FAT LOSS BASICS - by Anthony Ellis
Believe it or not, losing a little or a lot of fat involves pretty
much the same concept - consistent dieting coupled with
cardiovascular exercise and weight training. This is how the
professionals do it, and it works.
Many of you may be hesitant to start a weight training program, but
the benefits far outweigh any reservation you may have. Weight
training enhances your fat loss by increasing your muscle mass and
more muscle means more calories burned (faster metabolism). It also
it gives your skin a more tone, tight appearance, lowers your blood
pressure, strengthens your bones, improves your agility, increases
your flexibility, strengthens your immune system and gives you more
energy and a brighter outlook on life.
If you have a high level of bodyfat, or you have never been able to
successfully lose fat, you should consider trying a program that
not only focuses on dieting, but also includes adequate
cardiovascular activity and weight training.
If you are already very muscular, and you just want lose a little
bodyfat, then a fatloss program that includes regular
cardiovascular activity and weight training is perfect for you. The
best way to get ripped and maintain as much muscle as you can is to
diet slowly. The truth is, when you are on a low calorie diet, your
body prefers to use muscle tissue for fuel rather than excess body
fat. So, the slower you lose weight, the more likely you are losing
fat and not muscle.
Ideally, you should aim to lose no more than 1lb - 1.5 lbs per week
that's it. If you are obese, then you should try to lose no more
than 1% of your bodyweight per week. Any more than that and you are
sacrificing muscle.
Women do tend to lose fat at a slower rate than men, but don't let
this discourage you. Women simply store fat more efficiently than
men because it is needed during and after pregnancy. As your body
fat levels drop, you will notice that the fat loss comes off in
reverse of how it was put on. So, the most recent fat gains will
come off first, while the old fat that has been there for a while
will take the longest to lose.
The most difficult fat to lose usually centers around the waist,
belly and lower back areas for men, and the upper thigh and
buttocks, area for women. The fat in these areas are the most
difficult to totally get rid of. These areas are comprised of
mostly brown adipose tissue (fat). This type of fat is difficult to
lose because the low blood flow in these areas hinder the fat
mobilization. So, if the fat can't be moved into the bloodstream to
be used as fuel, those love handles will never go away.
That's why thermogenic agents like ephedrine and blood thinning
supplements like aspirin help to improve fat loss - they increase
circulation into these hard to reach areas and mobilize the
stubborn fat.
Remember that you cannot spot reduce! What I mean by this is that
you can't pick and choose the areas that you would like to lose the
fat and do exercises that work those areas expecting the fat to
just magically disappear in those areas. Your body does not work
that way. The only way to decrease the amount of fat in certain key
areas is by lowering your total body fat levels. As you lose fat,
it will come off all over your body, not just in specific areas.
If you follow a complete diet and weight training program for at
least 12 weeks, you will begin to see dramatic changes occurring
with your body, and I'm not just talking about the obvious physical
changes, I'm also talking about the psychological and physiological
changes. You can expect lower body fat (of course), increased
muscle mass, increased metabolism, increased sense of well-being,
more energy, lower bad cholesterol level, increased good
cholesterol level, decreased risk of heart disease, deeper more
restful sleep and most important, increased self-confidence.
To be successful, your fatloss program should include the
following:
* A calorie restrictive diet, which requires you to eat no less
than 10x and no more than 15x
* Regular cardiovascular activity for at least 30-45 minutes 3-4
times per week. Some recommend a moderate pace while other
recommend a vigorous pace -- it doesn't really matter as long as
you are exercising.
* Weight training.
* Supplementing your diet with vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
Vitamin C, L-glutamine, and a good multi vitamin are the bare
essentials.
* Adequate dietary fat, including high amounts of Essential Fatty
Acids (Omega-6 and Omega-3).
Finally, make sure that the program you decide on is compatible
with your lifestyle and schedule. You can have the greatest program
in the world, but if you cannot implement it then it is worthless.
There are thousands of fatloss diets and workouts that will work,
but the hard part is finding one that works for you and the
specifics of your diet and schedule restraints.
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A WORD ON CONSISTENCY
Ok, so you want the secret to fat loss? Well, here it is:
CONSISTENCY. You can have the best diet, the best training
schedule, join the best gym that has the best equipment, but
without consistency it's all worthless.
Over the past two years, I've talked to hundreds of people who have
successfully transformed their physique. Though most of them
trained in totally different ways, there was one common denominator
that appeared throughout each success story: Day in and day out,
they followed their pre-determined plan, consistently without fail.
There are many paths to your goal but you will never reach it
unless you consistently put one foot in front of the other. You
must find the determination and drive within yourself to see this
through. If not now, then when?
In the grand scheme of your life, can you afford a slight
inconvenience to create a fantastic physique -- or will you
continue to be an 'Average Joe' for 80 more years! Which sounds
more inconvenient to you?
I can see it's easy to make excuses, after all, I used to do the
same thing. Don't get caught up in this. The truth is, the hardest
part any training routine is getting started. You've got to break
your old habits and make new paths for yourself. If I can do this,
anyone can. The only thing that separates me from most other
people, is the fact that once I decide on a goal, I will not stop
until I reach it. It's that simple.
Gaining muscle or losing fat, like anything in life, is a simple
matter of staying focused and being consistent. Fortunately, it's
never too late to get started, and you will thank yourself a few
months down the road. Remember that saying, 'Do what you've always
done, and you will get what you've always gotten'. Now, read it
again.
Question
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Q: I am slightly overweight female who has a good amount of
cellulite on my upper legs and rear. Is it possible to get rid of
this?
A: For women, lower body fat and cellulite are very common
problems. Unfortunately, it is an area in which the fat stored
there has very little circulation. In other words, the lack of
blood vessel activity in those areas make it very difficult for the
body to move that fat into the bloodstream where it can be used as
fuel by the body. The only non-surgical way to remove the cellulite
is to simply go on a long-term fatloss program. To begin to see a
reduction in these areas, you will have to get your bodyfat levels
down to around 16-18%.
Men have a similar common fat storage area around their stomach and
waist.
Sincerely,
Anthony Ellis