In part one we touched on the two least effective methods of burning fat – steady state high intensity cardio and steady state low intensity cardio. In part two we will look at three of the more effective ways to burn unwanted fat from your body. All three of these methods have a couple of things in common. Firstly, none of the following is a steady state exercise. Alternatively, they involve intervals of high and low intensity activity. Secondly, all three methods raise your metabolism for hours after you have left the gym, consequently burning more fat as you go about your daily activities.  Scientifically, this afterburn effect called Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) and is induced by this high

Stair sprints are a great example of interval training

intensity interval activity. During EPOC your body uses more oxygen to repair itself, and the more oxygen you use the more energy your body burns to repair itself. The higher the intensity that is involved in your exercise, the better the effect on your EPOC. Additionally, the higher the intensity of your activity, the less time you need to spend engaging in exercise, and the more effectively your body will burn fat. It really is a win-win situation. So, what is the most effective way to burn fat with exercise?

High Intensity Aerobic Intervals

With high intensity aerobic intervals you are training in intervals of 30 to 60 seconds of high intensity activity, and 60 to 180 seconds (3 minutes) of low intensity activity. Remember more intense the activity is, the better the effect on your EPOC. Engaging in any intense activity will see your intensity reduce dramatically after 15 seconds, with the final 15 to 45 seconds really only qualifying as medium to high intensity. So while this form of fat burning exercise is more effective than the steady state activity, it does not rank as highly as the following activities that demand high intensities. However, this type of exercise is a great way to break up any routine and burn fat effectively on what would normally be a state high intensity run from A to B.

High Intensity Anaerobic Intervals

This is the most effective form of training to burn fat without the use of resistance training. Anaerobic intervals are much shorter than the aerobic intervals. Compared to the high intensity aerobic intervals, the anaerobic high intensity intervals are shorter and much higher in intensity and the low intensity periods as a ratio are comparably longer.  A study from the University of NSW found that sprinting for eight seconds, followed by a low intensity period of 12 seconds, for 20 minutes, burns three times the amount of fat you would burn from exercising at a continuous pace for 40 minutes. Training for just 20 minutes can give the lasting effect you want to have on your EPOC.

Metabolic Resistance Training (MRT)

Welcome to the most effective method for burning fat.  MRT differs from the other forms of activity because of its resistance training element which demands more from the body. Furthermore, resistance training increases muscle mass which means you will burn more energy from simply living. MRT training can be done in variety of different ways. CrossFit is a good example of MRT, continuous circuit training (or one big circuit), and you can even mix your resistance training with high-intensity cardio. Make sure you include multiple big compound movements like squats, push ups and pull ups. By and large, keep your repetitions to between 10 and 15, but there are several exceptions to the rule. A perfect example of this is the workout used to help shape the actors in the movie ‘300’ (see below). If you would like a similar program made for you (or a program and training tutorial), contact Lifenergy.

Pullups – 25 reps

Prefer the sprinters body? Then train like a sprinter (interval training).

Barbell Deadlift with 135 lbs. – 50 reps

Pushups – 50 reps

24-inch Box Jumps – 50 reps

Floor Wipers – 50 reps

Single-Arm Clean-and-Press with 36 lbs Kettlebell – 50 reps

Pullups – 25 reps

One of the most common goals for those who visit the gym is to reduce the amount of fat on their bodies. There are a few training methods that specialise in fat burning, some more effective than others. Let’s start with the two of the more popular methods; steady state low intensity and steady state high intensity. You have probably heard this debate before. You would have heard something along the lines of “if you want to burn fat, go for a long distance power walk, because if you run, you’ll burn carbohydrates instead of fat”. If interpreted incorrectly, this statement suggests that your body can shut down one energy source and switch to another depending on the intensity of your exercise. Let’s pour cold water on that rumour right now, because it is rubbish.

Now to be fair, there is an element of truth to low intensity exercise such as walking. At any one time, your body is using one or more of three different energy sources; fat, carbohydrates and in extreme circumstances, protein. During low intensity activity, you use a greater percentage of fat as an energy source than exercises with a higher level of intensity. However, percentage is a key word. You will burn more fat as a percentage, not as a raw number. If you ran over the same period (or less considering you won’t be able run for as long as you can walk) you would burn less fat as a percentage of total energy used, but would burn more fat as a raw number. The chart below provides a graphical representation of the relationship between the raw amount of energy used, and the percentage of each source of energy used during activity. (Please note that the figures below are an indicative illustration only).

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There are several negative effects of alcohol on the human body – increased body fat levels, dehydration, decreased physical strength and stamina, damage to brains and organs – but the chances that someone reading this article will stop drinking alcohol during the silly season are negligible. Alcohol releases the same chemicals in the brain as exercise and laughing. Combine this with longer days, hotter weather, more socialising and more time spent outdoors and becomes very apparent why the warmer months are known as the silly season. Some of you may be well aware that alcohol is indeed a barrier for your beach body and have asked the question “what is the healthiest alcoholic drink?”. Well for those of you who have (or have not) asked that question, here are some tips to help manage the silly season’s toll on your body while trying to look good wearing less.

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For so long we have been told repeatedly that we should avoid fat. “You should only buy low fat this or eat low fat that” and “don’t eat too many of those fatty products or you will get fat”! Sugar on the other hand has snuck by relatively unscathed. To an extent, it still
does. For example, you probably haven’t heard many people refer to your rum and coke or glass of wine as fattening have you?

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It is no secret that exercise is beneficial for your health. However, it is not uncommon for one to think that the health benefits from exercise are limited to their waistline. In fact, benefits of exercise extend far beyond a management technique for your waistline. By choosing not to exercise because you are happy with the way you are (skinny, fat or in shape), or you are under the impression you are short on time, you are actually preventing your body from operating more effectively in other facets of your life. This is true both mental and physical perspectives. Continue reading →

Courtesy of Self.com

The thought of going out into the winter cold to do some exercise is a somewhat unappealing thought for a number of you. If that is not enough, there is also the challenge of trying to eat as healthily in winter as you did in summer. Congratulations to those of who had the determination and discipline to conquer both. For those who didn’t  the fast approaching summer is the perfect reason to get a jump start on a new exercise routine and retrieve your toned, tight bikini body, and with this work out, it doesn’t have to cost you money!

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Firstly, lets make one thing be made very clear. At Lifenergy we completely agree that women should be comfortable with their bodies. This is a fundamental starting point for taking control of a sustainable healthy lifestyle and a healthy self esteem, but overweight women must be realistic and the associated support groups must provide more clarity and be careful about how they use the ‘real woman’ phrase.  There is an increasingly artificial ideology of beauty which has been developed by media and digital technology, so the ‘plus size’ support groups certainly have their place. It may well be that a size 12 or 14 (AU) 183 cm tall woman is a plus woman, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she’s overweight.

What BMI can look like. An accurate measure of health? Unlikely.

However, the use of the phrase ‘real woman’ is also increasingly being abused and manipulated.  There was an article in the Sydney Morning Herald recently about Kellogg’s being involved in a marketing campaign in the UK for the ‘everyday’ woman with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of up to 29. (http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/beauty/models-bigger-is-better-say-advertisers-20120622-20t8s.html) Now, there is a lot to cover here, so let us just start with BMI. BMI is a heuristic (rule of thumb) for human body fat developed between 1830 and 1850 by Belgian sociologist Adolphe Quetelet. This century and three quarters old index is an utterly useless blanket measurement which allows a woman to carry more fat than they should and makes men seem more overweight than they actually are. Why? It does not take into account frame size and muscularity. The large quantities of the hormone testosterone in men mean that men develop and carry larger quantities of  muscle than women, and muscle is about 18% more dense than fat. To put this into (seemingly shallow) context, if you seat a male with a BMI of 25 on a park bench with a female with a BMI of 25, it will attract the “she-must-be-beautiful-on-the-inside” comment. Yes, females do have a higher body fat percentage, but not so much more that it equals the BMI of a male. Despite its inappropriateness, the BMI’s widespread use when compared to skin-fold or waist-to-hip ratio measurements is due to its simplicity.

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