| It's a myth that "steady state" aerobic exercise is | | | | preserve the lean muscle tissue that would |
| the best strategy for fat loss. By steady state | | | | otherwise be lost along with the fat. This is a key |
| I'm referring to sustained exercise at a lower | | | | point. |
| intensity. Many women believe that in order to | | | | 4. The idea is to rev up your metabolism. |
| lose fat, the BEST exercise to turn to is steady | | | | Metabolism is largely a function of how much |
| state aerobics, but this is just not so! | | | | muscle you carry. Raising your metabolism is the |
| If you watch what you eat, and run, bike or use | | | | real key in long term fat loss and changing your |
| exercise equipment and still can't seem to lose a | | | | body composition. In order to lose body fat you |
| pound, you're falling into the | | | | must burn more calories than you consume---this |
| steady-state-is-best-for-me mythical mindset. | | | | remains rule number one. |
| Another good example would be if you've ever | | | | Aerobic training burns them while you are |
| trained for a marathon or triathlon and thought | | | | exercising, however anaerobic training (strength |
| you'd lose weight because of all that training. Didn't | | | | training and interval training) burns them during |
| lose weight doing all that training? Steady state | | | | AND increases the calories burned for hours |
| myth once again. | | | | afterwards. This is referred to as EPOC--the |
| I am not going to get overly technical here, and I | | | | excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. |
| am not going to discuss the nutritional component | | | | 5. The steady state aerobic dilemma is that you |
| of fat loss, that's for another time. But I do want | | | | will get efficient at whatever exercise you are |
| to answer the question: | | | | doing. |
| If not steady state aerobics then what? | | | | The work required to go the same distance at |
| I want to send you in the right direction in terms | | | | the same speed will become less and less as you |
| of your understanding what kind of exercise to | | | | get fitter. You will either need to go further or |
| use to reach your FAT LOSS goals. I know that | | | | faster. This creates a whole bunch of |
| we are all striving to live a healthy life and over | | | | concerns---spending more time to get the same |
| time reach a high level of fitness, and often that | | | | calorie deficit you once got, going faster if your |
| includes fat loss. Let's call that a desire to change | | | | technique is not solid could lead to injury, and |
| our body composition----gain muscle and lose fat. | | | | eventually the new distance or speed will become |
| What I see women turning to in their exercise | | | | too easy for you and at some point you will go |
| plan is steady state cardio----whether that's | | | | into your ANaerobic zone so you are no longer |
| running, walking, biking, or swimming. I am | | | | doing aerobics. |
| suggesting a much more EFFECTIVE approach | | | | In terms of fat loss, calories burned is the most |
| would be using strength training and cardio done | | | | important factor. Aerobic training burns less |
| as intervals (verses steady state). | | | | calories than anaerobic training and strength |
| Let's look at some facts so you'll see why what | | | | training overall. There is of course a place for |
| I'm suggesting makes sense. | | | | steady state aerobics in your toolbox. If you |
| 1. We have a survival instinct in our bodies that | | | | enjoy endurance-based cardio exercise, by all |
| holds onto fat for energy if we exercise | | | | means go out there and have fun. I know I do! |
| consistently for long periods of time (steady | | | | Our topic here has been the most effective and |
| state). Short intense exercise sessions do NOT | | | | efficient way to exercise to maximize fat loss. |
| trigger this fat storage mechanism, so your body | | | | Strength training and interval workouts are the |
| feels safe using fat stores for energy after these | | | | better tools to use for that goal. Of course, we |
| short intense sessions. | | | | need to pay attention to nutrition as well, but like |
| 2. Increasing the amount of resistance/strength | | | | I said earlier that's a different blog post. |
| training you do builds more lean muscle. Muscle is | | | | When it comes to fat loss, it's important to |
| metabolically active and burns more calories than | | | | match what you do with the goals you have, and |
| other body tissues even when you are not | | | | that includes being as effective and efficient as |
| moving. And muscle burns more calories than fat. | | | | possible! Interval training coupled with strength |
| The ONLY tissue in the body that burns fat is | | | | training is the best strategy for losing fat and |
| muscle. I generally find when you get a woman | | | | gaining muscle, it's the one-two punch every |
| stronger, other things improve as well. | | | | woman can use to reach their body composition |
| 3. Particularly if you are creating a caloric deficit | | | | goals. |
| through your diet, regular resistance training will | | | | |