So you say your goal is to lose weight. But is it the number on the scale that’s important, or is it how you look and feel?
My guess is that most of you want to lose fat, especially fat around your middle, and build more muscle.
You want to fit into a smaller pant size and wear a slimmer shirt. You want to feel desirable to your partner, and be more confident in the world.
Your body composition (the percentages of fat, muscle and bone on your body) is what we talk about when you want to go down a couple of pant sizes or look good in a swimsuit.
So how do we get you from where you are to where you want to be? There’s a few simple things that added to your day, can make a big difference not only in how you look but how you feel and show up in the world.
Resistance training
A lot of people think the best way to burn calories is to do a bunch of cardio. Cardio is great, but it is not ideal if you are wanting to keep your metabolic fire burning all day.
Resistance training does a couple of things: First, it builds muscle and muscle is more energy demanding, meaning you use more calories just carrying it around.
Second, resistance training can keep your base metabolic rate (BMR) elevated for up to 48 hours, meaning that you are burning more calories at rest because you lifted weights than if you didn’t.
Oh, and please don’t avoid resistance training because you don’t want to get “bulky”. Adding bulk takes quite a bit of work - you really have to WANT to get bigger.
No, what you’re looking for is just developing a solid layer of skeletal muscle to keep you strong, feeling good and making you harder to kill.
Cardio does not have that same lasting effect on our metabolism. Once you’re done, you’re done.
But don’t drop your cardio workout entirely! Those runs, swims or bike rides all help build cardiovascular endurance, (being able to do that activity longer), which isn’t a bad thing, right?
Walk every day
Here’s some fun math for you: If you do a 45 minute workout in the morning and then sit all day at work, how much of your day did you spend doing vigorous activity? 2% of your day. Not a lot, right? What are you doing for the other 12-15 hours you’re awake?
That’s all to say that a 45 minute weight lifting session 3 times a week may not get you to your goals as fast as you think. But don’t stress, you don’t have to spend more time in the gym.
Adding a few walks to your day will add to that metabolic burn. Even things like taking the stairs at work, walking your kids to school, or even parking far away at the grocery store count. Keeping your body active and moving throughout the day keeps muscles engaged and working, adding calorie burn and making you stronger.
Walking has even more benefits! Studies continue to show how great walking every day is for your overall health. Walking can boost immune function, decrease stress, can counteract obesity genes and even help ease joint pain.
While 10,000 steps per day is used as the ideal goal, the number is pretty arbitrary. There is little science around 10,000 steps being a magic number. That adds up to about 5 miles, so if 10,000 steps is too much for you, go for 6,000 or 8,000. Just more than you normally do NOW.
So try to use a treadmill desk or take a walk on a break at work, when you get home and need to walk the dog, or even take a nice stroll after dinner. It all adds up.
Carry heavy things
So now you’re lifting weights and walking regularly. Let’s combine them!
Adding a little (or more than a little) extra weight to your body when you go for a walk, hike or run can be an incredibly effective hack for building endurance and burning calories.
In fact, carrying extra weight on a walk, hike or run can increase calories burned by up to 20-30%.
Rucking is becoming an increasingly popular sport here in America. Essentially, rucking is taking a long hike with a pack carrying a 25-35 lb weight.
But you don’t have to commit to a long hike! Just taking a walk around the block with a couple of dumbbells in your hands will build your endurance and burn more calories.
Carrying extra weight is great for building whole-body strength. While you move, your legs have to work harder to carry additional weight. But depending how you’re carrying the weight, your body has to use core and back stabilizer muscles to keep you balanced. Your shoulders and neck have to support extra weight. It’s a full body burn.
How to do a heavy walk:
Put a dumbbell or ruck plate into a backpack and go for a walk or hike
Wear a weighted vest or weighted backpack when you walk the dog
Take a short run wearing a weighted vest
Carry a kettlebell or dumbbell in one hand, switching hands when you get tired
Carry two weights (kettlebells or dumbbells) on your walk (go for lighter weights)
I’ll leave it up to you to decide how much weight to use. If you’ve never done anything like this before, I suggest just carrying a small weight on a walk and working your way up from there.
Get better sleep
Rest and recovery are the most forgotten and neglected aspects of getting into better shape.
Sleep is when your body redirects energy and resources to healing and repair. It’s when your brain rests and recuperates, it’s when your body repairs and builds muscle, and when old, junky cells are recycled.
Without a good night of sleep, our body doesn’t complete these processes well. Without proper recovery, you’ll be fatigued and probably achy, and progress to your body composition goals will stall.
And of course you can’t recover, repair and build muscle or burn fat without the right nutrition.
Bonus: eat whole foods
I can’t write a post without mentioning diet. You can’t out-exercise a bad diet, no matter how much weight you lift or how many walks you go on.
Whole food diet basics
Prioritize protein
Eat a good mix of eggs, meat, fish and leafy green vegetables
If it has ingredients you can’t pronounce, don’t eat it
Avoid added sugars and vegetable oils
Chew each bite 20-30 times
Ultimately, what we are looking for are additions to your life that will keep your metabolic fire burning all day long, not just 30-45 minutes at a time.
Guys, finding the right combination of exercise and all-day movements for you is a big part of my 1-on-1 coaching program. If you are looking for help dialing in your diet, fitness, stress and sleep and get your body composition where you want it, let’s get started.
Comentários