Losing those last 10 lbs. can be difficult because our bodies store fat as a survival tactic. Burning fat from trouble areas means fighting with thousands of years of evolution, which have programmed the human body to resist starvation. However, there are some tricks and techniques that can help to force your body to burn those last 10 lbs., and some of them might surprise or even shock you.
Step 1
Add negative-accentuated (NA) sets to your resistance training program. You accentuate the negative or lowering stroke of any exercise by counting a slow, six-second cadence as you lower the weight. According to Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman their book, "Xtreme Lean," this technique causes mirco-tears in muscle tissue that force the body to burn extra calories for up to 72 hours.
Step 2
Double your cardio, five days a week. Also called two-a-days, this strategy means doing one cardiovascular workout on an empty stomach upon waking, then doing another cardio session following your resistance training later in the day, or before going to bed. Twice a day cardio is time consuming, but effective for losing those last few pounds.
Step 3
Change your resistance training to circuit training for a few weeks. Circuit training is doing several exercises in a row, with a very short rest in between, completing one circuit. After a brief rest perform the full circuit again. According to David Zinczenko in "The Abs Diet," this elevates fat burning through aerobic components, while still offering the benefits of resistance training.
Step 4
Follow a low- or moderate-carbohydrate diet for the last two to four weeks of your diet or weight-loss program. Some people need to reduce their carbohydrate intake to reach low levels of body fat. Try taking in 50g of carbs a day for five days straight, then increase carbohydrate intake by 50 to 100g for one or two days. You can repeat this cycle to keep burning fat at an accelerated rate.
Step 5
Have one cheat meal once a week. Of all the techniques for losing body fat, the cheat meal is not well known. Dieting causes the body to decrease metabolic rate to ensure survival at a lower caloric intake. Increasing calories for one meal keeps the body from entering this starvation mode, and it keeps metabolic rate up to avoid a dieting plateau.
References
- "Xtreme Lean"; Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman; 2006
- "Combat the Fat"; Jeff Anderson; 2008
- "The Abs Diet"; David Zinczenko; 2004
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