Losing weight fast with a workout plan can be challenging for many people. Working out by itself can do wonders for your fitness level and body composition. However, many people work out every day and still fail to achieve their goals. By optimizing your workout and diet for fat burning, you can get the most from your fitness program.
Step 1
Do resistance training workouts at least three days per week. Weight-training burns fat in many different ways. You burn fat while you work out, but you also elevate your metabolic rate for up to 48 hours after resistance training exercise, says David Zinczenko, author of "The Abs Diet." Try an every other day approach, working out Monday, Wednesday and Friday to increase fat burning all week long.
Step 2
Add negative-accentuated sets to your resistance training program. Accentuating the negative means that you lower the weight to a controlled 6-second cadence. Lift it back up normally counting one or two seconds. In "Xtreme Lean," writers Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman say this technique causes micro-tears in muscle tissue that force the body to burn extra calories for up to 72 hours. Add only one negative-accentuated set per exercise, preferably the last set, so that you do not exhaust yourself too early.
Step 3
Time your cardiovascular workouts to burn the most fat. For example, try doing 30 minutes of cardio immediately after your resistance-training workout. Jeff Anderson writes in "Combat the Fat" that this forces your body to burn fat almost exclusively. On non-workout days, do cardio on an empty stomach upon waking to maximize weight loss.
Step 4
Time your meals around your workouts to get the most out of your training. Try to get five or six smaller meals throughout the day to speed up metabolism. It may seem daunting, but simply eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with three well-timed snacks. Take in a small serving of protein and some fresh fruit one to two hours before working out. Take a protein shake immediately after your workout and have either another shake or a protein snack before bed. If you do this, you will have eaten six meals without losing any sleep over planning.
Step 5
Make your post-workout meal your highest priority. The faster your muscles recover, the fast your body can build muscle and burn fat. Jeff Anderson in "Optimum Anabolics" recommends 30 to 50 grams (g) of whey protein, 60 to 100g of carbohydrates and 15 to 30g of healthy fats, such as flax seed oil. If you do not want to use protein powder or supplements, simply eat a protein-rich meal, with a similar nutrient ratio to the one suggested above.
Things You'll Need
- Whey protein
- Flax seed oil
References
- "Xtreme Lean;" Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman; 2006
- "Combat the Fat;" Jeff Anderson; 2008
- "The Abs Diet;" David Zinczenko; 2004
- Optimum Anabolics; Jeff Anderson; 2004
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