple test
Make sure your heart rate monitor is on and working. Go on a walking machine and walk for one mile or 1.6 kilometres with your heart rate at 140 beats per minute (BPM), no higher, no lower, keep it as close as you can to 140 BPM.
Once you have walked the mile, record how long it took you to complete it. Remember your heart rate must be as close as possible to 140 BPM.
This will require you manually adjust the speed of the walking machine, for example if your heart rate drops too low you will need to speed the machine up and if it goes too high you will need to slow the machine down.
It is always worth checking with your gym staff to see if the machine can perform this function automatically. I know that Technogym machines have a function built in so the machine will adjust the speed automatically to keep you at the heart rate you have set. This does save a little bit of messing about.
Now remember, this weight loss technique is not a “toning programme” or a “core stability programme” it is exactly what it says it is - a weight loss programme.
What you must do to lose weight
- You must perform one hour of cardiovascular exercise on any gym machine.
- You must wear a heart rate monitor and keep your heart rate between 140 -145 BPM for the full hour.
- You must do this 5 times a week, every week, for 12 weeks.
- You must eat a very balanced healthy diet keeping your calorie intake 300 calories below what you require per day. For example if you are a healthy male needing 2500 calories a day you must eat 2200 calories each day.
If you don’t know how many calories you need a day, use this simple calorie calculator http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU00598
And that is it, it is as simple that, you will lose weight, but if you do not follow this programme to the letter it will not work, that is a fact!
How much weight can you expect to lose?
The average weight loss you can expect is 1 - 2 lbs per week. This is a safe and healthy level that is easily sustainable. Don’t be tempted to reduce your daily calorie intake too low as your body will go into starvation mode and your metabolism will slow down thus making any fat loss very difficult indeed.
The best results I have personally had with my clients were with those who had at least a base line of some cardiovascular fitness. For those who are grossly overweight or are extremely unfit, you may need a little more time to see a big difference.
At the end of the 12 week period you can retest yourself over the one mile distance whilst keeping your heart rate at 140. If you have been “compliant” you should notice that you have to walk or run a lot faster to keep your heart rate at 140 beats per minute and the time it takes you to complete the mile should be faster for exactly the same amount of output i.e. 140 BPM.
The end result is that you do lose weight and increase your fitness level at the same time.
So why does this programme work so well?
It’s simply because you are training your body to “tap in to” your fat stores and are not making the mistake of over training, which would leave you feeling so hungry you could scoff a scabby donkey!!!
So what after the twelve weeks?
Well there lies another question and a whole new article. First I suggestyou try this then check back later and I will post a follow up programme.. Goodluck and stick too it..
Posted: 05 November 2007
Comments
Posted by Walshy on 09 September 2008
Here goes - I'll give this a try starting today and let's see how it works!
Editor.. Good luck and make sure you eat the correct amount of calories daily !
Posted by Mark on 17 April 2008
Hi, I've been doing this training pattern for 7 days a week for the last 5 weeks and i've lost 16 pounds. I'm not starving when i leave and so exhausted i don't want to go back. It works !!!!!!
Editors Comments : Excellent good for you , keep going ! You should start to notice your running- walking speed getting slighty faster for the same amount of output ie 140 BPM ..
Iam really please for you !
P.S I know it works , I have done it for years with all my weightloss clients.. :)
Posted by Nice site! on 19 March 2008
Nice site!
Posted by Stephen Clark on 08 March 2008
HIIT is the way to go for a long term achievable sculpted physique. Short bursts of high intense interval training after weight training helps you hold on to lean muscle tissue while forcing your body to breakdown stubborn stored fat cells. Doing long low intense sessions will result in you losing both fat but also muscle as well which in the end lowers basal RMR. Also who has 5 lots of 60mins to spare anyways every week for life. A routine should be something which can be maintained ie 3 lots of 60mins or every other day broken down in to weights and cv.
Editors Note : High intense interval training is a sure fire way to put a begginer off coming to the gym for life. And it also (as said in the article above) leaves you feeling like you want to eat the whole fridge.. if you cant spare a minimum of 30-45 mins a day for the first 12 weeks ( not life ) then I personally think you are not comitted to losing weight... Again this method above is about weight loss not muscle building or sculpting, through experience if you do not show exactly what the client is looking for within the first 12weeks (weight loss) they lose heart and stop coming to the gym and drop off training completely. I do however agree that once this period is over then having training days and rest days is a good way forward. After this initial 12 week period of breaking "new gym users" in slowly and giving them masses of support then you can change to using a system such as the HIIT system.. As said in the article above this is how I introduce new gym members into the gym who are looking for weight loss.. Obvious calorie control is also required.. Dave McEvoy NASM.
Posted by mimi on 09 January 2008
This will really be useful thanks
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