Life, they say, is full of contradictions, so why shouldn’t that apply to exercise as well? He trains regularly with weights and cardio and carefully watches what he eats, which together are supposed to produce a fit and toned body. That’s the problem: it’s supposed to. But what if you do pretty much everything you can, really give 100% to your training and nutrition efforts, and still get a little soft in the middle?
I’ve compiled a few tips for you to add to what you’re already doing throughout the day. Instead of asking you to ditch your workouts and follow a one-size-fits-all program, I’ve created a list of ways you can increase your caloric deficit each day.
All of the tips presented here use one or more of three strategies to combat body fat: reduce the amount of food you eat (calories you take in), increase the amount of exercise you get (calories you burn), and increase your rate of exercise. metabolic (the number of calories your body requires to maintain body weight).
Taken together, these tips and strategies could theoretically help you synergistically burn up to 1,500 calories per day without requiring a significant change in diet or training regimen. You can still perform the same exercises and weight training routines, just add these training and nutrition tips to the mix.
1. Add intervals to your cardio training
The caloric effect: 150
The technique: “Internal training burns more calories than steady-state training because you can do more work in the same amount of time,” says Tom Seabourne, who has a doctorate in exercise science and is the author of Athletic Abs with Scott Cole. (Human Kinetics, 2002). To use this calorie-burning technique, Seabourne suggests you include sprinting with your jogging, add jogging to your brisk walk, or increase the difficulty level or pace when using cardio equipment. “Add 60 seconds of interval training every two minutes or so. The harder you work, the more calories you’ll burn,” advises Seabourne.
Comment: Not only do you burn more calories during these intense interval cycles, but they also accelerate your calorie burn for hours after your workout.
2. Increase your training weights by 5% – 10%
The caloric effect: 500-600
The technique: “This technique shakes up your workout,” says Steve Zim, fitness expert for NBC’s Weekend Today. “A lot of people get stuck using the same weights and reps over and over. Their bodies acclimate to the workload and don’t burn as many calories as they would if they provided their body with unexpected stimulation.” Increasing your training weights by 5-10% is a great way to go.
Comment: Research shows that heavy training (in the 6-8 rep range) increases your metabolic rate over the next two days, helping you burn up to 600 more calories than after light training (12-15 rep range). Plus, by only gaining 5% weight, you may feel more inspired, encouraging you to work harder and burn even more calories.
3. Cut Carbs Later in the Day
The caloric effect: 200-300
The Technique: Cutting carbs later in the day is smart for two reasons: One, it lowers the number of calories you eat each day, and two, it lowers the amount of insulin your body must produce, which lowers the amount. of fat your body stores. You don’t have to cut out pasta or potatoes, but cut back at the end of the day, eating one-third to one-half of your normal servings.
Comment: Bodybuilders know that this is one of the most important ways to reduce stored body fat. But if you train late in the day, eat some carbs after your workout to replenish muscle glycogen stores.
4. Record the food you eat
The caloric effect: 300-500
The Technique: Keeping a food journal can have a surprising effect on your discipline, because it makes you think about everything you put in your mouth. By simply committing to writing down every food you eat, you are less likely to include unhealthy foods in your diet.
Comment: Whether this has a minor or profound psychological effect on you, it gives you valuable insight into your nutritional habits.
*Number of calories burned is based on a 200-pound man who exercises four times a week and currently consumes enough calories to maintain body weight. The total number of calories you burn is likely to vary. – Summarized from Muscle & Fitness June 2005.