by 24fit | Mar 1, 2013 | Strength Training
If you are trying to lose weight or just wanting to maintain your body weight as you age, increasing your metabolic rate (the amount of energy expended per day) is the key to sustainable weight loss. There are many ways to give your metabolism a boost – including exercising at the right intensity, eating right, and putting on more muscle.
This includes aerobic workouts to burn more calories in the short term, and weight training to build the muscles that will boost your metabolism in the long run.
Strength training with weights or other forms of resistance,(like bands) will increase muscle mass. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat; therefore the more lean body mass you have the higher your metabolism will be. Incorporating a sound weight training plan to your routine will significantly speed up the weight loss process. Since muscle burns more calories than fat — even while at rest — the more muscles you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate, which means the more calories your body will be burning just to sustain you
Every pound of muscle in our bodies burns 7-10 calories a day, while each pound of fat burns just 2 calories per day. While 30 minutes of aerobic exercise may burn more calories than 30 minutes of weight training. In the hours following the cessation of exercise, the weight training has a longer-lasting effect on boosting metabolism.
Having extra muscle also means you can eat more and gain less. Some women fear they’ll “bulk up” with weight training. But women don’t have the hormones necessary to develop those huge muscles, so you can feel good about doing weight training.
Your best bet for keeping metabolism revved: Build muscles, snack on low-calorie, high-protein foods, and keep moving!
by 24fit | Jan 15, 2013 | Strength Training
This week, I’m sharing three reasons for you to pick up some weights and make yourself stronger. Skinny is out and a strong looking physique is definitely the new sexy. You just have pick up a magazine to see that having some meat on your bones is a good thing. Toned and muscular women are now gracing the covers of popular magazines and even celebrities are sporting a more toned appearance.
All joking aside, the media may continue to show us what they think is an acceptable body type for 2013, but a healthy body never goes out of fashion. Have you heard of the term skinny fat? This is when someone may look skinny but has an unhealthy internal body-fat ratio that is detrimental to his or her health. I know there are also many people who may look a little larger but are a picture of health internally.
If you have read any of my previous posts you will know by now that my focus with any exercise plan is to benefit the inside of your body as a priority. The bonus is that exercise changes both your internal health and your external appearance. Take a look at my top three reasons why you should add weight/strength training to your life. Making time to lift a weight correctly will help you gain a little muscle and positively impact your health.
Three reasons to get stronger now:
Burn more calories
By lifting weights and becoming strong you’ll be changing every aspect of your body. People with increased muscle-mass burn more calories at rest than those without. It takes more energy for your body to sustain lean muscle and, therefore, your resting metabolic rate may increase as a result of lifting weights.
Improved bone density
Weight-bearing exercise is very beneficial for bone health in people of all ages. The aging process is linked to a decrease in bone density and a greater risk of fractures. And, this New York Times article shows that lifting weights can increase your bone density by as much as 2-8% per year, so consider how you can add weights to your workout because your bones rely on resistance training to stay healthy and strong.
Improved performance
If your body gets used to lifting weights, imagine how much easier just lifting your own body weight will be! Improved strength means that your daily activities will become easier and, if you are training for a sport, an increase in muscular strength can drastically improve your performance.
Strength Training:
Becoming stronger has so many benefits and you don’t need to be worried about starting to look like an out-of-proportion body builder,. Trust me when I say that unless you are dedicating hundreds of hours to lifting serious weights, and following a very specific body-building nutrition plan, the chances of you getting bulky are slim. Adding weight-training to your routine two to three times a week and eating a protein-rich diet will have you well on your way toward achieving a healthy physique.
Don’t be afraid of lifting heavy weights but do make sure that you start out with manageable lighter weights, so that you can focus on technique for 12-15 reps and slowly work your way up to heavier weights. As you increase the weight you are using, decrease to 8-10 reps. Your body will start adapting to weight training right away, so get started today.
I hope I have convinced you to get strong and add some weight training to your life, and, if my health reasons aren’t enough to convince you to start reaching for that dumbbell… let fashion be your guide!
Written by Samantha Clayton. Samantha is a paid consultant for Herbalife.
by 24fit | Oct 31, 2012 | Strength Training
Useful tips from a leading fitness professional Tom Holland:
Trap: All too often, people follow ineffective routines that cause them to waste their time and money. Here are my secrets for getting the most from your workout:
“Because women in general will end up doing less cardio than men with this formula, it’s wise for them to spend more time doing strength training (see below). Genetically, women have less muscle than men, and as a woman ages, the preservation of lean muscle becomes vital”
“Don’t slight your strength-training regimen. Many people complain that, as they age, they eat and exercise the same amount but still gain weight. One of the main causes of this is loss of muscle mass. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn. Strength training preserves and even increases muscle mass, keeping metabolism at a high level”
“Strength training also increases bone density and functional strength and preserves joint health”
Read the Full Article Here
by 24fit | Oct 23, 2012 | Fat Burning
Over the course of 24 weeks and the 3 seperate phases, the 24Fit workout trains your body to burn fat rather than carbs. If you only burn carboydrates, when you workout, you will be disappointed with the results. You always use both fat and carbohydrate calories to power activity, it is the relative ratio of carbs and fat used that changes based on the type of activity.
PHASES 1 – STABILITY, WEEKS 1–8
Stability prepares your body with low-intensity, light-impact training specifically designed to strengthen the muscles that keep joints in their correct, natural positions. Stability helps you improve your posture and joint health. By the time you have completed Phase 1, your body will be properly prepared for the more challenging workouts to come in Phases 2 and 3.
PHASE 2 – STRENGTH, 9–16
After building up the smaller muscles around your joints in Phase 1, Phase 2 will focus on the larger areas to increase overall strength. Phase 2 takes your now properly aligned body and focuses on building muscle with variable low- to high-intensity exercises. The results will be more lean muscle, better tone and more efficient metabolism. Your body will become a more efficient calorie-burning machine, so you are going to burn more calories all day – whether you are at work, at play or ever while you sleep.
PHASE 3 – POWER, WEEKS 17–24
Power introduces high-intensity exercises to refine your new strength and increase your stamina, speed and efficiency. The power workouts of Phase 3 are going to result in a faster, more efficient body. This is the final phase and it will give you the ultimate results.
Over the course of each eight-week phase, you will be alternating between two types of workouts:
- Strength Training Workouts will focus on your physical structure, your muscles, bones, joints and connective tissue. These workouts are on discs 1, 2 and 3 in each phase.
- Metabolic Workouts will improve your metabolism (how your body burns calories). These workouts are on disc 4 of each phase.
This article explains in more detail the science behind burning fat, progressing from lower to higher intensity exercise.
by 24fit | May 20, 2012 | Nutrition, Strength Training, Workout
Cardio exercise can include activities like walking, running, aerobics, cycling, swimming, dancing and workout DVDs. Cardio workouts strengthens the heart and lungs, increases endurance and burns calories which helps you lose weight.
Strength training is another form of exercise that works the body in a different way than cardio. With strength training, you lift weights (dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands, machines, etc.) to strengthen the muscles, bones and connective tissue. Strength training is just as important for weight loss as cardio. Through strength training, you build lean muscle tissue which raises metabolism and reduces body fat as long as you’re also watching your calorie intake. Adding even a few pounds of muscle will increase the number of calories your body burns each and every day.
Tom Holland ” Many people complain that, as they age, they eat and exercise the same amount but still gain weight. One of the main causes of this is loss of muscle mass. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn. Strength training preserves and even increases muscle mass, keeping metabolism at a high level. Genetically, women have less muscle than men, and as a woman ages, the preservation of lean muscle becomes vital”
Why Strength Training Works
For light exercise, your metabolism may be elevated for just a few minutes after exercise, but for more intense activities, like weight training for instance, your metabolism may be elevated for up to 36 hours after your workout. When you perform strength training, you’re burning additional calories for a much longer period of time than if you merely do cardio exercise.
Muscles are like ” far furnaces” they burn calories…
Focusing only on cardio and skipping strength training could actually make it harder for you to lose weight. In fact, you may even gain weight – especially if your cardio workouts exceed 45 minutes. If you do cardio too long, your body consumes muscle for energy. For most people, that “too long” mark is at about 45 minutes. Done over and over again, day after day, this excess cardio could have a substantial impact on your body – and the muscle loss could decrease your metabolism and result in weight gain.
If you working out at the gym and have 60 minutes of gym time, here’s a recommendation of a client looking to lose weight:
25 minutes of cardio (5 minutes of warming up, 15 minutes of intervals, 5 minutes of cooling down)
30 minutes of strength training
5 minutes of post-workout stretching
If you are working out at home for 30 mins a day, then alternate between strength training and cardio work outs, in the time it takes to drive to the gym!
An effective fat loss program like 24Fit, will include regular strength training and cardio workouts, which are done on seperate days. Another important component is, of course, eating a healthy diet as well. Ask any fitness pro or nutrition expert and you will hear that diet is typically about 80% responsible when it comes to losing weight, with exercise contributing 20%. By implementing all three components, you can maximize your weight loss and your health.
Post Exercise Shake
Have you had your shake after your’e exercise or dance class?! “Important! Don’t skip your protein shake after you exercise and think that you’ll save calories! A protein shake after training accelerates lean muscle growth, which in turn revs your metabolism and burns more fat. Ideally aim for at least 20g of protein that includes Leucine (an amino acid that boosts muscle growth – found in Herbalife 24’s REBUILD range!” . Or if your using the existing range, then a combination of Formula 1 and 3. The optimum time for taking the shake is within 30 mins of exercise. Also avoids you eating something unhealthy as you are starving hungry! What many clients do, is to have a sip of their shake before the workout( getting some fuel in the engine), then the remainder of the shake afterwards.
