| So where to begin? Since two thirds of the | | | | resistance workout. Don't make sessions |
| population is overweight let's address the | | | | longer than an hour so you decrease the risk |
| foundations and keys to fat loss. | | | | of using the muscles as fuel. |
| | | | |
| Now before I get into the nuts and bolts of | | | | Here's an example plan - 5 min warm-up, 40 |
| nutrition and training principles it is | | | | min resistance workout, 10 min cardio (65-85% |
| essential we discuss the mental approach. | | | | intensity), then 5 min cool down and stretch. |
| | | | |
| I am continually in contact with people who | | | | The third part is nutrition and life style. |
| self-sabotage themselves. They just don't | | | | Often the most misunderstood and neglected. |
| believe deep down it's possible to change. | | | | Here are some basic initial steps: |
| The 'hope' that brings them to the point of | | | | |
| "maybe I could achieve this goal?" is very | | | | 1. Eat every 3 to 4 hours. This will increase |
| fragile. | | | | your metabolism and keep your blood sugar |
| | | | levels steady. If you eat regularly your body |
| And unless an absolute belief and vision is | | | | thinks "hey, I don't need to store as much of |
| there combined with an early feeling of | | | | this food as body fat, because I am getting |
| achievement and progress, the dream can and | | | | this regularly". |
| generally will quickly fade and the desire to | | | | |
| make those better choices becomes | | | | 2. Eat a source of protein at every meal. Our |
| progressively harder. | | | | body requires all three macronutrients |
| | | | (carbs, proteins and fats) to function. |
| Brian Tracy, one of the most highly regarded | | | | |
| motivators, says in his book 'Maximum | | | | 3. Reduce processed food, particularly the |
| Achievement' that he has found the common | | | | three evil whites: white flour, white sugar |
| link between high achievers. All have taken | | | | and white salt. |
| the time to sit down and create a clear | | | | |
| blueprint for themselves and their future. | | | | 4. Rotate your foods. Eat from a variety of |
| | | | foods to get maximum nutrients and reduce |
| This advice is hardly new and should seem | | | | toxicity levels - particularly with meat. |
| like common sense, but it's rarely done. | | | | |
| There is incredible power to goal setting and | | | | 5. Try to get to bed before 10.30pm as lack |
| strategic planning. | | | | of sleep and rest will place a stress on the |
| | | | body and when the body is stress it protects |
| Tracy goes on to say that happiness is the | | | | itself and one way is to release hormones to |
| "progressive achievement of a worthy ideal or | | | | store fat. |
| goal". | | | | |
| | | | 6. Drink plenty of good quality water, at |
| At the end of this article I have included an | | | | least 2 litres per day. Fruit juice doesn't |
| exercise that I thoroughly recommend you try | | | | count as it's full of sugar. |
| and invest in to help clarify your goals and | | | | |
| create the desire necessary to achieve them. | | | | As mentioned at the beginning of this article |
| | | | I have included an exercise to help create |
| So let's now focus on some basic principles | | | | your goals and give you a roadmap. |
| to get you on the right track quickly. As I | | | | |
| know once you start getting results staying | | | | Please try the following: |
| on that path is easier. | | | | |
| | | | Find a quiet place to close your eyes and |
| Success comes from a synergy: the need for | | | | think about your current health now, think |
| muscle, cardio in moderation and good | | | | about how it feels waking up in the morning, |
| nutrition and lifestyle. | | | | think about what you see in the mirror, about |
| | | | how you would feel after you went for a jog |
| Let me elaborate, starting with the need for | | | | around the park for 5 minutes, now project |
| muscle. Muscle is an active tissue and needs | | | | that over a year, then 5 years, then 20. What |
| fuel. It's your friend if you want to loose | | | | do you see, hear and feel at each stage and |
| body fat by increasing your metabolism (the | | | | what are you able to do. What is your quality |
| rate your body burns fuel). | | | | of life? |
| | | | |
| So here comes our first road block - mostly | | | | Now take another look at some of the |
| from girls - "but I don't want to be big and | | | | strategies towards health and fitness |
| muscle bound" you say. | | | | outlined, the 'how' we can do this. These |
| | | | initial steps are powerful stepping stones. |
| 1. It's very difficult for most women to bulk | | | | Again close your eyes and think what would |
| up as testosterone is a big helper. | | | | you like to see in that mirror, how would it |
| | | | feel to wake up energised in the morning, and |
| 2. If you are in the minority and prone to | | | | what would it feel to have a lasting energy |
| quick muscle gain then there are various | | | | throughout the day - what could you achieve? |
| strategies to combat this (e.g. cardio after | | | | |
| the resistence session as recommend below or | | | | Now put pen to paper and write down your |
| circuit training). | | | | ultimate health and fitness goals. Stick them |
| | | | somewhere where you can see them everyday, |
| 3. After the age of approx. 30 muscles begin | | | | and now let's begin the journey towards |
| to atrophy (diminish) so weight training is | | | | health, vitality and the body of your dreams |
| essential to maintain metabolism levels. | | | | together. Once you have written your goals |
| | | | down, it is much harder to sabotage yourself! |
| The second key is moderate amounts of cardio. | | | | |
| Overdoing it can lead to a decrease in fat | | | | The aim of this month is to create simple and |
| burning potential. | | | | achievable habits. |
| | | | |
| A survey conducted several years ago revealed | | | | The final point is I challenge you to being |
| that aerobic instructors are on average 20 % | | | | bold and begin now, not tomorrow, after the |
| body fat, while body pump (using resistence | | | | holiday, or when you feel ready. |
| weights) instructors were below 15 %. Why? It | | | | |
| goes back to the need for muscle. | | | | The journey of 1000 miles begins with 1 step. |
| | | | |
| Overdoing cardio may result in your body | | | | Your 3d Coach |
| using the muscles as a fuel source if there | | | | |
| are inadequate reserves. Decreasing your lean | | | | Craig Burton |
| muscle tissue then leads to a decrease in fat | | | | |
| burners. Cardio is important as it allows | | | | References |
| nutrients to be transported to the cells via | | | | |
| the bloodstream. When fat is released from | | | | 1. Chek, P., How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy, |
| storage centres (adipose cells) it travels | | | | 2004, C.H.E.K. Institute |
| through the bloodstream to be burned. | | | | |
| | | | 2. Tracey, B. |
| That is why I recommend cardio after the | | | | |