Home > Good Form > Archives > 2006 > October > 02
Monday, October 2, 2006
Melt away Fat with Intervals
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Looking to blast off some stubborn fat? Interval training takes you back and forth between intense and moderate exercise all in one session.
For instance, why not jog on the treadmill for three minutes between each set while you train your upper body? This will reprogram your body to burn body fat as fuel as opposed to dietary calories alone. In fact, training with intervals can increase how many calories you burn every minute. You can jump from as little as a 0.06 calorie burn per minute to 4.8 calories in a minute after just six short weeks of intrval training.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: General Fitness
Weight Loss and Fitness Myth #9: You Must Consume Less Calories Than You Expend To Lose Body Fat
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I remember when I was in high school chemistry class, the teacher had us take a potato chip and burn it. Though it took a few seconds, the chip burst into flames and disintegrated. The purpose of this exercise was to demonstrate the First Law of Thermodynamics.
The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed – only converted from one form of energy to another. When you eat food, you are basically transforming food into energy for your body. In order to do that, you use energy to break down the food. Kind of ironic, isn’t it? You actually measure this energy in kilocalories, but you know it as just calories.
Now, here is the kicker. Not all calories are the same. Now listen carefully, I know no one can’t argue that 1 calorie doesn’t equal 1 calorie. It does. That’s like asking, “What weighs more, a ton of feathers or a ton of bricks?” However, the amount of energy that is needed to break down different food substances that have the same amount of calories can vary greatly. To give you an example, I want you to think of the difference between burning a piece of cardboard and a piece of wood. Imagine that they are equal in the amount of “calories” they have. Which would burn faster, the cardboard or the piece of wood? Even though they both have the same amount of energy, the cardboard will burn much faster. Why? Because the amount of energy released in heat does not have to be as great. It simply “breaks” down easier.
Just like that potato chip I mentioned earlier, it burned up quickly. Try taking a piece of raw broccoli and doing the same thing; you will have to stand there and hold the flame to it. (But don’t try this, please take my word for it.) Compare the potato chip to the broccoli - which do you think will digest faster?
Unfortunately, you have been told that depriving yourself of food (that is calories) will optimize our weight loss efforts. You hear this from weight-loss centers, infomercials, and magazine articles. Weight loss might be initially achieved, but weight is nothing more than gravity pulling an object toward Earth. Most of the initial weight you lose is water and stored food in the digestive tract. Once you start decreasing the carbohydrate energy, you begin utilizing proteins as fuel. By eating less, it’s really not fat you’re losing but muscle and everything else that is important.
Now, what does this really mean? It means you need to eat regularly throughout the day to keep burning calories efficiently. You see, by eating regular meals throughout the day you are constantly providing fuel to your metabolism, your body. This keeps the thermogenic engines burning, or that is, your metabolism will be working in high gear. However, you still have to eat the right kinds of food with the right consistency. Even if your caloric intake is low, when you eat hamburgers, French fries, and Pop-Tarts as the staple of your diet, you are going to have problems.
The main point to take from this article is that you must eat and eating less is not always the answer. You must eat regularly and it still must be healthy foods. These foods are lean proteins (e.g. grilled chicken, canned tuna), starchy carbohydrates (e.g. sweet potato, brown rice), and plenty of fibrous carbohydrates (e.g. broccoli, pepper, and any green leafy vegetable). Supportive nutrition, combined with weight training and cardiovascular exercise will guarantee your body fat loss efforts.
If you would like more weight loss and fitness “mythbusts” go to www.FitnessMythbuster.com or e-mail me at kelly@kellyhuggins.com to receive the full article.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Nutrition
.JPG)
-1.JPG)
Services »
