hi guys,
we recently completed the 21 day fat loss challenge program, working with a group is always fun.
the positive energy, the enthusiasm, the camaraderie, makes success so easy and the occasional slip ups so easily manageable.
they say success leaves clues, so after the euphoria had settled down, i tried to list the reasons why we managed to pull out some great results together.
when i asked my girls to list them, there was one factor that was quite evident pretty much loud and clear- STRENGTH TRAINING.
that was my gratifications and also my sweet revenge on all those who still believe otherwise,
before i try and explain why strength training is one of the most effective tools in fat loss, let me start with the basics.
the difference between fat loss and weight loss
the difference between weight loss and fat loss is similar to the difference between living and
existing. a difference though subtle yet immense.
only looking for weight loss is something like existing- doesn't involve much of awareness, is of less value( in this case quite dangerous too)
fat loss involves a bit more, it is going a little bit deeper than the obvious, understanding how the intricate human body system works, and devising small little changes to achieve the goal.
that number on the scale
the total weight that flashes on the scale is a cumulative total of body fluids, lean body mass( includes weight of organs, bone minerals, muscles, tendons, ligament and connective tissues) and adipose tissues or fats.
any change is either one will reflect in the scale.
the "m" word
the interesting twist to the tale is the case of muscles or lean body mass . the one thing that keeps the body from gaining fat .
lean body mass ARE ACTIVE TISSUES ,constantly in demand of energy(calories). so a loss of lean body mass would mean loosing the fat burning furnace of the body.
unfortunately that's not a very difficult state to reach, a couple of ill-informed choices, some easy shortcuts and you are there! starvation diet combined with lack of activity, avoiding working on the major muscle groups and you have reached exactly where you shouldn't be!
the scary part is though the scale may still show a change but that change has less to do with fat loss and more to do with ,muscle mass loss!
the "f" word
the basic reason for high levels of body fat is un-used energy (calories )the body didn't know what to do with so stored it as fat.
the only way to do away with it is to BURN IT
the easiest solution to the problem is to raise body's capacity to burn calories
rev up the metabolism. adding an activity( involving big muscle groups like legs, back, etc), eating proteins in small proportions all through the day, keeping the body hydrated are some of the simple(definitely not very easy- nothing worthwhile is) ways to loose the a flab.
another twist to the tale, our body loves to function in a pattern, so if it has been carrying a certain level of fat for long it won't try to loose it all very quickly.
so a new lifestyle is going to be a roller-coaster ride at least 21 days.
that brings me to the concept of muscle memory"- the adaptability of our muscles are usually good, so each time there is a repair( post workout phase) the muscles try an adapt itself to the stimuli too, in other words muscles remember the workout! also means if the stimuli doesn't change every 21 days the muscles don't treat the movement as an effort.
so on one hand we are expecting our bodies to adjust to the new lifestyle choices and on the other we want our muscles not to adjust to our workout patterns.
the balancing of workout with lifestyle choices is what worked for us in our program.
we kept the routine simple- it had to be challenging and as the girls put it -painfully awesome.
after we did strength circuit training-it was cardio time- interval training for about 20 min
the high point of the program however was the post-workout green-tea session, as a trainer that would give me an idea as to how the real lifestyle changes were going...any professional in the field knows the importance of these. we can never ever design a workout that can outdo poor lifestyle choices.
all in all it was a great experience for me too, for no matter what my knowledge says, i am only a success if my clients are getting results from it.
cheers
