Many times I see people doing the right kind of workouts, but in the wrong way. There are many ways to turn good exercise and diet into a fat-burning routine. After years of research on fitness and real life applications, this 5-step program is the best way to get fit.
Step 1: lift weights! There is no question that aerobic exercises are important for weight loss. But the way most people do it is too slow, without pauses, and for a long period of time. Weightlifting increases your 24-hour metabolism, which means you are burning fat throughout the day, even while resting. A West Virginia University study showed that bodybuilders lost an average of 32 pounds of fat, while gaining muscle AND increased their metabolism by 4 percent. On the other hand, people who only did aerobics lost 40 pounds, but 9 pounds was muscle.
Step 2: Keep aerobic workouts short and fast! A hard, fast workout burns a lot more fat than taking the time to run a mile. The reason for this is that a very intense 30 second burst, repeated 5-7 times, produces more growth hormone. Growth hormone is your best friend when it comes to burning fat. This aerobic idea helps you burn fat for up to 3 hours after your workout.
Step 3: Do a second daily workout! I’m not talking about a workout that sends you to the shower right after. But something that gets you moving and makes you feel good. This could be anything from a brisk walk during lunch to a light dumbbell routine while sitting at the office. The second workout significantly improves flexibility and lowers cholesterol.
Step 4: Eat Protein First! A study from the International Journal of Obesity compared high-carbohydrate diets with high-protein diets for weight loss in obese men. They were given meals with the same calorie count, but the protein group lost 28 percent more fat in a study that was just 4 weeks long. The metabolism of the protein groups was also 14 percent higher than that of the carbohydrate group.
Step 5: Eat healthy carbohydrates! Starchy carbohydrates, such as white bread, potatoes, and pasta, have a high glycemic index. What this means is that those types of carbohydrates turn into sugar quickly, which everyone knows, sugar is bad! Eating whole wheat bread and whole wheat pasta has a much lower glycemic index. These foods give you the energy you need to get through workouts and through the day.
