subject: Breaking Through Plateaus With Training Part Ii [print this page] Youve stopped losing fat. Youve stopped losing fat.
Weight loss plateaus are very common, and very frustrating. Usually, when people first begin to exercise they see quick results towards their weight loss goals. But, unfortunately, after several weeks the weight loss slows or completely stops, keeping them from reaching their target weight. In this article, Ill explain a few ways you can adjust your training to reignite your fat burning furnace.
Look at the type of cardio training youre doing.
If you only perform moderate-intensity cardio, you may be missing out on a more effective type of cardiovascular activity. High intensity interval training (or HIIT) is a method of exercise characterized by short bouts of intense exertion, followed by a period of less intense exercise or complete rest. This type of training has many advantages over steady-state, moderate cardio. First and foremost, it takes up less of your most valuable assettime! Who doesnt want better results in less time?
Working with HIIT has been proven to be the most effective way to burn fat. Let me explain.
The body first uses glycogen stored in muscles for energy; after ones glycogen stores are depleted, the body turns to fat for fuel. With moderate intensity cardio, it takes the average person around thirty minutes to burn through their glycogen stores. So, after a 40-minute, moderate-intensity run on a treadmill, only ten of those minutes were spent burning fat! However, high intensity exercise depletes ones muscles glycogen stores faster than long, moderate-intensity exercise; therefore, HIIT is more effective for targeting fat for energy. Its this aspect of HIIT that makes it more efficient and effective than steady-state cardio.
If you cant perform HIIT, I advise you to do your moderate-intensity cardio after weight lifting sessions; the principal is the same as HIIT training. Intense weight lifting quickly depletes your bodys stored glycogen, causing the body to use fat for energy if you perform cardio shortly afterwards.
If you arent lifting weights, start.
Some people are unaware of the positive effects of weight lifting for weight loss. Because weight lifting helps to preserve muscle mass while losing weight, its a highly effective type of training to use when youre looking to get lean. If youre afraid of getting that bulked-up look, dont worry. As long as youre consuming fewer calories than youre burning, you arent going to bulk upwhat you will do is preserve the muscle mass you have while you burn off the fat thats hiding it.
Weight lifting promotes a higher lean-to-fat ratio in your body. A higher lean-to-fat ratio results in a faster metabolic rate, which is the rate at which your body burns calories. This is because pound for pound, muscle tissue expends more energy than fat tissue. The increased calorie burn, compounded throughout the day, allows weight control to become easier and more effective.
If youve stopped seeing results from your weight loss plan, try implementing these variations in your training. If you have any questions or observations, feel free to leave a comment below, and look for more NextPhase advice!
