Yes, we have all heard of how to achieve rapid weight loss. “Exercise for just 8 minutes a day and lose 20 pounds in 4 weeks!” Claims like this have been around for many years. You buy this gadget and get amazing results for only $ 19.95! Or buy this $ 2000 cardio equipment and the weight will melt away! Let’s get real here. Do you really think losing weight is that easy? If it were, everyone would be in good shape and the obesity epidemic would be nil. Sure, some of these things will work, but the results will be limited.

The real question with popular home gym equipment is how well they are built. They are certainly not as durable as the commercial equipment at your local gym. What many of these companies rely on is the fact that you will wear it for 8 weeks or less and then turn it into a coat rack.

Sorry, I went off topic a bit. Back to the heart of the matter. Rapid weight loss doesn’t come with a small level of commitment, taking a pill, or using only specific equipment. It is a factor of a lot of hard work, discipline, a correct nutrition strategy, and possibly some form of supplementation.

There I said it. No, I will not tell you that it is easy and will come with little time and effort. This seems to be the “American way” with everything we do in life. Unfortunately, very little results will be obtained by following a rapid weight loss strategy. I have mentioned the following before, but I think it may need to be reviewed one more time.

Fat loss program needs

1. Weight Training – This is probably the most important area of ​​concern besides nutrition. If you understand something about the human body, you know that efficiency is of the utmost importance. This is the “survival mechanism” and applies largely to weight loss efforts.

For example, let’s say you’ve started a calorie restricted diet. This tells the body to use its energy reserves (fat) and minimize energy use (muscle). Without weight training, the body will break down muscle tissue due to its high energy cost. In turn, this will slow down the metabolism and cause the results to eventually stabilize. Lost muscle mass, GASP!

2. Nutrition – Definitely the most important aspect of a fat loss program. If you eat too much food, it will take a lot of exercise to lose weight. I’m talking about a 24/7 affair, with little improvements made. Therefore, it makes sense to reduce / control caloric intake.

This can be achieved through popular nutrition strategies like Adkins, The Zone, South Beach, Low Fat High Carb, etc. However, understand that rapid weight loss will not and should not occur. Aim for around 1 to 4 pounds per week, depending on body composition and body weight. Anything more than that and you are likely losing muscle and a lot of body water.

My personal belief is that food quality should be addressed first. This means minimizing processed foods and going back to more natural sources. After this, I discovered that the overweight population does not do well on carbohydrates. This is especially true as the day progresses. Nutritionists call this “nutrient timing.”

The body is better able to use carbohydrates earlier in the day, when testosterone levels are highest. As the day progresses, levels drop and carbohydrates are more easily stored as fat. In people with higher body fat, this window is even smaller. YUCK!

3. ESD – This is also a very important area that needs to be addressed. To lose fat, energy must be consumed through activity. Unfortunately, in this technological age, this cannot be achieved through activities of daily living or activities of daily living. We work in jobs where sitting dominates and cars provide all types of transportation. Many also rely on steady-state cardiovascular methods, while I tend to believe that relying on higher intensity activities, such as sprinting and intervals, will produce faster results.

4. Supplementation: You tend to be overly dependent on supplements when embarking on such a goal. They are just what the name says, a supplement to your diet program. In other words, having a shitty diet with tons of supplements will get you nowhere.

Some supplements that I recommend and research has shown to help with exertion include: fish oil, post-workout shakes, a multivitamin, and possibly a stimulant of some kind.

I hope you don’t get caught up in the quick weight loss tricks and realize that it will take time and energy to get to where you want to be. Join a gym and get to work!

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