The “Right” Type of Exercise to Maximize Your Fat Loss and Weight Loss Efforts
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The “Right” Type of Exercise to Maximize Your Fat Loss and Weight Loss Efforts
Dr. Colleen Trombley(“Dr Mom Online”) is a leading expert in Natural Health & Wellness. Her unique perspective and scientific understanding of Wellness provides simple solutions and transformational results for those struggling with stubborn weight loss and health issues. http://www.LoseToxicFat.com
People often ask me what the “best” type of exercise is to lose excess weight and burn fat. Before I divulge such spicy little secrets, I like to make certain they have a clear understanding of the importance of movement in general.
We innately require motion in order for our cells to function at their optimal levels and express health. We need a variety of movement on a very regular basis – daily movement is ideal. What is often surprising to many people is that it’s actually motion that “runs” the brain. Motion, especially of the spine and its surrounding tissues, sends massive proprioceptive input to the brain which serves as fuel for our brains. Whatever fuels our brains in turn builds our health.
What types of motion serve as fuel for us? Motion that involves and of the following: endurance, speed, balance, strength, proprioception, agility, flexibility, power, isometric contraction, and so on. We would maximize our health by including some combination of these movements into our lifestyle on a regular basis. That doesn’t mean we need to become marathon runners or fitness competitors! Just daily motion of some sort will build our health.
Now, let’s take a look at weight loss and fat burning. When it comes to achieving optimal body composition (body weight, body fat percentage and lean muscle mass), there’s one running theme for success: increase your Resting Metabolic Rate. Your Resting Metabolic Rate is essentially described as how efficiently your body runs – burning fat for fuel, for example -while at rest. Building lean muscle is the most effective way to increase your Resting Metabolic Rate.
What types of exercise build lean muscle? The number one form of movement that builds lean muscle is resistance training. This could mean weight training with traditional weights like dumbbells and bars, or resistance bands, or other tools like medicine balls and kettle bells and so on. You can even use your own body weight for resistance or do isometric contractions. There are so many options.
Next, for maximum fat-burning potential, it’s important to incorporate intensity. Bursts of high-intensity movements followed by short recovery periods – also known as interval training – are an incredibly successful way to burn fat. In the case of “cardio-type” activity, this could mean doing things like adding bursts of increased speed to your walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, etc.
In the case of resistance training, you can accomplish this increased intensity by choosing challenging weights and fewer repetitions while moving through the full range of motion of more functional, ‘global’ exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups and overhead presses for example. These types of “big” movements all incorporate multiple muscle groups and therefore accomplish more work and raise your Resting Metabolic Rate more.
Also, doing full body work outs each time you do a resistance training work out increases the intensity overall as compared to breaking up a work out into certain body parts on certain days. As far as “spot” training or target training for areas like abdominals and glutes, there’s some misleading information out there. First, you need to focus on overall fat burning or you won’t be able to see those ab muscles or that firm derriere! You can always add those as toning exercises, but they shouldn’t be the main focus of your work outs.
Work outs that are shorter and more focused, with bursts of high-intensity are the best way to accomplish your fat burning and weight loss goals. Gone are the days of getting on a treadmill for 45-60 minutes or going out for a long walk or run several times a week and thinking these are the best way to lose weight.
Are these exercises “bad”. No, of course not. They’re just not the best way to increase your Resting Metabolic Rate for the longest time possible. The high-intensity intervals can raise your Resting Metabolic Rate for many, many hours (even a day or two), while old-school traditional aerobic cardio exercise may only raise it for a short time after the actual work out.
That doesn’t mean you have to stop doing your traditional cardio. Remember, ALL motion is beneficial. My recommendation is to add interval training, in both your cardio and resistance work outs, a few times each week in order to burn more fat. Variety is another key to your success. Mix your work outs up for the best results. If you haven’t been doing resistance training at all, start now! Not only will it dramatically assist your efforts to drop excess pounds of fat, but it provides benefits on many other levels as you age as well.
So, there’s the answer to the “right” type of exercise question! First, move in some way everyday. Next, for fat burning and weight loss in particular, add 2 or 3 shorter work outs each week that are focused on high-intensity intervals in both your cardio as well as your resistance training workouts.
Get ready to go out and shop for some new clothes for that lean body of yours!
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