The Workouts for Fat Loss

The title of the last post "Time to 'HIIT' the Gym!" Why did I spell "hit" like that? If you research any kind of intense cardio workout you'll find a great number of experts that recommend High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT. What an HIIT workout generally consists of is breaking the workout into short intervals done at your maximum intensity followed by an interval of almost complete motionless rest.

For example, the cardio workouts for monday's and tuesday's are both examples of HIIT Cardio workouts.

When I do the hill sprints, I get on a treadmill and I raise the incline to 10.5 and I put the speed up to 8.8. I then sprint for a period of 20 seconds then I will jump off and rest for 20 seconds and I keep repeating this for 10 minutes. This is probably one of the highest intensity workouts you could ever do but remember it is only 10 minutes.

When I do the jump rope routine I will jump rope for 2 minutes straight, then I will rest for a minute. I will continue this until I have completed 10 sets of 2 minutes.

The reason HIIT is so good for fat loss is because it creates spikes in your heart rate which, in a sense, shocks the body making it release fat from all over your body utilizing it for energy. In layman's terms it makes your body say OH SHIT I AM ABOUT TO FALL OFF A TREADMILL!!!!! GIVE ME SOME FAT FOR FUEL SO I CAN KEEP UP WITH THIS DUDE!!

These are perfect examples of High Intensity "Interval" workouts. The 2 mile run and treading water are simply High Intensity Workouts. NOW in the world of fitness jargon, a high intensity workout is characterized as any workout where your heart rate is above 65% of your maximum heart rate for over 10 minutes.

A good way to figure your maximum heart rate is to take 220 and subtract your age. I am 22 so my max heart rate is 198. So theoretically if my heart rate goes to 199 it will explode, but clearly this is not what we want. I have figured out that in order for me to do any kind of High Intensity Workout-a workout that forces your body to utilize fat for energy, I need to keep my heart rate above 148 for a little over 10 minutes.

So remember, if your heart rate is above 65% of your maximum heart rate, there is a really good chance you are burning fat for energy and saving muscle.

Do a workout like this after about 20-25 minutes of lifting free weights and your metabolism will soar. Do this 3-5 times a week, coupled with a diet filled with fibrous carbohydrates, lean meats, fruits, and vegetables and BAM!!!! You are losing fat and you are looking and feeling straight SEXY!!\

Enjoy

Time to HIIT the Gym!

So, you have made sure you are well rested, made sure you have no preexisting injuries, your diet is squared away, and most importantly, you are HYDRATED, it is now time to hit the gym.

NOW the fad nowadays  seems to be that you need to cut your "calories" to about 1500 a day and spend about 5 hours a week on the elliptical, bike, or treadmill to lose weight. This is a stupid thing to do if you want to improve your fitness and actually feel GOOD while you lose weight. Will this method help you lose "weight?" Of course. Will you feel good, healthy, happy, satisfied, etc.? HELL NO!!

*The key to losing "fat," improving fitness, feeling good, is to force your metabolism to speed up.(I'm giving you pearls kid.)

Spending 45 minutes to an hour on a cardio machine like a treadmill will somewhat raise your metabolism but this is not a long term, effective workout. I tried this method and I was able to keep up with it for about 2 weeks before I threw my hands up and said SCREW IT! I was worn out. I had no energy for the rest of the things I had to accomplish during the day. I couldn't think straight. My hair looked thin and my skin even started to loosen up making me look sick.

If you don't believe me ask Ben Court, Editor of the "Men's Health WEIGHT LOSS GUIDE." He mentioned in this book that the time spent on a treadmill is "'almost' a waste of time."

Now that I have told what NOT to do, here is what I DO and is recommended by Stew Smith, retired Navy SEAL, personal trainer, and author of The Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness, and Maximum Fitness; and Jeff Cavaliere, personal trainer, Physical Therapist, former Strength and Conditioning Coach of the New York Mets, founder of the Athlean-X Training System.

*In order to make your metabolism soar, build muscle, burn fat, lose weight, and improve your fitness you must lift FREE weights, followed by a short, high intensity cardio workout. I hate to sound like the meat head jock, but research shows that lifting free weights is THE BEST exercise to make your metabolism sky rocket because your body expends a lot of energy and utilizes all of its tiny muscles trying to "stabilize" that big clunky weight you are trying to lift.

Following up with a short high intensity cardio workout does wonders as well AND it saves time. There are literally thousands of high intensity cardio workouts out there, so I am just going to list what I do so you have a guidline of what this training day format should look like.

Weight Lifting Routine.
 Monday-Chest/Arms followed by 10 minutes Hill sprints.
Tuesday-Legs followed by jump rope routine
Wednesday-Swim--tread water 10 minutes
Thursday-Upper back/Shoulders followed by 2 mile run in under 13:00 minutes
Friday-Lower Back/legs followed by basketball w/ friends or swim (remember its important to give yourself some fun cardio workouts or else you'll wear yourself out and get pissed off and quit.)

--I will explain the workouts in more detail in my next post--

Enjoy

Should I count calories to lose weight?

NO! This is one of the worst things a person could do if they want to improve their fitness level. Will you simply "lose weight" if you count calories? Yes, BUT this is not a healthy solution because if you aren't smart about the nutrients you are consuming you could go into starvation mode (catabolism) and burn a lot of muscle which is bad.

Reasons for losing muscle are scary because you will not have any energy, you will be irritable, your sleep patterns will be out of sync, and it is easier for depression to set in making it easier to quit your diet and exercise plan and GAIN weight.

NOW with this being said this does not mean you can eat whatever you want and as much as you want and still lose weight. Losing weight still requires meticulous measuring. What you SHOULD measure (but you don't have to if you are a beginner) is Grams of protein, grams of carbohydrates, grams of sugar, grams of fat, and you daily need of vitamins and minerals.

As I said before try to stay away from sugar as much as possible. The only sugar, in a good weight loss diet, should come from fruits which should only be eaten 2-3 servings daily.

The majority of nutrients on a good weight loss diet should come from LEAN meats and vegetables. For example, have a turkey sandwich on wheat bread with a side salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar as a dressing. This is a perfect, nutritious lunch example for a meal. The wheat bread takes care of your starchy carb, the turkey takes care of your lean protein, the salad should take care of vitamins, and the olive oil on the salad is a good HEALTHY fat. (Remember to hydrate too. A few glasses of water should be fine.)

If you fulfill these requirements at every meal you will not only lose weight, but you will FEEL FULL. Also, you will have energy for your workout or the rest of the day!

REMEMBER feeling full is important because....well...you feel satisfied. If you want to bring calories into the equation 3 crispy kreme donuts and 6 grilled chicken breasts equal the same amount of "calories." Which one do you think will keep you full throughout the day while building muscle and NOT spiking your insulin? 

Enjoy

Weight Loss tip 2- Carbs here, Carbs there, Carbs Everywhere

In my last post I mentioned that WHEN you consume foods with carbohydrates it is better to stay away from foods with a high Glycemic Index AKA easily digestible carbs and simple sugars (candy, cookies, chocolate,etc.)

So what foods have a low Glycemic Index? I can't just not eat carbs dude!

Foods with a low Glycemic Index digest very slowly giving you more sustained energy, and they do not spike your insulin or blood sugar.

Examples:
Wheat Bread
Wheat Pasta
Brown Rice
Oats
Nuts
Green Leafy Vegetables
etc.

NOW do not make the mistake in thinking "Ok! instead of eating a big heaping plate of white pasta, I'll just eat a big heaping plate of wheat pasta and hot dam! I'll still lose weight!"

WRONG these foods should be eaten very sparingly if you want to lose weight. Every time you put these carbohydrate choices on your plate imagine that wherever you picked it up from is the last of that food on earth because although these are healthier food options because they keep your blood sugar steady, they are still very dense foods and can make you gain weight if you eat too much of them. (This is one thing the fitness magazines never told me, so being a newb I made this mistake. Don't do it. Eat carbs sparingly.)

Enjoy

Understanding Insulin Levels, Glycemic Index, and Blood Sugar for weight loss.

I want to take this next phase of the blog in two steps 1.) Burning fat and 2.) Building muscle.

Since the first phase is burning fat, there are some important things you must know about insulin levels in order to create your own perfect diet.

Ever have that drowsy, sleepy crash after eating a big heaping plate of pasta? This means that you ate too many fast digesting carbohydrates at once so your body rushed to get all of that glycogen (sugar) out of your blood stream and now you could sleep for hours.

This is bad for someone trying to lose weight. The process mirrors that of working out for over an hour-when your insulin spikes, your body releases cortisol which burns MUSCLE and stores FAT.

So what foods spike insulin?

Insulin spikes when you consume too many sugars and easily digestible carbohydrates.A.K.A Foods with a High Glycemic Index.

These include:
White pasta
White bread
white rice
cookies
cake
pie
brownies
sodas
sports drinks (yea those too)
candy
chocolate
white pita bread
etc.
 

I am not suggesting a low carb diet for weight loss, but cutting down on these foods does help tremendously.

REMEMBER 80% of results come from what you eat. Stay healthy.

Enjoy

Tip-Getting Your diet in check.

A good thing to remember when trying to improve your health and level of fitness is your diet. REMEMBER 80% of your fitness, looks, health, and even your emotional state of happiness/sadness is determined by your diet. Thats right your diet.

Your diet not only encompasses what type of foods you eat but also when you eat them.

So when you determine your EXACT fitness goals whether they are to build muscle and or burn fat and lose weight you should base your food intake on your metabolism and genetic body type.

REMEMBER a person who is active with a lot of lean muscle mass will burn more calories than a person without lean muscle mass. This means a body builder will burn more calories just by watching tv than a regular average Joe.

Another big factor in learning the speed of your metabolism is your genetic body type. There are 3 basic body types:
1.)Ectomorph
2.) Mesomorph
3.) Endomorph

Rather than explain the differences I will let this figure do it for me.




As you can see each body type is different. Ectomorphs have fast metabolisms and it is hard for them to build muscle, while at the same time it is easy for the mesomorph to build muscle. The endomorph will find it extremely hard to lose weight.

Determining your body type will help you get your own personal diet and exercise plan that is ideal for reaching your fitness goals. EXAMPLE if you are an ectomorph and you want to build muscle it is not crazy to aim to consume 5,000-6,000 calories a day. If you are an endomorph and you want to lose fat, you should aim to consume LESS THAN 2,000 calories a day. Remember this can't happen over night so I would suggest cutting small unhealthy foods out of your diet until you are able to comfortably do this every day.

Enjoy

Step 2

"So you want to get in shape" was the first step any individual should take when embarking on their own personal fitness journey.

This is step 2.

When you work out for the first time or you are tying something new, DO NOT GO BALLS TO THE WALLS 200% ON THE FIRST DAY!!!!

This is something I used to do and I would be dead for the next day. REMEMBER this is a slow process and it requires patience.

Don't be afraid to have moderate intensity on the first day or when trying a new exercise.

What I do
-When I go to the gym I try to be walking out the door in less than an hour. I lift a few exercises on the muscle group I want to train for that day. I do some cardio, then I peace out.

TIP-Aim to spend 30-40 minutes working out. NEVER go longer than an hour. Why? Because 1.) If your goal is to burn fat, then after an hour your body releases "cortisol" all over your body which is a hormone that stores fat. 2.) If your goal is to build muscle, after an hour your body goes into a "catabolic" state meaning it starts to break down your muscle for energy.

So, if you work out for more than an hour your body burns MUSCLE and stores FAT.

Keep the intensity moderate the first few times you work out and remember, 30-40 minutes max.

So you want to get in shape?

You want to get in shape. You want to lose 10 pounds and slim down. You want to add 10 pounds to your bench press. You want to fit into that old dress. You want to go from running an 8 minute mile to running a 7 minute mile.

This is all fine and good but there are some things you MUST do before you even begin to train.

1.) Get Hydrated. It does not matter how hard you work. Your fitness goals will never become a reality unless you are hydrated. This means your body will not work AT ALL if you do not have WATER in it. Water really is the healthiest option people.

2.) Be well rested. Make sure your schedule is set up to where you can comfortably get AT LEAST 7 or 8 hours of sleep per night.

3.) Vividly Define your fitness goals. Before you get to work you need to know EXACTLY what you want to accomplish. Develop a timeline and set small, attainable goals for yourself. REMEMBER results come very slowly but if you stick to it, you will see them in a month or two. (Sorry to burst your bubble. Just being honest.)

4.) Make sure your body and mind are ready for STRESS. Make sure your body is physically sustained enough to work out. See your doctor if you have a physical condition or injury. Also, fitness results happen a lot quicker if your social, work, financial, and married/relationship life is in check. Trust me, it is hard to get results if you are down in the dumps.

5.) Set aside the time and place. Be sure that you know exactly where you will workout, (Home, gym, yard, beach etc.) and be sure to develop an easy, doable schedule for working out. If you decide you want to work out 3 days a week then make sure before the week starts, you know exactly what time you will work out each day.

6.) Make sure your diet is in check. Whatever diet will help you reach your fitness goals is the one you want to stick to. REMEMBER diet makes up 80% of your results.

When all of these things are taken care of NOW you can go to the gym and get to work.

Enjoy

My Background

I know this should probably be under the "about me" tab but that didn't work when I tried it and I'm too excited to get this blog started but before I do that, I wanted to give a brief history of my fitness background so you all know why you are reading my posts.

I am 22 years old. I stand 6 feet and 3 inches off the ground. I weigh about 210 pounds, and my body fat percentage is about 12%. I was never this fit though.

In High school I played football and I just wanted to be an enormous juggernaut because I was an Offensive/Defensive Lineman. I lifted weights, rarely ran or did cardio, and by my senior year of high school I weighed 305 pounds. (I wanted to play offensive line in college.)

When I was a sophomore in college I passed out from heat exhaustion right in the middle of August training camp and I thought-I could probably carry myself a lot easier if I lost a little weight.

Skipping ahead (I don't want to bore you)

By the end of my senior football season in college I was about 230 pounds and I was playing tight end.

Shortly after my football career ended I made the decision to serve my country and and join the military. This was ultimately the decision that motivated me to lose SERIOUS weight. I knew that I had to be light on my feet. I knew I had to become as fast and as agile as those cross country kids I used to make fun of in high school or I would never make it.

So, making a long story short, I want to share with all of you the research I have done that helped me lose almost 100 POUNDS over the course of 4 years while still maintaining good healthy strength.

Enjoy  

About this blog.

Welcome all!
I wanted to create this blog for the sole purpose of teaching normal people like me, about health and fitness. I am just like everyone else. I want no BS answers so that I can get the results I want as soon as possible. I do NOT want to have to buy anything and I DO NOT want to be lied to or manipulated. Sadly that is how most of our society is when you are trying to independently research how to reach your fitness goals.

I am here to tell you that I am a normal consumer just like you and I simply want to give you a short cut to the real information you are looking for. I GUARANTEE THAT I AM NOT TRYING TO SELL SOMETHING OR MANIPULATE YOU IN ANY WAY!!!!!!

I reassure you that this blog will be strictly informative about diet and exercise and most importantly, NO ATHLETE IS EXCLUDED!!!!! This means if you are a girl who is 5'4, 115 pounds and you want to be 105 pounds, this blog will assist you. If you are a man who is 200 pounds and you want to be 260 pounds of straight muscle, this blog will assist you. If you are a basketball player and you simply want to jump higher this blog will assist you. Everyone from cheerleaders to dancers to crossfiters, football players, wrestlers, and body builders are welcome!

Enjoy