The Most Effective Way to Burn Fat

 

Are you one of the millions of people trying to lose weight? If you are looking for a quick fix, this is definitely not the right place. Before I go into the details, it is important to note that to sustainably lose and keep weight off, you should make fitness a lifestyle. So if you are looking for a starvation or waist trainer solution, I will not be the right person to help.

That said, how can you make fitness a lifestyle but make your workouts as effective as possible? Here are a few tips to help:

• You need both strength training and cardio. Many women seem to be scared to lift weights and many men seem to only want to lift weights. Guess what? Cardio (e.g. running, swimming, cycling, etc.) is effective to burn excess energy, but strength training (e.g. lifting, crunches, etc.) allows the body to continue to burn that energy while in a state of rest. Also, strength training gives you the definition that you don't get from doing just cardio.
• High intensity interval training (HIIT) is more effective to lose weight than moderate intensity. First off, what is HIIT? HIIT is a form of exercise where you continuously spike up your heart rate by going very intense for a few seconds and then bringing your heart rate down. This back and forth actually gets you to burn more than when you don't go very hard. So if you are looking to lose weight, I recommend incorporating about 2 HIIT days into your routine each week.
• Get some rest. It may sound counter-intuitive, but you do not burn fat effectively by going super duper hard every single day. You have to mix your workout intensity, and you have to sleep. The muscle fibers you tear during your workouts are actually built up during your rest time.

Now that you have these tips, what are you going to do differently?

How Does Weight Loss Happen?

It is no secret that weight loss is one of the biggest struggles people have. There is so much information out there, but it can be overwhelming especially when it feels like your body is not doing what you need it to do. So to help ease the process, I'm going to tell you the basics of how weight loss happens. Ready?

First off, every person's body is different in structure, mass, length, processing of calories, etc. and your weight goals should be heavily dependent on what your own body is like. So for example, a man that is 6ft tall will probably never be 120lbs and shouldn't be. So look into what is right for you from a health perspective before you begin to compare to other people. One great way to do that is to find out what weight range is healthy for your height: Ideal Weight Calculator. It is important to recognize that weight alone is not a good factor for analyzing your health or goals.

Why do you put on weight?

At a high level, when you consume food, your body converts that food into energy so you can use it for everyday activities from walking to sleeping (yes, you need energy to sleep). More physical activities usually require more energy so walking requires more energy that sitting. If you consume more energy that your body needs, it converts that into fat. And then you become "fatter". However, you can lose the excess weight by eating less and moving more, and the fat loss happens through the metabolic process. A process you would rather I didn't get into...

But why is it so hard?

It sounds easy, right? Then why is it so hard to lose weight? One big reason is that people overestimate the calories they burn when they work out and underestimate how much they eat. Another reason is that lots of people are actually pretty sedentary throughout the day and think that going to the gym for a half hour is more important that consistent motion throughout the day. Plus, let's be honest, we eat rubbish.

What can I do now?

I truly believe nutrition is more important than exercise, and consistent motion throughout the day is more important than a quick half hour in the gym in the morning. To start to lose weight, begin with basic movement like taking the stairs, parking a little way away from the store, standing up for a stroll every hour, and controlling your food portions. You'd be surprised how much of an impact these little things can have. And then depending on what your goals are, you can begin to add more exercise and look at the content of the food itself.

Obviously, this is basic and if your goals are to put on muscle or become stronger, you will need to add in more strength training and adjust your nutrition accordingly. But now that you understand the basic process, what are you going to do about it?

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Are you HIITing?

Looking to lose weight, but you're hitting a plateau? Then HIIT may be what you need. What is HIIT, you ask? HIIT (or High Intensity Interval Training) is a form of exercise where you alternate between intervals of very high intensity and low intensity training. It has been shown to burn more fat than doing consistent moderate exercise for long periods of time. I'm not sure you really care about why, but let's just say it works...lol.

A lot of people use the term to refer to exercises like jumping jacks, jump tucks, and the like, but you could really make any cardio exercise HIIT by speeding up and slowing down. For example, running at high and slow speeds and inclines is HIIT. Spinning classes do usually incorporate HIIT, and so on.

You can find so many HIIT videos on the web, but here is one of my favorites:

It is a 30 minute session you can do on your own, so beginners, no excuses! You should be feeling breathless by the end. 

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Are you Cardio-ing for Those Abs

I think the question I get the most on social media is about how to get abs or how to flatten the tummy. It is a very complex question, and you can tell people usually don't get the answer they want. People generally want to do crunches and be over with it, but get very anxious when it is not working.

So here is what I tell people: Crunches alone will get you nowhere. It is a hard message to take because it has been somehow spread across different societies. To flatten your abdominal area, you need a combination of three things:

• Good nutrition: You cannot eat everything, do crunches, and expect abs. Abs are difficult to get; otherwise, everyone would have them. You have to lose the fat on the abdominal area to see any progress, and to do this, you need to be burning more than you are eating. This means you probably should be eating better (fewer calories, more whole grains, less salty food).
• Cardio, Cardio, Cardio: To me, cardio is more important than crunches. This is where a lot of the fat loss happens to burn off the excess. If you are not doing cardio, you should be starting.
• Strength training: This is where crunches come in. But I actually prefer to do non-traditional crunches because they are very repetitive, and most people do not do them right. Focus on building core strength with planks, kick-outs, russian twists, etc.

But remember that it is a slow process usually. Weight did not happen overnight and so getting fit does not happen overnight as well. Take your time.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Muscle vs. Fat

People tend to look at the scale a lot when trying to lose weight, and it could be really frustrating when that scale we trust so much is not budging. This is especially true when you are working hard and eating right. Well, consider this: Are your clothes becoming looser? Are you actually seeing your muscle definition come through? Then it may be that you are losing fat and putting on muscle, which is great news!

Muscles and fat weigh the same, but muscles take up less space. This is why visual confirmation is more important than the scale. If you want to be really certain, using a measuring tape or a body fat calculator works too.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Photo credit: Dangerandplay.com

What do Calories Mean to Your Waistline?

The body is a very complex machine, but its laws are pretty simple when it comes to weight loss and weight gain. You pretty much consume food to help provide you energy and help your body function. If you consume more than your body needs, it converts it into fat and stores it for a rainy day. This leads to "weight gain".

Breathalyzer Device Tells When You're Burning Fat

Excerpt from article by Kathleen Doheny on WebMD

Would you buy a breathalyzer device if it helped tell you if your diet and exercise program were being efficient? Well, you may be in luck soon. This article below talks about a study performed in Japan using such a device.

New Approach For Black Women's Battle Against Obesity: 'Maintain, Don't Gain' (STUDY)

Excerpt from article published in Huffington Post on 8/26/2013

I read this article and was thoroughly confused, so I thought maybe you guys could help me. The article is about a study on black women, where it says the population is generally overweight and to solve this issue, we should focus on maintaining our weight and not gaining. Isn't the problem that people are already overweight and need to lose weight? Read it below and let me know what you think. You can also read the full article here.

Why French Women Don't Get Fat

Excerpt from article by Sonja Rose on TucsonCitizen.com

Have you ever wondered why French women seem to eat well, enjoy food and wine, and yet the country has about one-third the obesity rates of countries like the US and Australia? Well, Mireille Guiliano wrote a book called 'French Women Don't Get Fat' a while ago. Based on this book, Sonja Rose documented a clear summary of the top 10 tips discussed in the book. I thought these would be very helpful.

What’s All This Hoopla About the Scale?

As a person in fitness, I hear this at least 10 times a week: “I need to lose XXX kilos or pounds by XXX month. The scale has become the universal obesity measure.

I agree that if a person weighs 300 pounds, there is probably an indication that he/she needs to shed some of those pounds. And of course, if a full grown adult weighs 90 pounds, that’s probably a problem too. However, the weight you see on the scale is affected by so many different factors, including your height, your bone density, your muscular structure, etc. And because every single body is different, how do you use this number to tell you all it needs to?

In this fitness journey, it is important to take several things into consideration rather than just focus on the scale and compare it with what Eva Longoria says she weighs today.

Body Mass Index

You may have heard of the BMI calculator. This is a fairly reliable estimate that takes your weight and height into account to help determine if you are overweight or underweight. The BMI formula has been disputed as being reliable because it is not completely accurate and does not take other factors like muscular structure or activity level into account. But at least it is a great start to help you identify if you may be at risk for some diseases.

Want to find out your BMI? Just input your height and weight into the BMI calculator below. If it is under 18.5, you may be qualified as underweight. If your BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9, you are considered to be of normal range. If your BMI is between 25 and 29.9, you may be considered overweight. And if your BMI is over 30, you may be considered obese. For folks with BMIs not in the normal range, please see a doctor for confirmation and advice.

Bariatric Surgery Source - Research on Obesity & Weight Loss Surgery

Body Fat

Men and women store fat differently. Women tend to store fat in their hips, thighs, and triceps first, while men store fat in their abdomens first. Because your bones and muscles take up different percentages of your body than the next individual, the major reliable way to tell the difference between two people is by figuring out how much of their weight is actually fat. Of course, you want to have more muscle than fat because besides making you warmer in the winter, too much fat really puts you at risk for some diseases.

How is body fat calculated? Well, here is the problem. It is not as easy as buying a scale (which is probably why most people turn to the scale for guidance). You have to use calipers, infrared, or underwater weighing to give you a fairly accurate reading. Which means you would probably need someone else – a personal trainer, doctor, or other healthcare professional – to do it.

Once you get your reading, you can put yourself in a range. Healthy body fat range is 8 – 22% for males and 20 – 35% for females. Anything above that is considered obese.

Waist circumference

Your waist circumference may not tell you enough because it usually depends on your overall body width. And if you are already overweight when you calculate your BMI, this just confirms that you need to take action. However, if you are of normal range when you calculate your BMI, the waist circumference calculation simply helps confirm if you are within ‘safe’ range (i.e. not incredibly at risk for certain diseases). Again, BMI does not tell us much because it relies just on the scale and your height, so if you are unable to get your body fat ratio, the waist circumference may be a good way to go in addition to the BMI.

What waist circumference is considered a risky range? If a man has a waist circumference greater than 40 inches, and if a woman has a waist circumference greater than 35 inches, this is considered high risk.

Lean Body Mass

LBM is also calculated from your body fat ratio, so you’d need that number before you can get this one. From the name, you can tell what it is really. It’s basically the inverse of body fat. If 20% of your body is fat, then the remaining 80% is what is considered LBM. It is calculated by multiplying your body fat ratio by your weight, and then subtracting that from your weight.

LBM = Weight (lbs or kg) – [Weight * Percentage of body fat]

Why do we need the LBM at all? When you are determining how much you want to drop, you should be using your body fat ratio if you can. The LBM just helps you keep track of how much muscle you are building as opposed to fat. When you work out intensely (both cardio and strength training), and your muscles develop, you may not see the number on the scale drop like you would expect. So it is important to note that the scale does not always drop when you burn fat.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Photo credit: 101exercises.com

The Truth About Targeted Fat Loss

Targeted fat loss (or spot reduction) is when you do exercises to lose fat in one area of the body. Too many people I know focus on exercises to reduce their stomach fat, arm fat, or any other specific area. If you've ever watched an infomercial and gotten sucked in, you'd know that they tend to sell the idea that if you buy some machine - usually called Maxi Abs or something similar - rock back and forth for 10 minutes a day, it would target all the muscles of your core and make you get that 6-pack in no time. In no time. Even if your midsection is currently extra fatty. This is absolutely untrue.

The reason these products keep selling is because they make it sound easy. It appeals to our basic human instinct that we'd be able to lose fat in our abs if we continuously do sit-ups, right? Unfortunately, our bodies do not quite work that way. You can blame God, Mother Nature, the apes, or whoever, but unfortunately, the cards we have been dealt do not allow us to spot-reduce fat.

As I was coaching my mum through her newly discovered exercise routine, and trying to explain this same concept to her, I realized the belief in spot reduction is a universal phenomenon. Ladies, you cannot lose the fat in your midsection by doing crunches. Gentlemen, you cannot lose the fat in your midsection by doing crunches. You know what happens when you do crunches and still have fat in your abdomen? You may build muscles underneath and have fat over it. So you wouldn't see the muscles anyway until you lose the fat.

Now that we've got that out of the way, what can you then do to lose fat? The mechanics of the human body only allows us burn fat all over, and then do strengthening exercises (like sit-ups, planks, etc.) to tone the muscles underneath. To burn fat all over, we're talking about doing some cardio and changing up our diets.

To get a basic understanding of how the body processes calories and how fat burn works, check out this post. The summary is: You have to burn more than you consume to lose fat. Your body is consistently burning fat, but it usually is not enough to burn all you eat, which is why you need to supplement it with exercise. Cardio exercise will help you burn fat. 

If you are unsure of what cardio exercises to do, here are a few examples: Running, Walking, Climbing Stairs, Elliptical or Cross Trainer, Cycling, Swimming, Aerobics. As you can see, these are exercises that involve consistent motion, either high or low intensity. Higher intensity cardio exercises usually burn more fat than lower intensity ones.

Got the cardio down on lock? Great! Now you can also focus on doing the strength training exercises that help build muscle. Depending on what part of your body you are looking to tone, there are different strength exercises to work different parts. Use our 'Search' box on the side bar to find exercises to tone a specific area.

That probably made you sad for a little bit if you've been focusing only on crunches. Well, no need to worry. Follow the details outlined above and you'll be way closer to getting that body that you want :)

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Photo credit: Havetodiet.blogspot.com

Can't Get the Scale to Budge Anymore?

I always say that the body is like a machine; if you take it to get checked up regularly, keep it oiled, and perform your daily maintenance activities, it would run smoothly. If you don't well... it could catch up to you later on.

However, unfortunately, sometimes, the body gets used to the same routine. i.e. standard meals, standard calorie count, and the same exercise routine. So if you have been consistently working out and losing weight for a while, you may realize you have gotten to a point where the scale would no longer move. This is actually more common than you'd realize.

The good news is that you've noted the problem and can work to fix it. It may seem counter-intuitive sometimes (If you're exercising and eating right, it should be all good, no?), but here are a few steps you can take to get your body back into that fat-zapping state.

Switch up your diet: It doesn't matter whether your whole diet consists of protein shakes or veggies; your body gets used to what you put in it. It basically gets into a fuel-and-burn routine where your carbs come from the same food, your protein comes from the same food, and all your other nutrients come from the same food. To give your metabolism a kick, it is important to change your diet. You still want to keep your calories low, but change what foods your nutrients come from. Also, if you work out a lot, you need to make sure you are getting enough carbs to work out, and enough protein to rebuild muscle.

Change your calorie count: The number of calories you need is relative to your body weight, sex, and activity level. Take a look at this article for more details on the math behind your weight loss goals. Now, if you lose weight, that also means your body needs less calories and so you need to reconfigure your diet to fit your new weight. Sometimes though, you may also need to rev up your metabolism by upping your calorie intake just a little for about 2 or 3 days and then adjusting it back to what you need for your weight loss regimen.

Try new exercises: There is a term called muscle memory, where your muscles work similar to your brain. When you establish a habit, your brain automatically remembers to do it without much effort. Your muscles are similar. When you are used to doing an activity, your muscles require less effort to do the same activity. This means you may be using less energy and burning fewer calories. So mix up your routine to keep your calorie burn up.

Break up your exercise routine: After exercise, your body continues to be in fat-burn mode for a while. If you are used to exercising at one point in the day, you may be losing the chance to get your metabolism revved up during other points in the day. If you break up your routine (e.g. half of it in the morning and half in the evening), that could help burn more because your body would be in fat-burn mode during other points of the day as well.

Strength train: Sometimes, when people are trying to lose weight, they may focus just on cardio exercises. This isn't completely wrong because cardio exercises burn fat. However, building lean muscle also helps the body stay in a state where more fat is burned. And so it is important to get your body toned up so it can keep burning calories even during rest.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Photo credit: Fitbie.msn.com

Health Corner: Can Weight Loss Really Be Fun?

Today, we have a guest writer! We are introducing a new segment on Eights & Weights called 'Health Corner' where doctors and other health professionals will give us advice on health issues we face today, from a professional perspective. 

Dr. Chikelue Enyekwe of Enyekwe's Clinic is an experienced doctor that provides various health tips, information on medical conditions, exercise, diets, and health issues via his blog enyekwesclinic.blogspot.com. What is his mantra? Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels. Love it :)

Can Weight Loss Really Be Fun?

by Dr. Chikelue Enyekwe

 

I have come to realize that most people abandon their weight loss programs because they no longer enjoy doing them. Some people that I have had personal discussions with, even some of my own patients, always ask "Why would I continue killing myself trying to lose weight?" They would even go as far as saying that they’d rather remain overweight than get involved in any stressful weight loss program.

Developing a fun weight loss program fun is completely dependent on the types of things that turn you on. However, no matter what you do, you shouldn’t lose track of the ultimate goal, which is to shed weight. It is called ‘weight loss’ after all.

How to Introduce the Fun Factor into your Weight Loss Program

• Give yourself a target: The average human being likes competition; creating a goal and beating it. To have the competitive feeling in any weight loss program, you have to give yourself an achievable goal like “I will shed 1 kg by the end of this week”. If by the end of the week you weighed yourself and found out you were on point, you'd feel good and want to do more. But remember that your target should be something achievable, or you will get frustrated in the process.
• Participate in physical activity you love: When you are doing something you view as play, not work, you’d see that you would be doing it well and not get as tired quickly. Why would you focus on a jogging regimen when your favorite cardio exercise is cycling? Why would you eat a lettuce salad every day when cabbage is your favorite vegetable? Don’t do anything simply because everyone is doing it. Think about your personal goals.
• Talk about your weight loss with friends and family: This is very important as it boosts your morale and makes you not want to quit. Whenever you feel like calling it quits, remembering that everybody is looking up to you to achieve your goal will make you fight on. Besides, you would want to prove to them that you could actually do it.
• Find other people to lose weight with: Don’t train in isolation. Partnerships push people, and when you see others working out, it triggers your competitive spirit. Register in a gym, cook lunches  with your friends and family, or do both. Find a way to do it with other people who have the same goals as you do. 
• Make your environment comfortable: I wouldn’t have thought this was a factor until I went to visit a friend who is a physical therapist. His gym was located in a rural area, and so was mostly frequented by the middle class. One day he had this case. Some folks brought their mother to the gym to start a  weight loss program. She obviously did not want to cooperate as she thought of the whole idea as punishment, but she came just to please the kids. Handling her case was quite difficult until we realized she was into music. During her subsequent visits, we started playing her type of songs. And guess what happened? The woman now comes to the gym and starts cycling and semi-dancing without moaning or complaining. This is all to say that the clothes you wear, the house you eat in, and the environment you work out in all have an effect on your weight loss program.
• Know that there is always an alternative: Okay, so you’ve read some blog posts that say cassava is high in calories. You’ve probably even read some of these posts on Eights & Weights. And then as soon as you read it, your friend Tolu made this beautiful pounded yam and egusi soup (a Nigerian dish consisting of yams and melon seed stew) that leaves your mouth watering.  You start getting mad at the world and turning against your workout program for subjecting you to this mental torture. Instead of putting yourself through that, create your own alternative. Maybe prepare some wheat or oatmeal, which is lower in calories, as a substitute for the pounded yam, and then have a little bit of Tolu’s soup?

The key is to understand the basics of the way the body loses weight. The moment you understand that the program is about balancing calories consumed with calories burned, you’d stop seeing weight loss as torture, and instead as something worth doing and worth doing well.

For more information on Dr. Chikelue Enywkwe, visit his site at enyekwesclinic.blogspot.com, email him at dubemenyekwe@gmail.com, or follow him on the following social network links:

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Cheers Eights & Weights!

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