The most common question I am asked is "How do I lose bodyfat"? The scientific answers are simple, but the discipline and consistency that it requires is not. Here are some basic facts:
There are 3500 calories in a pound of fat.
If you reduce your calories by 500 and burn off 500 calories with exercise, technically after seven days, you should lose two pounds of bodyfat.
But, because most of us find it impractical or too difficult to cut 500 calories per day from our diet and exercise seven days per week, a more realistic approach needs to be used.
There are a few methods that when combined can lead to a steady reduction in body fat. Some of those are:
Perform 20-45 minutes of aerobic exercise 3-6x per week. Aerobic exercise lowers blood sugar which leads to body fat use for fuel.
Resistance train each muscle 2-3x per week. Resistance training not only uses blood sugar for fuel and leads to fat burning, but it also increases lean muscle which will burn calories even when you are not exercising.
Reduce calorie totals, especially carbohydrates. When you reduce your daily caloric intake, especially carbohydrates which convert easily to blood sugar, you encourage your body to more quickly burn body fat.
Eat enough protein. Protein repairs muscle which wil sustain your metabolism and burn body fat. Plus, it does not release insulin, a hormone that encourages calories to be stored as body fat.
The bottom line is that a balanced approach which includes increasing lean muscle, performing consistent exercise, and adjusting your diet will give you the best chance at permanently lowering body fat levels and staying healthy.
By Larry Schweer
Certified Personal Trainer
National Level Bodybuilding Competitor
Email your questions to Larry: Guru@Paramount-Supplements.com
There are 3500 calories in a pound of fat.
If you reduce your calories by 500 and burn off 500 calories with exercise, technically after seven days, you should lose two pounds of bodyfat.
But, because most of us find it impractical or too difficult to cut 500 calories per day from our diet and exercise seven days per week, a more realistic approach needs to be used.
There are a few methods that when combined can lead to a steady reduction in body fat. Some of those are:
Perform 20-45 minutes of aerobic exercise 3-6x per week. Aerobic exercise lowers blood sugar which leads to body fat use for fuel.
Resistance train each muscle 2-3x per week. Resistance training not only uses blood sugar for fuel and leads to fat burning, but it also increases lean muscle which will burn calories even when you are not exercising.
Reduce calorie totals, especially carbohydrates. When you reduce your daily caloric intake, especially carbohydrates which convert easily to blood sugar, you encourage your body to more quickly burn body fat.
Eat enough protein. Protein repairs muscle which wil sustain your metabolism and burn body fat. Plus, it does not release insulin, a hormone that encourages calories to be stored as body fat.
The bottom line is that a balanced approach which includes increasing lean muscle, performing consistent exercise, and adjusting your diet will give you the best chance at permanently lowering body fat levels and staying healthy.
By Larry Schweer
Certified Personal Trainer
National Level Bodybuilding Competitor
Email your questions to Larry: Guru@Paramount-Supplements.com
