Burning fat and building muscles are processes that your body already knows to perform. All you need to do is create the training stimulus and supply your body with the optimal nutrients, timed to maximize muscle building and fat burning. While individual metabolic factors may vary, the basic techniques and strategies are the same.
Step 1
Do resistance training workouts three to five days per week. Beginners can focus on full body workouts every other day. More advanced trainees may wish to target specific muscle groups separately and train more frequently. For example, you may choose to train your shoulders on Monday, arms on Tuesday, legs on Wednesday, back on Thursday and chest on Friday. Always take at least one day off per week from resistance training for recovery.
Step 2
Perform nine to 12 repetitions on each exercise. According to fitness authors Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman, this middle rep range is best for stimulating hypertrophy, also known as muscle growth. Lower reps are great for strength and power, while higher reps may improve endurance and muscle definition.
Step 3
Add NA, or negative-accentuated, sets to your program. Accentuating the negative means lowering the weight slowly to a six-second count on every repetition. This technique causes micro tears in muscle tissue, which require a lot of calories to repair. The body may burn extra fat for up to 72 hours in response to NA training. Add only one set of NA reps because this technique can cause excessive soreness if overused.
Step 4
Do 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise immediately after your resistance training workout. Best-selling fitness author Jeff Anderson calls this "super cardio" because it directly targets body fat. He recommends low-intensity cardio to prevent muscle wasting. Examples include riding an exercise bike, walking on the treadmill or using an elliptical machine.
Step 5
Drink a post-workout shake to provide the body with much needed nutrients for muscle building. "Optimum Anabolics" recommends 50g of whey protein, 60 to 100g of high-glycemic carbohydrates (dextrose, fruit juice or bananas) and 30g of healthy fats (flaxseed oil or medium-chain triglycerides).
Step 6
Supply adequate protein and nutrients by eating five or six smaller meals throughout the day. This nutrition strategy creates a trickle effect to muscle cells to promote growth and recovery. It also elevates your metabolic rate to keep fat burning all day long. Aim for three meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner, with two or three snacks in between them, including your post-workout drink.
References
- "Xtreme Lean"; Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman; 2006
- "Optimum Anabolics"; Jeff Anderson; 2004
- "The Abs Diet"; David Zinczenko; 2004
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