Burn Fat and Gain Muscle: 3 Strategies That Will Guarantee Your Success
The question arises quite frequently whether you can burn fat and gain muscle at the same time. It can be very difficult. However, it is possible. In fact, you burn fat because you gain muscle. Since muscle burns fat, if you increase the amount of muscle you have the more overall fat you will burn. I am going to reveal to you 3 strategies you can implement today to successfully burn fat and gain muscle.
1. Total Body / Multi-joint Exercises. Using exercises that require the movement of more than one joint at a time makes your body work a lot harder than single joint exercises that isolate muscles. Think of training a movement rather than training a muscle. Very few movements, if any, utilize only one muscle. There are other muscles that stabilize, assist, or contract to help out while the primary movement is being performed. Training movements is a more realistic approach if you want to be strong functionally.
Complex movements will work more muscles and encourage more muscle strength and increased muscle coordination than isolation exercises. They are also more time efficient than isolation.
There’s more…Total body movements will get your heart working to supply blood to the working muscles even better than single joint exercises. Combine 3-4 of these total body exercises and do 30 seconds of each without a break. Take a 1 minute break in between circuits and repeat 2-5 times depending on your fitness level. You will not only increase your muscle mass but will do your heart good.
2. Good Nutrition. Any successful weight loss program must include the right eating habits. Stuffing your body full of packaged, canned, and refined foods is not the most effective way to get your body the nutrients it needs to stay healthy. Fresh, whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, good quality lean proteins, and healthy fats are all necessary for good health. Not to mention, you won’t want to eat as much when you limit your foods to the healthy varieties.
Why is that? Well, fresh fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins and minerals as well as fiber. Fiber fills you up and helps to maintain a consistent blood sugar level. When eating refined sugars your insulin levels fluctuate so much that your body goes from high to low and really isn’t sure what to do. Additionally, healthy fats and proteins help you feel satisfied and delay the desire to eat more.
And finally, my favorite strategy…
3. Interval Training. Short bursts of high intensity exercise have been shown to be very effective at burning fat and gaining muscle. When you exercise at a high intensity you challenge your muscles more than with long slow cardio training. During interval training type programs carbohydrates are utilized to feed your muscles. You might say that in order to burn fat and gain muscle you have to burn sugar.
How does that work? High intensity exercise requires a fast turn over of energy. Fat stores cannot usually be converted quickly enough to a usable form of energy during the high intensity exercise bout. A short recovery will allow for some energy to be replaced but not likely all that was used. Once you have completed 6-10 sets of an interval training circuit, you have significantly depleted the stored energy reserves in your muscles known as glycogen.
Now, according to some research studies, you may spend the next 24 hours burning more fat than normal to replace the glycogen stores that were used during your exercise routine. You don’t get the same effect with traditional cardio exercises.
So what’s the next step? To burn fat and gain muscle effectively is possible given the right training program. You must gain muscle to burn fat! A combination of strength training with complex, multi-joint exercises, the right nutrition and interval training for cardio will give you the results you are looking for.
Take action now to ensure your best chances to burn fat and gain muscle by subscribing to the Interval Training Secrets mini course. In it you will discover more strategies to boost your fat burning potential.
3 Best Abdominal Exercises
For a long time I have been a believer that the best way to train your abdominal muscles is through natural movements. It always seemed that there should be a better way to get six pack abs then spend hours doing crunches and variations of crunches. I found it difficult to believe that lying flat on your back training your abdominal muscles would be the best way to train for quick side to side and rotational movements.
Over time I learned that the best abdominal exercises mimic athletic movements similar to those involved in sports. The following article by Mike Geary is a great example of exercises that strengthen the entire core group of abdominal muscles.
The 3 Best Abdominal Exercises that Are Not Traditional Ab Exercises
by Mike Geary – Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer
Instead of the typical ab routines that we see so often with crunches, situps, leg lifts, etc… I like to give my readers better options for metabolism-boosting high intensity workouts that work their entire body while also working their abs… thus building rock hard abs & core, but also creating a much better fat-burning workout than a typical ab workout.
I’m going to show you an example today of one of my favorite “ab workouts” that doesn’t include any direct “ab exercises” at all. It’s in a tri-set format (similar to a super-set but alternating between 3 exercises).
Here goes:
1a. Renegade Dumbbell Rows
1b. Front Squats with Barbell
1c. Mountain Climbers on Floor
A good rep scheme to use with this could be 3-4 sets of 8 reps for each exercise, or more sets for less reps, such as 5 sets of 5 reps of each exercise. Mountain climbers can be done for a time interval (such as 30 seconds) instead of “reps”.
Exercise Pics & Descriptions:
Renegade dumbbell rows are done starting in a pushup position with the hands on 2 dumbbells. You then row one dumbbell up while stabilizing your body with the other arm. Bring the dumbbell back to the ground and alternate the rowing arm while stabilizing with the opposite arm. This stabilizing effect during the rows creates incredible work for your entire midsection core area. Trust me… you’ll feel it in the abs!
Front squats are done similar to back squats, however with the barbell in front of your body on the front of your shoulders instead of resting on the upper back as in back squats. You stabilize the barbell on your shoulders by crossing your arms and pushing your fists into the bar against your shoulders while keeping your elbows out in front of the body.
This takes a little practice at first, so you will want to seek a professional trainer at your gym to help you with the form. Front squats require extreme stabilization strength from the abs due to the barbell weight being shifted to the front of the body instead of the back. Even though this is mostly a leg exercise, you’ll feel this one in the abs big time!
Mountain climbers are done by starting in a pushup position and then shuffling your feet in and out so that your knees are moving in under your chest and then back out to starting position. It sort of resembles climbing a mountain but flat on the floor. If you want an advanced version, you can also shuffle your hands 8-10 inches forward and backward in addition to the leg movements. This really makes it a full body exercise and MUCH more difficult than standard mountain climbers.
After finishing each exercise, rest about 30 seconds before starting the next exercise. Rest about 1-2 minutes after completing each “tri-set” before repeating.
This will give you one of the best ab workouts you’ve ever had without even doing any direct ab exercises. You’ll see what I mean after you try it!
This is just a sampling of some of the killer ideas you’ll discover in my internationally best-selling ebook program, The Truth about Six Pack Abs, currently the #1 most popular abs program on the internet (as ranked by clickbank.com) with 10’s of thousands of users in over 150 countries. If you don’t already have a copy be sure to pick one up today…
Not only will you receive a complete blue-print for challenging full-body workouts that will thoroughly define your entire body in addition to your abs (can be adjusted to beginners or advanced levels), but you’ll also gain a thorough understanding of what types of nutritional strategies and other lifestyle aspects that it takes to reduce your belly fat to the level where your abs are visible.
Check out what other users are saying about their results with the Truth about Six Pack Abs program
Don’t be lazy… Be lean.
Stop Wasting Your Time with Worthless Treadmill and Elliptical Machine Workouts!
Stop Wasting Your Time with Worthless Treadmill and Elliptical Machine Workouts!
by Mike Geary, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author: The Truth About Six Pack Abs
Now that I pissed off all of the treadmill and elliptical machine worshipers… let me say that if you truly enjoy mindlessly pumping away on a treadmill or elliptical (or exercise bike for that matter too), then by all means, keep doing what you enjoy, because enjoying your exercise is one of the most important aspects to sticking with any exercise program…
However, don’t say that I didn’t warn you that you were wasting your time with all that mindless cardio machine boredom.
If I haven’t mentioned it before, I don’t believe in cardio machines, and to be quite honest, I don’t think I’ve personally used a treadmill, elliptical, or exercise bike for at least the last 7-8 years or so.
As a matter of fact, I don’t even use cardio machines anymore for warmups before a workout (did before occasionally)… Nowadays, I prefer to do dumbbell or kettlebell snatches and swings mixed with bodyweight exercises as the perfect full body warmup at the beginning of my workouts.
So why do I have such hatred for cardio machines? Well, here goes:
1) Treadmills, ellipticals, and exercise bikes are mind-blowingly BOOOORING!
2) Mindless steady state exercise while watching tv or reading creates a mind / body disconnect resulting in poor results from your exercise routine
3) I’ve seen studies that indicated that treadmill running may be less effective than outdoor running for various reasons such as stride abnormalities on treadmills vs natural running, slightly less caloric burn compared to outdoor running, etc.
Order The Truth About Six Pack Abs
(although I never recommend just “jogging” anyway… variable intensity walks / runs or sprints are so much more effective, training your heart rate in a much wider range instead of just the same pace during the entire workout).
4) Treadmills and ellipticals are ridiculously expensive and a waste of money for people that workout at home… there’s so many better options for home workouts you could have spent your money on rather than wasting it on a treadmill, bike, or elliptical.
The perfect home gym setup is MUCH cheaper… there’s no reason you need anything other than a jump rope, bodyweight exercises, a few dumbbells, stability ball, maybe a few kettlebells (if you want to get fancy), and perhaps high tension bands for some more variety.
By the way, here are some great adjustable dumbbells such which can save you big time cash if you’re setting up a home gym.
5) Treadmills and elliptical machines are just a very ineffective way to workout compared to other options. Why should you do treadmill or elliptical workouts when you can get better results by doing more interesting forms of training that actually stimulate a fat-burning hormonal response and stimulate your metabolism to a greater extent.
So what are the alternatives to treadmills and ellipticals? Here are some of my favorites:
* jumping rope – great mind / body connection (try speed jumping, crosses, double jumps once you get skilled at it)
* bodyweight training – bodyweight squats, pushups, lunges, jumps, bear crawls, mountain climbers and jumpers, planks, and the list goes on and on
* kettlebell training – nothing will get your heart pounding like high repetition KB swings and snatches or clean & presses (can be done with dumbbells too, but I prefer KBs)
* outdoor wind sprinting (the ultimate for a rock hard ripped body… just look at the chiseled powerful bodies of world class sprinters, and compare that to the weakling withered physique of a typical marathoner… nuff said!)
* hill sprinting (yet another classic for a rock hard powerful body)
* rowing machine (ok, I don’t really lump this in as a “cardio” machine like treadmills and ellipticals… I think the rowing machine is actually a great full body workout that actually uses resistance)
* sprint style swimming workouts (a more muscular workout than steady state distance swimming… I actually love the upper body pump I get from sprint style swimming) – this is the same concept as sprinting vs jogging but in a pool instead
* heavy bag punching / kicking workout, speed bag, rebound bag… all great forms of training and much more interesting than boring cardio machines (requires an intense mind / body connection)
* shadow boxing… awesome workout, but if you’re shy, this is best done at home since you’ll get some crazy stares doing this at a typical gym from people who think they’re “too cool” for stuff like that.
Well, I hope that helps give you ideas on how you can get away from all of these mindless and ineffective treadmill and elliptical (and exercise bike) workouts that are just wasting your time and energy that could be better spent on more effective workouts.
best full body and ab workoutsIf you don’t already have a copy of my Truth about Six Pack Abs program, you can see some of the incredible reviews and results people are getting with Truth about Abs here
You can check out the common questions and answers about this super-effective fat loss program here
Have a great one, and get out there and actually ENJOY your workouts!
Don’t be lazy, be lean.
interval trainingFat Loss Secrets Revealed: Proven Methods to Get Six Pack Abs
Fat Loss Secrets Revealed: Proven Methods to Get Six Pack Abs
by Aaron Ivey ATC, CSCS
Some strategies work better than others for getting rid of belly fat and showing off the six pack abs underneath. Unveiling the six pack doesn’t need to be a complicated or tricky process. However, it seems that it has become more complicated as more and more advice is thrown around without sound science to support it. Here are 3 proven ways to reveal the six pack abs that are waiting to be discovered.
1. Control the diet
The first and most important strategy for gaining a six pack set of abs is to take control over what you put in your body. Nobody will notice the ripped abdominal muscles you have if you cover them up with unwanted fat. Exercise is certainly very important, but if have the strongest and most toned abs ever and nobody can see them, it doesn’t help you look good.
There is a lot of confusion in the diet world right now because so many different programs and opinions are out there about losing weight and what a healthy should consist of. Just pay attention to the headlines of magazines and mainstream media – the newest and greatest method seems to be revealed weekly.
The truth is that a healthy diet is one that comes directly from the ground. It is best to consume whole fruits and vegetables with as little processing as possible. Whole grains are a great source of healthy fiber. Eating good quality meat will give the right types of fat and vitamins in order to produce the hormones and energy that is needed to recover from a workout.
2. Intensity
Focusing on the intensity of the workout is the second most important thing to consider. Workouts should consist of high intensity, short duration exercises with equal rest periods in between. You should also focus on working the whole body rather than isolated muscles. This gives you the most metabolic challenge possible and will therefore stimulate your body to make the changes necessary to become more efficient at burning fat and slimming down.
3. Abdominal training
It may come as no surprise that working your abdominal muscles would be the third component. To train the abdominal muscles correctly and get real results, forget about crunches and situps. These exercises have their place for those that are deconditioned and need a basic way to get started. They are not the most effective abdominal exercise.
Effective abdominal training involves exercises that focus on rotation, stabilization, and deceleration of the trunk. Ideally, if you can combine all three of these into one exercise you will have yourself a great abdominal exercise. Most of the time, if you are performing a whole body exercise, you are also training your abdominal muscles the way they were intended.
Getting rid of excess body fat is going to be the most effective way to show off definition in the abs and midsection. The most effective exercises to burn fat are complex, whole body movements such as swings and snatches, combinations of squats or lunges with a push or pull movement. To look good, focus on these 3 things and you will get the body that you deserve.
Killer 11-minute workout
Killer 11-minute workout
In case it gives you any ideas, here’s a killer high intensity fat burning workout that I did with a friend today… the entire sequence was done in 11 minutes and we were drenched in sweat from the intensity. You can do more or less based on your current fitness level:
a. 1-arm dbell swings (alternate arms every 5 reps) – 3 minutes straight as many reps as possible.
rest 1 min
b. 1-arm dbell snatches (alt arms every 5 reps) – 3 minutes straight as many reps as possible.
rest 1 min
Truth About Six Pack Abs
c. Dbell renegade rows (alt arms after each rep) – 10 reps each arm.
rest 30 seconds
d. Floor mountain climbers – 30 seconds max reps.
rest 30 seconds
e. Floor mountain jumpers – 30 seconds max reps.
Total workout time = 11 minutes of metabolism boosting insanity!
It may sound like an easy and short workout, but those first 6 minutes of non-stop swings and snatches will leave even the leanest and meanest trainee gasping for breath.
If you’re not sure what any of these exercises are or how to do them, they are all outlined in detail along with over 50 other of the most effective full body exercises to give you a tight lean body in my Truth About Six Pack Abs program…
High Intensity Interval Training: Why is it So Effective?
High Intensity Interval Training: Why is it So Effective?
by Aaron Ivey ATC, CSCS
The comparisons between high intensity short duration exercise (HIT) and low to moderate intensity long duration exercise (LSD) continue to spark conversation and controversy. While there is no doubt that research suggests long, slow endurance type training does have some benefits, can high intensity training be more effective for the average person?
This article is meant to outline why high intensity interval training workouts are the effective alternative to long, slow exercise. I will outline 6 reasons why interval training is so effective for fat loss, increased cardiovascular conditioning and general health.
1. Muscle changes: As the intensity of a particular activity increases, more muscle fibers are needed to perform the activity. The highly intense nature of HIT elicits rapid changes in muscle chemistry to be able to tolerate such an increase in recruitment.
2. Increase fat utilization: HIT contractions stimulate nerve pathways that increase the amount of energy producing structures (mitochondria) in muscle fibers. These are the structures responsible for burning fat.
3. Time efficient: Some studies have used training protocols as short as 4 minutes of total workout time and produced similar, if not better, results than LSD training. The average HIT workout usually lasts about 20 minutes. That is 40 minutes less than the recommended time to complete an LSD workout. I do not about you but I would rather be finished in 1/3 of the time and get even better results.
4. After burners: HIT has been shown to increase metabolism for hours after the workout ended. LSD effects usually stop after you are done with your workout. Though it is difficult to get an exact number, some research suggests that even more calories are burned in the hours after a workout than were burned during the workout.
5. Range of populations: HIT can be performed by a range of populations from the elite athlete to someone recovering from coronary artery disease. Research is now showing effective results for cardiac rehabilitation by using HIT. Granted the intensity is not going to be the same for the cardiac patient and the elite athlete, but the principle remains. Even the out of shape, obese person is more likely to tolerate 30 seconds of high intensity than 60 minutes of running on a treadmill.
6. Long-term adherence: Because HIT workouts can be done quickly and show results within as little as 2 weeks, those that use HIT are more likely to continue a training program than those who start an LSD training program. Not to mention, there are more exercise possibilities to reduce boredom with HIT program.
HIT has been shown consistently to effectively reduce fat, get in shape, and make necessary changes within the muscles to allow for greater well being. HIT can be used by nearly everyone in one form or another and provides enough variety to prevent boredom and increase the likelihood of long term adherence.
Which Turbulence Training Workout Should I Use?
Which Turbulence Training Workout Should I Use?
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com
With Turbulence Training for Fat Loss, there are a lot of workouts to choose from.
So why did I create so many fat burning programs?
Because you need to have variety in your workouts to keep on
boosting your metabolism, and burning fat month after month.
If you did the same workout program for 3 months straight, your results would screech to a halt after 5 or 6 weeks.
With the Turbulence Training fat loss program, you will be able to change your workouts every 4 weeks. Each time you do that, you’ll kickstart your fat burning and your metabolism to a new level.
You must change your workout every 3-4 weeks.
Unfortunately, with so many Turbulence Training workouts, people often ask, “Which program should I start with?”. So here are the fat burning guidelines you need to get the most out of
Turbulence Training no matter what your fitness level…
1) The Best Program for a Total BEGINNER
Overweight, sedentary beginners should start with the Introductory Program in the main Turbulence Training for Fat Loss manual.
If you haven’t been doing any exercise, you must start there. No
exceptions.
The bodyweight exercises will prepare your muscles for all future workouts, and will prevent the overuse injuries people usually get when they start a high-volume cardio program (which is the worst thing an overweight person can do for weight loss).
2) The Best Program for an Experienced Lifter Who Has NOT Exercised in the Last 4 Weeks
Please start with the Intermediate Workout from the main Turbulence Training for Fat Loss program.
BUT NOTE: Do only ONE SET per exercise in each workout in the first week.
This will prevent you from being excessively sore from the
exercises, which can occur when you have been away from exercise for so long.
3) The Best Program For ADVANCED Fitness & Fat Loss
I suggest you start with the “Original Turbulence Training
Workout” from the main Turbulence Training for Fat Loss manual.
Work your way through each following three advanced workouts in the manual.
Upon completion of the Turbulence Training for Fat Loss workouts from the main manual, you can move onto the bonus workouts in this order:
A) If you are a women that wants to put the final touches on
a female physique, use the Turbulence Training for Women
workout.
B) If you are a man that wants to build muscle, use the TT
for Muscle program.
C) If you want to keep burning fat, move to the DB-BW Fusion
Workout.
D) Follow that with the 30-Day Advanced Fat Loss program.
E) And finally, finish with the Advanced Fusion Fat Loss
4-Week Program.
At any time you are traveling or want a break from the dumbell
workouts, you can use the beginner, intermediate, or advanced
bodyweight program from the Original Bodyweight 4-Week TT workout.
Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training
About the Author
TT Bodyweight 1000 Workout
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com
Politically Incorrect Holiday Fat Loss Tips
Politically Incorrect Holiday Fat Loss Tips
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com
I was at a big event last week and was reminded how
important it is to have strategies for this season of high-calorie
parties and busy schedules. But I get ticked off by the tired old
suggestions you find on the Internet or in magazines like Woman’s World.
Often the suggestions are lack any substance, because the writers don’t want to imply you actually have to make a sacrifice to succeed. They make fat loss sound easy, as if all you had to do was park at the far end of the parking lot and you’d burn all the
calories from 5 shortbread cookies.
Well it doesn’t work that way…So here are my politically
incorrect, unique Turbulence Training strategies to help you keep off the holiday pounds.
By the way, I “borrowed” a few ideas from contestants in my
Turbulence Training Transformation Contest. The Transformation is rocking with social support and success stories right now, even while the rest of the world struggles with weight gain, these TT users are losing fat over the holidays.
Click here to get started with Turbulence Training for Fat Loss:
==> http://www.turbulencetraining.com
Strategy #1 – Green Tea & Almonds
One of the most common tips you’ll hear is to “fill up” before you
go to a party where there will be lots of goodies.
Unfortunately, most people I talk to have no luck with this tip.
Most people still go to a party and eat everything in sight.
But recently TT users have told me that having a cup of Green Tea and one ounce of almonds has helped them avoid holiday cravings better than anything ever before.
The fiber from the almonds reduces appetite while the small amount of caffeine from the Green Tea seems to increase mental alertness and keep you “energized” at the party.
Hopefully that might work for you…
Strategy #2 – Don’t waste your time on any fancy cardio programs
Listen, the bottom line over the holiday season is that your success depends almost entirely on your nutrition.
You can’t expect to hit the cardio confessional and burn off last
night’s 2000 calorie smorgasboard. That’s a 4-hour workout. Instead, don’t get into that situation in the first place.
Here are more nutrition tips:
- Focus on portion control (and if you have no discipline, forget
even trying to eat just one)
- Nix all drinks mixed with calorie-containing beverages, or better yet, just stop getting drunk. Period.
- Write down everything you eat to identify your problem spots. Then do whatever you need to do to eliminate your weaknesses. If you don’t record your nutrition, chances are you’ll miss big
opportunities to change your diet and lose fat.
Strategy #3 – Take care of yourself first.
My friend Holly Rigsby (of http://www.fityummymummy.com) is always reminding busy moms to take care of themselves first, and I think that suggestion applies at this time of year to everyone.
So take a deep breath. Ask yourself as you’re running around to
please everyone else, “Have you set aside time for yourself”
Be selfish. Make sure you have had some exercise time, some good nutrition, and some rest before overextending yourself and doing too much for other people when you haven’t taken care of yourself and your goals first.
Strategy #4 – Get on a roll
This one comes from a TT Transformation contestant who is too busy losing fat to get off track over the holidays.
Don’t procrastinate till January 1st. Get started now. Dozens of
men and women are doing their Turbulence Training Transformations right now – through the heart of the holiday season.
They aren’t waiting for Jan. 1st to show up. They are taking
control now, and getting on a roll, and not letting anything (from
work parties to peer pressure) get in their way.
Strategy #5 – Exercise in short bursts whenever you can
Don’t be afraid to dance at your Christmas party. Don’t worry, there is bound to be at least one worse dancer than you out on the floor. Have fun and get down!
On a more serious note, here’s how to avoid falling off the fitness
program during the busy holiday season.
Get your butt out of bed 15 minutes early so you can have 3 minutes to wake up and 12 minutes to do the December 2007 Turbulence Training 12-Minute Workouts.
Get this workout as part of your bonuses when you start using
Turbulence Training today: http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com
Stay healthy and fit over the holidays,
Order the Turbulence Training Bodyweight 1000
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training
About the Author
Learn about the “Dark Side of Cardio” in the free report from Craig Ballantyne at www.TurbulenceTraining.com. Craig is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com
