Archive for the 'Body Composition' Category

08
Jul

Cardio Training for Fat Loss

By petar 0 Comments
Categories: Cardio, Weight Loss and Body Composition

To follow up on my previous post about the myth of the fat-burning zone, I decided to write about proper cardio training for fat loss.

There are two basic principles to keep in mind. The first is that cardio for loss requires higher intensity. As I pointed out in the other post, a greater amount of fat is burned from intense exercise. This means that shorter but intense sessions of cardio are more effective than longer and more mellow ones.

The second principle is that of adaptability. The body is able to adapt to different things. Through practice, it learns how to deal with different tasks and challenges. Thats why we are capable of progress. Unfortunately, this same ability can hinder us. Because the body can adapt, it is possible to hit a plateau. For instance, by following the same workout regimen a person will see results in the beginning but as time passes there would be smaller and smaller change until there is stagnation. Then their efforts will yield no results. For this reason, its important to constantly keep our bodies guessing and not allowing them to fully adapt to our workouts. Only then will progress be constant. Too often do I see members at my gym following the exact same training regimen for months without seeing any of their hard work paying off. So what am I getting to: its very important to vary your cardio workouts!

What this all adds up to:
To lose fat its necessary to keep your cardio sessions intense and to vary them. Constant change will keep “shock” the body and prevent it from hitting a plateau. Don’t just stick to one form of cardio, do different things. Cycle between rowing, cycling, running, etc. Also, mix up your workouts so that some days are more intense than others, or, do interval training where you go back and forth between hard and moderate intensities.

Here is a sample 3-day cardio workout:
Monday
20 minutes on the treadmill. Cycle between:
1 minute 90% effort,
2 minutes 65% effort

Wednesday
20 minutes rowing. Cycle between:
sprint for 500 meters,
moderate row for 800 meters.

Friday
30 minutes:
10 minutes Cycling at 85% intensity,
10 minutes Elliptical at 70% intensity,
10 minutes Running at 85% intensity.

The two principles of cardio training for fat loss are evident in this sample regimen. The same workout is not done twice in the same week and all of them are intense. Modeling your own cardio regimen after this one is the key towards effectively burning off unwanted fat.

08
Jul

The Myth of the “Fat Burning Zone”

By petar 2 Comments
Categories: Cardio and Body Composition

It is time to set the record straight: the “fat burning zone” is a myth. Low intensity cardiovascular training is not the best way to lose fat. That’s a common misconception. Here’s why:
It is true that fats are the main energy source in low intensity workouts (60-65% of the maximum heart rate). About 55% of the total calories expended come from fat*. On the other hand, only 15% of the total calories expended in high intensity workouts (80-90% of the maximum heart rate) come from fat*. This has led some to believe that it is more efficient to stick to a low intensity training when trying to get rid of fat. However, there is another factor that needs to be taken into account and that is the total amount of calories burned. More calories are expended during high intensity workouts than low intensity ones. This means the following: even though fat makes a greater percentage contribution to total energy metabolism during light versus intense aerobic activity, a large total amount of fat is burned during higher intensity aerobic exercise.

Let’s take a look at this mathematically:

High Intensity Workout (30 minutes)= 500 calories expended. 500 x .15 (15% from fat)= 75 calories from fat.

Low Intensity Workout (30 minutes)= 100 calories expended. 100 x .55 (55% from fat)= 55 calories from fat.

The numbers speak for themselves. So when its time to get rid of that stubborn fat, increase your intensity and forget about the non-sense of the fat-burning zone.

*McArdle, Katch & Katch, Sports and Exercise Nutrition, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, 1999.

31
May

Strength Training: The Fountain of Youth

By petar 0 Comments
Categories: Weight Loss, Body Composition and Strength Training

462.bmpIt is common knowledge that strength training can induce fat loss and improve athletic performance. However, a recent study shows that the it can also reverse the effects of aging. According to a Reuters article, a small study was conducted at Buck Institute for Age Research in Novato, California which showed that older muscles can be rejuvinated through exercise. Basically, the study found that resistance training improved gene expression in older muscles. The improved gene expression meant that the functioning of the mitochondria got better, a sign that the muscles looked more youthful. Hence, the study concluded that strength training not only preserves muscles, but also prevents age from taking its toll on them.

Therefore, this study re-inforces the saying, “age ain’t nothing but a number.” So if you are trying to look younger and keep your age from showing, you need to hit the gym.

20
May

Diets vs. Healthy Eating

By petar 0 Comments
Categories: Nutrition, Weight Loss and Body Composition

If diets worked, how come there are so many of them?”
-Tim Keightley

diet.jpgWhile most of us at one time or another have tried to go on some type of diet, few can say that they actually stuck with it and achieved long-lasting results. Why? They are too restrictive and hard to stick to. They are too extreme and are centered around a negative perception of eating, i.e. “eating carbs is bad, stay away from them at all costs.” A diet puts nutrition and eating in terms of negatives. However, that is the wrong way to look at them. As humans we do not respond well to negation. We don’t like it when our choices are restricted. And that is why diets are not very successful. They attempt to enforce a regimen that we cannot conform with.

That is the psychological explanation as to why diets do not work. But there is also a physical explanation. They are usually based on extremes. However, our bodies do not like extremes. They demand moderation and consistency. We eat because our bodies require a certain balanced amount of nutrients to function. The nutrients are divided into two groups: macro and micro. Macro are those that we need large quantities of: protein, fat and carbohydrates. Micronutrients are those nutrients that we need a smaller amount of: vitamins and minerals. For our bodies to function properly they need a proper amount of each of the nutriets. Unfortunately, diets are centered on cutting back on the nutrients that we need. Therefore, while there might be some short-term results, diets are hard on the body. By not getting the nutritients that the body needs, it is hard to sustain both the the results of the diet and a healthy life-style. I could go on and critique every diet that exists out there individually, but I have just described the fundamental reason as to why diets do not work.

Clearly, proper nutrition is important. Therefore, there is a distinction between healthy eating and diets. Healthy eating, as opposed to diets, is based on moderation and consistency. It is a positive outlook on eating because it does not place a restriction on what can and cannot be consumed. Rather, it limits the amount of consumpion of different foods. Healthy eating centered around portion-control allows for the body to obtain all of the nutrients that it needs without creating a surplus. This approach is much easier to follow than diets which makes it easier to maintain over a period of time.

What exactly constitutes healthy eating? That I will talk about in my next post.


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