Ditch the scales

Although your goal for the summer is to look better in a bikini and a tank top, the scales are not usually the best measure. It is just a mind game and not motivating at all. You can eat perfectly and train hard but gain 2kg’s of muscle and lose 2 kg’s of fat and the scales will tell you that you weigh the same.  So instead, get a Dexa Scan, take pictures, measurements and the way your clothing feels. Read our Fat Loss vs Weight Loss for more information on this.

Reduce your calories gradually

Don’t do a huge calorie cut, this will kick your body into starvation mode which reduces your metabolism. This will then make it more difficult to burn fat.   To keep your metabolism going and allow your body to burn fat make small calorie deficits every week. If you’re still dropping body fat, don’t drop calories unless your  body fat%  stops reducing. Listen to your body.

 Eat more Protein

When you increase your protein intake it will increase your metabolism and help maintain muscle mass which helps to burn fat. In fact, your body burns more calories when you eat protein than when you digest either fats or carbs.

Vary Your Caloric intake

This is a way to outsmart your body and shock your system. By varying your calorie intake every few days, instead of eating the exact same amount you keep the starvation mechanism in check, continuing to burn fat. Your protein intake should remain the same just your fats/ carbs should vary.

 Intermittent Fasting

No, this is not starving yourself and no, you will not lose muscle doing this. Research shows that muscle is gained, I know this from personal experience. It is basically cycling your calorie intake. Instead of eating your usual meals throughout the day you get a compressed eating window generally 16 hours fasting and 8 hours eating.  Not only is it good for fat burning but its great on our digestion, after all everything starts in our gut. This does not mean you eat whatever you want in this window period. You should eat a good balanced diet of protein, fats and carbs. Once again stay with eating whole foods and avoid processed foods.

Strength Training

One of the most important things along with our nutrition. We want to increase your metabolic rate. It’s not all about how much we burn in a session but it’s about the after burn. In a cardio session, yes you will generally burn more but you don’t get the after burn for the next 24 hours. When you do strength work you get this so called after burn. How good is that, you’re still burning calories and you’re not even working out.

Strength training style can vary. You should mix your strength style of training up as its good to shock your system every 6-8 weeks, after all variety is the spice of life.

• Metabolic resistance training- Use moderate weights for moderate reps while alternating upper and lower body, completing whole body circuits.
• Strength Training-  Use more traditional methods to allow you to lift heavier weight.
• Bodybuilding- Focus on building lean muscle to raise metabolic rate.
• Strength Plus Conditioning - Focus on getting stronger along with conditioning based workouts to boost EPOC (after burn)

All strength training should include compound movements. These are your big hard lifts getting the most bang for your buck and the most effective for any training but especially fat loss. Use lifts such as Deadlifts, Squats, Pull ups & Bench Press.

HIIT Training

Interval training involves you going at an easy pace or stopping for a duration of time and then going all out max effort. You can also adjust the duration and rest period, mix it up. This can burn more calories and potentially increase your metabolism. I would add this in just once or twice a week for 20-30mins or at the end of strength workout for 12-15mins.

H2O

Water consumption is great for your skin, hair, and internal organs, but it also helps you lose weight. Drinking water, according to some research on its own will cause your metabolism to spike. Drink water more frequently, and more overall per day. You'll be more hydrated, healthier, and your body won't be looking to cling onto those fat stores!

Sleep/Recovery

Are you getting enough sleep? While everyone’s needs vary, plan to aim for around 7-9 hours a night. You may think that sleep would be counterproductive in losing fat, but properly rested bodies tend to process carbs more efficiently. If you’re not properly rested you will crave sugar. Cortisol, Gherlin and Insulin levels go out of whack, this is when your body starts clinging on to fats and sugars. If this is you, get more sleep!

So, it all varies slightly between people, how much time you have and how quickly you want it to happen. But I would suggest 3-5 weight sessions, 1-2 HIIT style workouts and 1-2 Rest days but 1 rest day for sure. Make sure your food is on track, its 70% nutrition, getting enough sleep and water (to flush that system).  Struggling to get started? Check out our class description for our Strength and HIIT style classes.