A faulty strength training and nutritional strategy will prevent the achievement of a weight loss goal. Fitness competitors, bodybuilders and fitness models use tried and true methods to lose weight and gain muscles in a short period of time. Incorporate the strategies of fitness professionals to successfully lose weight and gain muscle.
Drink Water
Keep your cravings at bay by drinking water. A 2008 study in the "Obesity Journal" proved that an increase in water consumption is associated with significant loss of body weight and fat over time. Keep a water bottle at your desk to gradually increase your water consumption throughout the day. Work your way up to 2 to 3 l per day.
Incorporate Multiple Cardio Sessions
Maximize your fat-burning potential with multiple bouts of cardio. In 2007, the "Journal of Applied Physiology" reported that repeated cardio sessions burned a significantly greater amount of fat than a single cardio session. Dedicate three to six days a week to a single 60-minute cardio session or two 30-minute cardio sessions.
Consume Complex Carbohydrates
Fill your plate with complex carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables. Tosca Reno, author of the "Eat Clean Diet," recommends that a proper vegetable serving should fit into two hands cupped together. The natural sweetness of fruits can satisfy your sweet tooth while increasing your portion of vegetables can help curb hunger.
Eat Breakfast
Start the day off right with a breakfast of egg whites, oatmeal and berries. This breakfast is the staple of fitness competitors and bodybuilding champions as it provides adequate energy and nutrients while reducing excessive fat, sugar and carb consumption.
Snack Smart
Embrace "good fats" with a handful of almonds a day. Pack a cooler to consume a combination of lean meat and complex carbohydrates every two hours to raise your metabolism and turn your body into a fat-burning machine.
Watch Your Portions
Reno writes that a single protein serving should fit into the palm of your hand, starchy complex carbs like brown rice and oatmeal should fit into one cupped hand and complex carbs from fruits and vegetables should fit into two hands cupped together.
Lift Weight Strategically
Perform weight-training sessions two to six days a week. The more time invested, the greater the gains. Within a given week work all of the major muscle groups like the chest, back, shoulders, lats, biceps, triceps, quads, glutes and hamstrings. A study published in the 2002 "European Journal of Applied Physiology" revealed that low- to intermediate-repetition strategies led to muscle growth. Incorporate three sets of 15 reps for each exercise.
Keep a Journal
Map out your daily exercise regimen in a fitness journal. Write down the exercises and weights used for each exercise. Increase the weight by 2 to 10 percent when the weight is no longer challenging. Consult a fitness professional, review fitness magazines or reputable fitness websites for ideas on how to modify your routine every four weeks.
References
- "European Journal of Applied Physiology"; Muscular adaptations in response to three different resistance-training regimens: speci?city of repetition maximum training zones; G Campos et. al.; Issue 88; 2002
- "The Eat Clean Diet Recharged"; Tosca Reno; 2009
- "Journal of Applied Physiology"; K Goto, et. al.; Feb; 2007
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