Switch Your Focus

Switch Your Focus for a Leaner 2009

A new year is upon us and health and fitness goals tend to dominate our wish list. Conventional thinking says that if one wants to lose weight, cardiovascular exercise and calorie restriction is the key to success. So, here we go; we start to run, get on the elliptical, and take spinning classes. Now that we are in the groove of exercise, all we need to do is reduce out caloric intake and the weight will just fall off. In the first few weeks you notice a few pounds are gone, but sooner than later, the weight loss is stagnant. It seems only right then that we need to work out more and/or harder and definitely cut calories even more. We then begin to skip meals because this will help weight loss, right? We also begin to pick up the exercise intensity. Reality quickly hits you and you realize things are just not working; you are not losing weight, what is going on?

If this vicious cycle sounds familiar, it is time to switch our focus. Let's first start with the nutrition. Eating (not severe calorie restriction) is the key to losing body fat. Sure, we need to eat slightly less that we burn, but if this deficit becomes too great, and we are skipping meals, the body feels threatened. At this point, the body perceives itself as being starved. When this occurs, the body will begin to slow its metabolism; just the opposite of what will facilitate body fat loss. The solution is to eat, and to eat frequently starting from when you first get up and continuing to eat all throughout the day. This frequent eating will stoke the fire within your body and will help to increase your metabolism.

In terms of exercise, sure, cardiovascular exercise is important for heart-health, but is not the key to body fat loss. Let's switch the focus from cardiovascular exercise to resistance exercise/weight training. Keep in mind; it takes lean muscle to burn body fat. The combination of cardiovascular exercise and calorie restriction can lead to the wasting of muscle. If we waste muscle, we will significantly reduce our metabolism. In order to build lean muscle, we need to perform resistance exercise/weight training and we need to feed the muscle (hence the aforementioned frequent eating during the day). It is the resistance training that will help to stimulate lean muscle growth.

In summary, to burn body fat, lose weight, and get that lean physique you desire, switch your focus from cardiovascular exercise and calorie restriction to resistance exercise and frequent meals during the day. Instead of going to the gym and spending 60 minutes on the elliptical, spend the first 30 minutes weight training and using the weight machines and then finish with 30 minutes on the elliptical. Instead of skipping meals and significantly reducing your calorie intake, start by eating breakfast and continue eating every 2.5-4 hours through dinner. Enjoy your journey to becoming Forever Fit!
 

 

Dr. Rick Kattouf II is the CEO and Founder of TeamKattouf, Inc., author of Forever Fit, Nutrition and Wellness Consultant, Sports Nutrition Consultant, and a Motivational Speaker. Rick can be contacted at www.teamkattouf.com.