As I said in my previous post on gender related fat loss, there isn't too much difference between male and female total body fat loss, and when it comes to diet and training, the same basic principles apply. Below is a quick run down of the 'Fat Loss Echelons' that we use with great success at Phoenix Pro.
1) At the head of the Echelons is your diet. You've heard the saying 'you can't out train a bad diet' and it's true. The 5 basic guidelines we recommend for everyone seeking fat loss are:
- Eat every 2-3 hours
-Eat lean, complete protein with every meal
-Eat veg with every feeding
-Save starchy carbohydrates (bread, rice, potato etc) for after training only
- Eat healthy fats daily
2) Lift weights, and by weights I mean weights that actually challenge you. As I mentioned in my previous post, muscle tissue is the metabolic furnace of the body and the more of it you have and the harder you work it, the higher your resting metabolic rate will be and the more calories you will burn. A study by Bryner et al (1999) on the effects of resistance training vs aerobic training on lean body mass and resting metabolic rate whilst on a low (800kcal) calorie diet, found that whilst the aerobic training group lost significantly bodyweight, most of it was lean muscle tissue, so they consequently experienced a decrease in RMR, whilst the resistance training group maintained their lean mass whilst also INCREASING their RMR (2.6 to 3.1 O2 ml/kg/min). (On a side note, this really goes to show that bodyweight really isn't the best indicator of progress).
So, top of the training for fat loss echelons are exercises that builds and maintain muscle mass, and boost metabolism, ie strength and hypertrophy training. This should be your number one priority if you want to lose fat and look lean and defined.
3) On the next echelon we have metabolic work, or high intensity interval training. Whilst not quite as effective at increasing RMR as resistance training, intervals elevate metabolism far more than any other form of cardio and increases what is known as EPOC (Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption) which describes the rate at which metabolism returns to normal resting state post exercise. This can take several minutes after light exercise, and several hours following intervals. Obviously several hours is what we are looking for!
The landmark study on high intensity intervals was carried out by Tremblay et al (1994) where they compared the impact of 20 weeks of endurance training vs 15 weeks of interval training. What they found was a NINE times greater loss of subcutaneous fat per calorie expended in the high intensity interval (HIIT) group than the endurance group. When we look at the energy expenditure of the two groups (28661 for the endurance group and less than half at 13616kcals for the HIIT group) the findings equate to the HIIT group dropping 3 X more subcutaneous fat than the endurance group despite expending half the calories. Time to reroute that jog you had planned in the direction of the track for some sprints, right?!
4) Next in our fat loss echelons we have high intensity aerobic interval training. This is the same as HIIT, but not such high intensity. If you are new to training, this may be a better option for you combined with weight training to start with.
5) High intensity steady state exercise. This is basically hard cardio, but steady state. It's not enough to increase EPOC or muscle mass, but it will burn some calories, and it all counts.
6) Bringing up the rear is good old low intensity aerobic training, or long slow duration exercise as we like to call in in the strength and conditioning world. If your training time is restricted this this definitely shouldn't feature on your training plan, but if you have the time it can be a great destressor, and the more we move the better.
Putting it all together:
First of all, therefore, you need to get your diet in order. Start keeping a food diary and if you have a coach, they should be reviewing it and giving you feedback on a weekly basis. If you don't have a coach then maybe find a fat loss buddy and submit food journals to each other. Accountability to someone else is a much under rated adherance tool.
Training Time Availability:
3-4 hours per week
If you only have 3 or 4 hours a week to train then strength/ resistance training needs to be your priority. If you're not competent in writing periodised programs and don't have a coach, consider investing in having a program written specifically for you that will ensure you don't plateau or injure yourself, particularly if you are new to lifitng. Or, if you are in the Surrey area, why not come and join us at Phoenix Pro Fitness for a 30 day trial?
4-5 hours per week
If you have 4 or 5 hours available per week, then focus on resistance training and high intensity intervals (HIIT) (or high intesity aerobic intervals if you're new to training - so pushing hard, but not flat out).
5-6 hours per week
If you have 5 or 6 hours per week you can add some steady state high intensity aerobic training to your schedule of the above...
7 hours+
Few of us realistically have 7 hours of training time available per week, and to be honest if you are training 5 or 6 hours a week and not losing fat then there is probably an issue with your diet. But, if you have the time and inclination, then this is where steady state low intensity activity can be added in.
In a nutshell, if you're training for fat loss, go at it HARD and make an impact. Don't fool yourself that you can get away with a crappy diet if you train - you may see some progress but you certainly won't get optimal results. Lift weights. Then add in high intensity intervals. Everything else comes in only if you have the time after weights and HIIT.
To Your Success!
Charlotte
www.phoenixprofitness.com
Follow us on twitter at @charlotteord and @phoenixprofit
Thanks charlotte.x
ReplyDeleteGreat editorial.