To lose weight, you have to burn calories at a higher rate than you consume for some time. But the type of calories your body burns is very important: either aerobic or anaerobic calories.
• Have you gained the muscle or lost the fat that you set out to?
• Have you hit a “plateau” where you just don’t seem to get results?
• Are you starting to lose motivation to follow your training and eating plan?
Everyone will inadvertently hit a frustrating plateau in their training at one time or another. You're cruising along for a while, gaining strength, losing fat, looking better, and then all of the sudden it hits. Suddenly, you find yourself even weaker than before on your lifts, or you find that you've gained back a couple of pounds. It happens to everyone. Most of the time, these plateaus occur because people rarely change their training variables over time. Many people stick to the same types of exercises for the same basic sets and reps and rest periods with the same boring cardio routine. Well, I hope to open your mind and bring some creativity to your workouts with this article!
According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), there are three basic approaches to 'strengthen bones and maintain muscle tissue, decrease fatigue brought on by normal daily activities, decrease cholesterol levels, promote a healthy body weight and body composition, improve balance, coordination and body awareness, and contribute to positive body image, self-esteem and self-confidence' .
It's a scientifically proven fact that muscle proteins are broken down and used for energy during aerobic exercise. But don't worry, you are constantly breaking down and re building muscle tissue anyway. This process is called "protein turnover." Your body is constantly alternating back and forth between anabolic (building) and catabolic (breaking down) cycles. That's just a normal part of life. Your goal is simply to tip the scales slightly in favor of increasing the anabolic side and reducing the catabolic side just enough so you stay on the anabolic side and you gain or at least maintain muscle.
DO CARDIO DAILY If you progressively increase your cardio, as needed, up to as much as 30-45 minutes a day 6-7 days per week for 8-12 weeks, you'll get so lean, you'll kick yourself for not realizing it was that simple. Now, I would not necessarily recommend starting with this amount, particularly if you're a beginner. However, if you're already exercising, but you're not satisfied with your fat loss, I highly recommend that you slowly and progressively increase your cardio to the point where you're doing it daily.
REDUCE YOUR CARBS, BUT DON'T CUT THEM ALL OUT AND DON'T STAY ON LOW CARBS TOO LONG I'm not a big fan of very low carb diets (VLCD) or "ketogenic" diets. Although they have worked for many people, most people report that they make you feel like crap, you get "brain fog," you lose muscle along with the fat, and your training intensity suffers from lack of muscle glycogen (even on a "cyclical" ketogenic diet). Low carbs and high activity don’t go well together. The worst side effect of the VLCD is one that few people think of because it requires a long-term perspective and most people are caught up in short term results:
It is common knowledge that poor diet is a decisive factor in many conditions and diseases, including obesity, certain types of cancer and heart disease. The link between good health and good nutrition has been well established, and interest in nutrition and its impact on sporting performance is now a science in itself. Whether you are a competing athlete, a weekend sports player or a dedicated daily exerciser, the cornerstone to improved performance is a well balanced diet.
Many women are interested in strengthening and toning their muscles. And for good reason: strong, toned, well-defined muscles look great, feel great, and get peoples' attention! They also come in handy when you need 'functional' strength to lift/move/open/throw/etc. an object
If you’re looking to make some positive changes to your body this year, by following a number of these fundamental tips, you’ll be sure to be on the right track
