Fat Loss Question

AndyAK

Hi


Can someone tell me which is the most effective way to lose fat through using weights? Focusing on a body part each day for 6 days or doing a whole body routine each day for 6 days? I am a boxer and am trying to make a weight unfortunately I cant train at the moment due to a knee injury.



Any help would be great



Cheers

Nick500

Hi Andy,

I'm tempted to say try and lose weight through cardio, not weights. Still, i'll pass on the advice of somebody I know (but don't necessarily agree with as I am a believer of leaving cardio out of the weights room...):

The science behind fat burning is that 1lb of fat is 3500kcal. So that's how much extra energy you have to use rather than consume. (Negative Energy Balance). So to lose 2lbs you have to burn 7000kcal extra meaning that in a week you have to burn 1000kcal extra a DAY to burn it off.


Ignoring the science and my personal spin on things is slightly different. My weight and BF fluctuate regularly depending on lots of factors (Time of year/photos/hot dates with some biatches) and so I can be as high as 12% but then also down about 7%. It's really really hard to maintain your BF% below 10 and it's also hard not to lose good weight. My tips'd be this

1) Change your workout. Work in a higher rep range 12-15RM or 15-20RM are best (I know Nick has opinions about this, leaving cardio out of the weights room, but from my experience it's worked-ish) Not only should you be doing more reps, but also different exercises. Get rid of isolation movements (bicep curls, tri kickbacks) and start hitting your Core loading compounds (squats, deads, shoulder press, Bench Press). These exercises will do two main things, allow you to get your heart rate up and allow you to stimulate more muscle fibres. Both of which will lead to improved calorie expenditure.

2. Go to Whole Body Workouts. Squats, LPD, Bench Press, BOR, Quad extension, Ham Curl. Job done, body covered.

3. If you're interested in keeping your LMM as high as poss, you need to do low intensity training 60-70% MHR. You will directly burn fat, and not produce a stress response and excessive cortisol, leading to muscle breakdown.

4. Eat frequently, low GI food.

5. Don't be unrealistic

6. Have a day off a week, eat what you want... and make sure that that is the day you go shopping, so you feel guilty and get "good" food.

7. Pick something that is fun that burns calories... martial arts, sunday morning cycles, swimming, dancing. You'll be more likely to adhere to it.

Anyway guys, sorry about another boring post and I maintain that unless stated this is my opinion, I've only had to lose BF for a few weeks/months just fine tuning. long term benefits are slightly different, and maybe Raz, who has done really well with a lifestyle change would be a much better speaker than me.

Keep lifting


Marco...

AndyAK

Hi Nick

Thanks for the reply. At the moment I cant do any cardio, ive injured my knee and I cant risk working on it incase it doesn't heal in time (im fighting in 3 weeks). Im worried about doing cleans, deadlifts etc due to the fact my knee may not hold up which is why I was thinkin isolation movements would be best so i can just concentrate on burning fat from that are and keep my knee off the ground. Obviously id prefer to do nothing and lose the weight but if I knew how to do that I think id be quite a rich man by now!!! So do you think i should focus on a muscle part each day or do a whole body workout each day.

Cheers

Andy