Best way to burn fat?

jennifermaria

jennifermaria

Cathlete
Hi Cathe (and any Cathe-ites who can answer :))!

I am 5 weeks away from my first marathon and have been focusing my energy and goals on getting myself ready to finish it (and hopefully finish strong :)). While training for a marathon definitely has some nice benefits in terms of cardio endurance, it does demand nearly 100% focus and so I haven't been able to sneak in other goals such as losing body fat and working on my strength gains.

But in 5 weeks, I'm ready to hop back on that train and work on losing this extra 5-7 pounds of body fat (which seems to have settled around my stomach area--hello muffin top!) while maintaining good muscle (once I lose that extra fat, then the goal shall turn to building more muscle). To that end, I'd like to be as efficient and effective as possible in accomplishing my goal of burning fat, so...

Assuming that my eating is relatively clean (which it is for the most part, but I will definitely tighten things up once the marathon is over and I don't need these extra calories for my 16, 18, 20 mile runs) and that I'll be incorporating some HIIT cardio along with my once-a-week runs (I do want to keep up my running stamina so it's easier for me to jump back into training for a half-marathon next summer), what is the best way for me to strength train, if my goal is to burn fat and maintain muscle?

Should I do more total body/endurance type workouts 2-3x a week or do heavy weight split workouts? I think the HIIT cardio and clean eating will do their part in burning fat, but I'd like to make sure I'm complementing my efforts in those areas with the right strength training approach, too, so I'm not inadvertently sabotaging my goals or slowing them down.

Thanks in advance!!! :)

Jennifer
 
Hi Jennifer,

If you want to build strength (as oppesed to endurance or mass-only), you would want to train heavy, and in the 4-8 rep range. Utilize a lot of compound movements mostly (deadlifts, squats, lunges, cleans, presses) and supplement with the more isolated movements towards the end of the workout (if you want these).

Pick a challenging weight that you can do for 4-6 reps to start. Use longer rest periods (1-2 mins). Every workout you want to aim to increase your reps. When you can get to 8 reps on all sets, increase your weight. At least 3 sets per exercise, 3-5 is good.

Of course, his is just ONE way to increase strength, but the goal is that you want to keep the weight heavy and the reps low.
I have given this as an example because it is an easy way to really track your progress: if you can squat X amount of weight for X reps one day, and then X + 3 reps a couple weeks later.. then you know you've made some strength gains and can up your weight :)
 
Hi pebblesus!

My goal right now (well, after my marathon, that is :)) is not to build strength (it will be, but not right now :)), but rather to burn fat. That's my primary goal, with the secondary goal to maintain strength/muscle, not build it.

From what I've read, it's very hard (and takes a very special genetic make-up) to be able to burn fat and build muscle at the same time; the best most can hope for is to burn fat and maintain muscle (because it'd be so easy to lose it with any kind of weight loss), so they typically have to choose one goal over the other for a certain amount of time, and then reevaluate after a few weeks and change things up as things progress.

So with that in mind, since I'm not really looking to build strength right now, would that change your answer?
 
Ah yes, duh I misread a little.. :) You are right, very hard to burn fat and build muscle (very tricky macro-calculating and whatnot).

If you want to maintain strength and muscle Id recommend still lifting heavy, maybe more in the 8-12 range. No endurance stuff-- you're doing enough of that with the running..
Split training or full-body would be good. I wouldn't do too big of a slpit, doesn't do any good to train one bp a day if you're trying to lose fat. I would do either a full body training incorporating mostly compound moves as above.. or a 2-3 day split.
Ex/1: upper / lower
Ex/2: upper push / lower / upper pull
Ex/3: upper horizontal movements / lower / upper verticle movements

*** I must also recommend supplements.. are you taking any now? Make sure your protein is at least at maintenence so your body won't need to go after your muscles for fuel. Take some BCAA's, either tablets or powder form (flavorless you can put in your shakes), they help maintain muscle and are great for intense cardio routines!

Is that better? ;)
 
Thanks, pebblesus!! :)

PS I won't be running nearly as much after my marathon (and I've got my workout regimen pretty locked in for the rest of my marathon training, so I don't want to mess with that till the event is over :)). For my "next phase," i.e., the "post-marathon-Jen-needs-to-lose-those-stubborn-5-pounds-of-fat-she-couldn't-get-rid-of-during-the-marathon-training" phase, here's what I'm planning to do:

M Cardio Coach HIIT, yoga
T Strength
W Cardio Coach HIIT
T Strength
F Run (5-6 miles)
S Strength

Sounds like from what you've suggested I should go with a heavy weights/split approach for those strength days? And from your suggestions, maybe doing something like PUB on one day, PLB on another, and Kettlebells on the third strength day might fit the bill?

And yes, I'm a big believer in supplements :)
 
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For fat loss, I would focus on total body/circuit workouts that incorporate large muscle groups - push ups, pull ups, stair climbers, squats, lunges. Don't waste your time doing lots of bicep curls and the like.. this type of training should include enough strength work to maintain muscle, but if you are afraid of losing muscle, throw a few reps of heavy weights - but this isn't your focus. You just need a little bit of strength to maintain. but realize that whenever you burn fat, you will lose a little bit of muscle - you can only minimize this.

also reduce your calorie intake... just a reminder - you will need to create a calorie deficit to burn fat. your expenditure must exceed your intake - move more, eat less. that's the fastest way to success. just don't reduce your calories too much (500 is a good standard) cause you don't want to reduce your metabolism. for this reason it's better to zig zag your calories - hi calorie one day, low the next, ... but your net should be a deficit.

hope that helps.
 
Thanks, Deana!

Do you think DVD's like Muscle Endurance, Super Sets, and Push/Pull may fit the bill for this goal? I'm too lazy/undisciplined to make up my own routine :).
 
Yeah, you'd be good with those. ME is great! I would do ME over SS/PP - that's a split though it has a TB premix.. Even though you are doing cardio coach, I wouldn't shy away from the advanced circuits like Bootcamp and Terminator, even if you are doing HIIT. These are great calorie burners and that is your goal right now. What is also good about them is they switch from upper to lower body quickly - which confuses your body boosting metabolic burn. (I don't know if that's true, but I read that recently). I might start with 2 TB and 1 Circuit and see how that does. You'll still get strength in the circuit - i might go a little heavier if you do decide on the circuits.
 
DeanaMax said:
For fat loss, I would focus on total body/circuit workouts that incorporate large muscle groups - push ups, pull ups, stair climbers, squats, lunges.
Click to expand...

I agree.
And by finding a workout where you are moving between upper and lower body exercises, you can increase calorie (and fat) burning.
 
Hi Jennifermaria,

Check out these two articles, too:

http://www.figureathlete.com/free_online_article/training/the_final_nail_in_the_cardio_coffin&cr=

http://www.figureathlete.com/free_online_article/training/get_off_the_treadmill_and_get_metabolic

In the first article, Rachel Cosgrove talks about how she got "flabby" while training for an Ironman competition (she mentioned elsewhere that she was about 25% body fat in the photo of her in this article), and in the second one, she describes her workout for taking her body fat back down to 18-19% by using metabolic circuits.

I just bought a GymBoss timer, and I'm going to try doing her metabolic workouts twice a week. Like you, I like following along to a DVD, but thought that this might be a nice change of pace!

Hope this helps! :)
 
Leanne, thanks for posting the links. I might try that bodyweight circuit -- but I still need the Cardio Coach whispering in my ear so I'll be using my elliptical, too. :D

Here's an excerpt from Rachel Cosgrove's article, The Final Nail in the Cardio Coffin, that has me scratching my head:
I made sure the interval workouts weren't on a treadmill or a bike. I only used bodyweight-exercise circuits, along with kettlebell circuits, as my cardio workouts.
Click to expand...
Hmmm...I wish she would've offered more of an explanation as to why she excluded the bike and treadmill from her interval training routine. I can see the value of bodyweight circuits, but why to the exclusion of other things? This is what makes me nuts about "fitness experts". Personally, I believe it's good to mix it up a little (yeah, I know -- I primarily workout on an elliptical, but I'm considering joining a gym so I can vary my machines -- yes, the girl who hates cardio is embracing it :eek: ). And while I agree that you don't reap the best benefits from endurance cardio, I do see a place for it. Sometimes in real life we have to be able to go the distance, and sprints don't prepare you for that.

ETA and is this article directed at figure athletes or anyone? Sometimes I'm not sure who the target audience is.

Did anybody notice the Krispy Kreme ad for whole wheat donuts in the middle of the article? LMAO!!!

ETA one more time that I didn't intend to come across as antagonist in my comments, but after I posted it kind of sounded that way. It's just that I sometimes get confused by all these experts touting their proven methods. I guess I like Cathe best of all -- she seems to offer a little of everything and she looks pretty darn good to me! ;)
 
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Thank you for gymboss info!

LeanneM:

I didn't even know there was such a thing, but from someone's post I found a few sights that gave me some info on circuit training workouts and was trying to figure out how you would keep track of when you were supposed to change to the next exercise! This was SO timely!

I have learned so much from just reading these forums! they are all so informative!!!:p

hope you all enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Dani
 
The articles are for everyone. Some are obviously targeted more for those that are more hardcore or those want to look like a bikini model.. but the point she was making in the article (and several other on that site) is that when you build endurance you're increasing just that: endurance.

Higher endurance means you can tolerate more of (an activity in this case) than you once could. THUS: your body had adapted and will adjust its nutrient partitioning and calorie expenditure to the new, contant, steady-state activity level.

Our bodies adapt to everything over time.. the heat in the south, the cold in the north, the fried fat we eat (or don't eat-- if I even just cook dinner in too much oil the BF gets sick and hacks all night- he can't handle his grease like I can hee :)
Fitter people can usually handle going up a flight of stairs much easier than someone who is overweight...
So steady-state endurance cardio all the time will build the endurance so you can run miles and miles (certianly better than I could), but your body will eventually adapt to it just like it would if you did the same Cathe DVD 4 times a week for the next year .. withe the same weights and reps :) Why keep your muscles guessing and not your heartrate?

Sure you'll lose weight n all, afterall it takes time for you to adjust, but most of us (particularity those of us that have more weight or bf to lose) will hit a plateau.

Treadmills are fine, but some of the cardio machines are too similar in movement and that's likely why she said she stayed away form them (doesn't mean that you need to, just maybe cycle it with some jumprope drills or something).

Hope I helped shed some light, I don't know everything, but I am a believer in interval training or cycling cardio sessions (interval or steady-state).
 
You guys are awesome--thank you so much for the great advice and things to think about! Although part of me is sad that my marathon training is coming to an end soon (I must confess, it's kind of a cool thing to be able to brag about doing an 18-miler on a Saturday morning ;)), I'm also excited about taking a break and trying something new to get my mind and body (and with any luck, my body FAT ;)) stimulated.
 
dbelden1 said:
LeanneM:

I didn't even know there was such a thing, but from someone's post I found a few sights that gave me some info on circuit training workouts and was trying to figure out how you would keep track of when you were supposed to change to the next exercise! This was SO timely!

I have learned so much from just reading these forums! they are all so informative!!!:p

hope you all enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Dani
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Hi Dani! Glad to help! :) I ordered my Gym Boss directly from their website (gymboss.com), and it showed up in about three days with regular shipping! I'd read about it before, and it got such great reviews on Amazon that I decided to spring for it. I'm going to use it for the first time today!
 
I think Pebblesus is right that Rachel Cosgrove advocates a variety of training. If you look at the discussion links for the article (which you have to register on their website to access), she says in response to one person's post that she actually likes steady state training herself, but that it's not the best way to lose fat. She says that too many women ONLY do the treadmill or biking, which is why it's important to change things up.

Jennifermaria, I think it's so awesome that you're doing that marathon! I'm in awe of anyone who can do one! :D
 
I haven't done it yet, Leanne LOL! Got another 5 weeks (well, 4 weeks and 6 days, not that I'm counting ;)) to go... Starting to get nervous!!
 
jennifermaria said:
I haven't done it yet, Leanne LOL! Got another 5 weeks (well, 4 weeks and 6 days, not that I'm counting ;)) to go... Starting to get nervous!!
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Heck, Jennifermaria, if you can run 18 miles (which is amazing!!) in one day, you'll ace that marathon!! :)

I just got done doing that metabolic circuit workout for the first time with my Gymboss, and it kicked my rear end! It was really tough -- and fun!
 
LeanneM said:
Hi Dani! Glad to help! :) I ordered my Gym Boss directly from their website (gymboss.com), and it showed up in about three days with regular shipping! I'd read about it before, and it got such great reviews on Amazon that I decided to spring for it. I'm going to use it for the first time today!
Click to expand...

:) Mine should be here thursday. If you don't mind me asking, I saw your post above on the metabolic circuit... where did you get it, or would you have it to share? All I found was some weight/strength circuits at bodybuilding.com so other ideas would be great!

TIA!

Dani ;)
 
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