The Fat Loss Trifecta. 3 Steps 2 Losing FAT!

The Fat Loss Trifecta
Successful Fat Loss comes down to the application of a trifecta:
Article by Alwyn Cosgrove

1) Create a caloric deficit from dieting.The research currently supports a low carbohydrate diet as being superior in terms of fat loss than an isocaloric diet of higher carbohydrate intake. This is perhaps due to an increase in protein intake (highly thermic) as well as a reduction in insulin levels allowing more fat to be burned. The research supports it -- but the evidence from our clients is overwhelming.

2) Burn more calories from the use of metabolically demanding exercise.Interval training in particular is a highly intense workout that burns a lot of calories while you are performing it. The added bonus is that through creating metabolic disturbance - the body continues to burn more calories at rest after the session.

3) Elevate metabolism by maintaining your lean muscle tissue -- and making it work. Muscle mass is one of the biggest determinants of resting metabolic rate. While science continues to investigate and debate exactly how many extra calories are burned per day by the addition of one pound of muscle -- what IS clear is that muscle is metabolically active -- more muscle = more calories burned. And what is indisputable is that muscular work - resistance training is very metabolically demanding, not only burning a ton of calories while you are performing the exercise - but it also contributes to raising metabolism.

The biggest single factor in success in fat loss programming, in my opinion, is the effective understanding of EPOC. This is the 'excess post-exercise oxygen consumption' and represents the oxygen consumption above resting level that the body is utilizing to return itself to its pre-exercise state. In other words -- it's not just the calories burned during training that count -- it's also the "extra" calories burned in the post exercise period (up to 48 hours in some examples) that REALLY make the difference. Any program that is at all effective has to work through one or more of the above factors in order for fat loss to be created. It's an easy way to evaluate whether a program will work or not - does it have a nutrition component? - does it include resistance training? - does it include energy system work? - will it elevate metabolism?

That was a great article.

If there was one thing that I could add to the equation it would be to have a good amount of sleep as well. 7-8 hours is what you want to be striving for if you want efficient fat loss. If your muscles don't get enough rest they won't grow and you won't burn as many calories.

Dean Boukaras CPT
www.TurbulenceTraining.com