The New Rules of Fat Loss

The rules have changed, and if you are new reader then this is going to enlighten you to what you may or may not be doing wrong in your fat loss programs.  If you are a frequent reader, then these will be a review that absolutely bear repeating so it will serve as a fantastic refresher.

Ok, when I say ‘new rules’ I must clarify that these rules have been practiced by the elite programs for some time, but to the general population, they are given a back seat to what  I call ‘politically correct’ training.  First we need to understand what the major players are in a successful fat loss program; exercise-mainly weight training and nutrition.  Nutrition is 80% of your results and exercise is 20%.  Nutrition requires more work for more people than does exercise and will also take more time to learn how to eat supportively.

Now since this article is titled ‘New Rules of Fat Loss’, I’m going to skip the rules you probably have heard before, like eating every three hours, exercise at least 5 times a week, or cutting portions down.  These rules are just as important but are, as I said, not politically correct enough for them to become mainstream…yet.

New Rule #1- Yes you need to exercise but the type of exercise you perform can make all the difference.  Weight training, and weight training with the intent of getting stronger must be a part of your program.  5 pound weights will not make you stronger and consequently will not make you lose fat.  Those weights are more for those beginning exercise to build up their tolerance to training.  Strength train your larger muscles like your legs, back, and chest to maximize your fat loss efforts.

New Rule #2- Fat free is overrated and has no place in a fat loss program.  We got a little crazy with the low fat or fat free movement, to the point where normally healthy foods were being converted to fat free or reduced fat options (peanut butter and cheese come to mind), making them actually less healthy.  The truth is, there is no reason to be afraid of fat provided you’re eating the right kind.  Healthy fats such as those from nuts, oils, cheeses, etc are healthy options and have a lot of benefit to your fat loss efforts.  A successful fat loss nutrition plan is going to have cheeses, nuts, oils, and other healthy fat sources in abundance.  It will not have a lot of starches (if any) in the plan, nor will it have any fat free versions of foods that are normally fatty.

New Rule #3- Rethink your cardio for better results and less damage on the body.  Running was once thought the king of fat loss exercise.  And while it still has its place, it no longer sits head and shoulders above the rest.  Running, just like many other exercises can be very effective when used strategically.  Cardiovascular exercise is another key component to a successful fat loss program, but perhaps not as prominent as it used to be.  20 minutes 3 days a week is more than sufficient amount of running for effective results.  However, you can get along great with no running.  Bodyweight exercises provide a tremendous amount of cardio benefit as do stair training and, my favorite, kettlebells.  Mixing it up and varying your cardiovascular training will dramatically decrease the chance of overuse injuries and boredom.  And by changing it up you will not compromise your cardiovascular health.  In fact you will do just the opposite as your body will not get used to just one method of training.  It will be challenged every training session with something  a little different.

Adding these three rules to your training program will catapult you to new levels of results and performance with your training.