SPRING IS IN THE AIR AND SUMMER IS FAST APPROACHING
We are at that point in time of the year, where I get that same old question fired at me… “Jo, what’s the best way to lose weight for summer?” YIP!…
Let me help you drop that last few stubborn winter kilos by taking a three-pronged approach. I will over the next three weeks post a blog on each different approach that I believe all add up and complement each other in achieving the best possible result to obtain the leanest YOU.
The AEROBIC THRESHOLD-Cardio approach
Generally speaking, the thing that I see stopping people the most from achieving prolonged weight loss goals is that they don’t stay in their aerobic threshold long enough to have any impact of utilizing their fats from the body’s abundant fat stores as energy. They get all excited on the endorphins that are created when you get Anaerobic and get off track. Or they believe all the latest HYP about THE NEW WAY… and how intervals are V for VICTORY as far as the fight against that FLAB!!
The latest fad diet and the latest and greatest fat blast sprint technique… YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST FOLKS…!!! It’s all just designed to get the consumer buying these magazines or downloads and APPS. People sure know how to stimulate there own economy by creating, THE NEXT BEST THING!
In my mind, the guys who get their body fat % down to insane levels to a point in time, are BODYBUILDERS… you really need to know what you’re doing to get down to 4-6% body fat… do you ever recall seeing them doing interval training to get there… Ehhhh NO. You see them stick the treadmill on level, inline six and walk for an hour every day. don’t get me wrong though, they are taking a 3 to 4 pronged approach at it, but still, the facts remain the same, Aerobic over Anaerobic any day of the week, wins every time! I’ve had many many clients pay me lots and lots of $$$ to get achieving their fat % goals over many years of coaching… Focus on the low-intensity stuff, where the direct energy source is fat from the body. Here it is definitely: less effort = LEANER.
1. Get yourself a nice 5 minute warm up.
2. Take your heart rate to around 70% of your maximum heart rate.
3. Maintain that for 45-60min.
Nice and steady wins the race here guys. You will find that there will be a lot of sweat! A big chunk of every fat molecule is water, so when you are dripping wet and wondering why as your work rate isn’t that high, the fats are breaking down into energy and one of the bi-products is water (SWEAT).
SWEAT IS FAT CRYING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!
1. Aerobic threshold training = Energy comes from Air and Fat.
2. Anaerobic threshold training = Energy comes from Carbs, Fats & PROTEIN.
CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY
Stay between the 65-75% of MAX HR. I tell my clients to sit at 70% just to make sure. (why?) The Anaerobic threshold is around the 75%MAX HR mark, as this 1. differs in everyone depending on fitness levels. We really are making a calculated guess in this regard and where the Aerobic threshold and Anaerobic threshold actually meet, so by staying that little bit lower means that you definitely stay in that FAT MULCHING ZONE!!!….
As soon as you head over that 70-75% of MAX HR, you start going into the “grey area”, energy systems start changing over from body fats to Carbs.
To roughly identify your maximum heart rate & work out your 70% of max:
Women = (220 – your age)
Men = (224- your age)
I am 46 yrs old male. The equation works like this: 224-46 = 124.6bpm
A pragmatic approach:
1. 1kg of fat tissue equals 3500 calories.
2. 1 hour of aerobic threshold cardiovascular = 600 calories.Unless you’re using a
Cybex- Arc trainer at LiFT gym, then an hour would look more like 800 calories.
3. 6 days of aerobic training in this threshold = 3600 calorie deficit you are looking
for… this equals just a fraction over a kilo of fat in calories.
There you have the key to weight management through Aerobic cardiovascular threshold training. Move your body for one hour a day, an hour a day six days a week is definitely 100% commitment. Be sure to give yourself a day off in the middle.
STANDBY
You should definitely be getting your weight management sorted out through a triple-pronged approach:
1. Aerobic threshold training.
2. Proper nutrition plan.
3. A good all-around strength and conditioning regime.
By taking this approach, you should be able to strip two kilos per week of sustainable, healthy weight loss.
You must set out a weekly goal and commit to achieving it or you will not hit the mark and fall short of your goal… DON’T BE THAT GUY or GALL!!!