Losing weight and muscle toning require the integration of proper nutritional habits, calorie-burning cardiovascular exercise, and muscle-building resistance training. The goal in this endeavor is to burn fat and preserve muscle. Fat tissue and muscle tissue are two completely different entities, thus, altering their respective states requires different but combined approaches. Dieting alone can affect bodyweight but will have no influence on muscle mass. This involves strength training to develop muscle hypertrophy, or growth. Combining strength training in your weight loss program is imperative since the more muscle mass you have, the more efficiently the body burns fat.
Step 1
Carry out a body-fat percentage test to determine what a target or healthy weight should be for you. Consult a certified fitness professional to accurately determine lean body mass from fat mass. Understand that body composition can be altered, positively, without a great deviation in bodyweight. This will help you establish a baseline number with which to plot and monitor your progress.
Step 2
Begin a resistance-training program three days a week on nonconsecutive days. Progress from body weight exercises, to machine weight exercises, and finally, incorporate free weights, such as dumbbells. Examples of body weight exercises are squats or lunges for the lower body, push-ups for the upper body and crunches or sit-ups for the core of the body. Begin with three sets of each exercise for 10 repetitions per muscle group. Allow a day in between to rest muscles. Progress from 10 reps, to 12 reps and, finally, 15 reps. Choose weights that challenge the muscles. There should be slight difficulty in completing the last repetition of each set. Return to 10 reps when you can perform three sets of 15 without much challenge. Increase the weight by 10 pounds and repeat the cycle, if applicable. Again, confer with a certified professional regarding exercise variety and proper form
Step 3
Include cardio or aerobic activity on most days of the week; however, avoid intense cardio sessions on the same day as your weight training. This has been shown to have negative effects on muscle growth. Exercise for 30 to 60 minutes on your designated cardio training days. Mix in steady-state activities that involve maintaining a certain pace for the duration of the activity, with interval training. Interval training consists of bouts of low intensity, moderate intensity and high (sprinting) intensities within the same workout. For example, a 20-minute interval routine could consist of a 3-minute warm-up at a 3.0 mph pace. At the 3-minute mark, increase pace to 4.0 mph for 2 minutes. Next, the speed should be increased to 5.0, for a moderate jog for 2 minutes. Finally, for 1 minute, increase the pace increase to 6.5 mph (sprint) for 1 minute. At the minute mark, return to 4.0 mph for 2 minutes and repeat the process.
Step 4
Eat a well-balanced, low-fat diet to complement the increase in caloric expenditure due to exercise regimen. Eat five to seven smaller meals throughout the day as opposed to three or less meals. The body does not recognize not eating as an attempt to lose weight, it recognizes it as starvation. If starvation mode is triggered in the body, fat is stored and other components are used for energy. Limit sweets and other refined, man-made foods. Opt for fruits and vegetables, instead. Eat four to six servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Consume lean proteins such as fish, skinless chicken and turkey every three to four hours to avoid protein breakdown.
References
- Physical Activity and Long-Term Effects of Weight Maintenance of Weight Loss; N.P. Pronk and R.R. Wing; 1994
- NSCA's Essentials of Personal Training; Roger Earle and Thomas Baechle; 2004
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