A perfect fat loss workout is one that taps into every last calorie-burning, metabolism-boosting, lean muscle-building mechanism there is. By burning the maximum amount of calories during the workout, spiking the metabolism after the workout and causing absolute muscle fiber microtrauma (you have to break muscles down for them to build back stronger, which in itself requires lots of calories to fuel the process; not to mention the additional calorie-burning that will take place daily, thanks to the new lean muscle), your fat loss “force” will be firing on all cylinders.
So what type of fat loss workout hits on each of these blubber-torching mechanisms to the greatest and most prolonged extent possible? Well, I like to call such workouts my fat loss explosion routines, but really they’re an intricate mix of cardio workouts, weight training workouts, plyometric training and body weight training. Here’s how I create fat loss workouts that are “slim waist certified”:
Fat Loss Workout Requirement #1:
Begin the workout with total body weight training. Simply put, this is more demanding and requires peak energy levels, which is why I like to begin with weight training. After a thorough warm-up, complete either an intense circuit, a superset, a quad-set or do straight sets with super short (30 seconds or less) rest periods. Workout like a maniac, making sure to include all muscle groups, for fifteen short, but very intense minutes.
Fat Loss Workout Requirement #2:
Follow up your intense fifteen minutes of weight training with some cardio work to finish off the metabolism and tear into deep, hard to reach fat stores. If you’re worried about losing muscle mass, I recommend ingesting 20-30 grams of whey protein mixed with water, before starting the cardio portion of our fat loss workout.
The cardio session can last anywhere from 5-45 minutes, depending on your fitness level and how quickly you’d like to see results. Choose to follow either a demanding body weight circuit that is mixed with plyometrics or you can perform interval cardio outdoors or on a piece of cardio equipment. I prefer to start my clients with an intense 6-minute body weight and plyometric combination circuit and then progress weekly from there.
If you’re a relative beginner and your fitness level is lower, you may need to perform steady-state cardio until you’re ready to work at a higher level of intensity. Start with 5-10 minutes of light jogging or walking on an incline and progress weekly from there, starting with an increase in intensity and then transitioning to a longer duration.
Fat Burning Workout Requirement #3:
Work to become more fit. Don’t think about weight loss when you’re approaching your workouts. Instead, focus on getting in better shape, getting stronger, more endured and more explosive as the weeks go by. When you train for performance your body is forced into fat loss, muscle toning and body sculpting.
This is exactly why performance athletes have such dynamite physiques – by designing their workouts to improve their abilities, a lean body with a slim waist is simply an awesome byproduct to a different motive.
Fat Loss Workout Requirement #4:
Workout as hard as possible, without overdoing it. This one’s a slippery slope because it is possible to over-train and therefore diminish your weight loss results, especially when fat-storing stress hormones like Cortisol get released.
Having said that, most people are working out nowhere near the level they should be. Losing body fat is an easy concept, but very hard work. And it gets even harder as you make improvements, thanks to your body constantly working against you to keep things in “normal order.”
The only way around these fat loss roadblocks are to outsmart the body with advanced workout tactics such as these and make sure to increase your intensity and challenge yourself more and more.
Take these fat loss workout requirements and mesh them into a program that fits your abilities and your preferences. By doing this, you’ll surely be training in a way that is slim waist certified.
