The most effective way of training to lose fat
Many struggles to lose those last pounds. Diet is the factor which alone can make the biggest difference but if you want to lose fat there is certainly an effective way of training that will help you get there.
Our metabolism is controlled by several factors. If you are looking for ways to lose fat, having a look at your diet will make the biggest difference. Strength training isn’t very effective when it comes to fat burning, but there is an alternative that is: endurance training!
Fat is stored in one place and burnt in another
When your body gets fat, this is stored as fat cells in different parts of your body. It releases free fatty acid molecules which get transported by the blood to wherever the need for energy is found. For instance, it may go to a muscle, where it is then passively picked up and burnt.
Isolated fat burning of just one area is a myth
A common mistake when looking to lose fat is to aim at a single part of the body and then try to burn it off in that isolated area. It is simply not possible to carry out fat burning for just one specific area, and you will not get the result you wish for. Instead, you need to activate larger muscle groups for an increase in the general strength and increase muscle mass. That way, metabolism increases as well. Muscles use more energy than fat, meaning that a resting muscle will burn off more fat than an equivalent amount of fat.
Strength training vs. endurance training
In the war against fat, endurance training will without doubt be the most effective form of exercise. An endurance trained muscle more efficiently use fat as fuel than an untrained muscle does. You might just as well determine there’s a link between endurance and fat burning sooner rather than later. If your endurance is good, you will have the best chances of a well-functioning metabolism as well.
The enzyme lipoprotein lipase is found in both fat cells and in the muscles. This ensures that more of the fat goes to fuel instead of storage. This means that when comparing two individuals seemingly alike, the one with the best endurance will also have the better metabolism and fat burning. Your endurance greatly affects the degree of which oxygen is carried out and spent in your muscles, as oxygen is a necessary part of the fat burning process. Hence, maximum oxygen uptake is a good indicator of your endurance.
Why not strength training?
Strength training isn’t a bad way to lose fat either. As mentioned, strength training will increase your muscle mass and thereby improve your resting metabolism. Yet this form of exercise won’t give you the best and fastest results regarding fat storage. Just imagine a stereotypical weightlifter and a marathon runner. Obviously, the weightlifter will have the greatest muscle mass and with no doubt will (s)he be the one to perform the heaviest lifting. But the marathon runner is close to fat-free in comparison.
Longer runs give a solid metabolism and burns the most fat
A common assumption is that interval training gives the best results. It is partly true, if you’re looking for fast results. The high intensity will boost your metabolism and efficiently increase your endurance. In addition, this form of exercise is highly time-efficient and a very popylar way to lose fat in today’s busy society. You can achieve good results quickly with high intensity and short duration. The challenge arises when you’re trying to keep up the high intensity level. If the training goes excessive it will be destructive and tear down muscle mass instead of fat.
Science shows that endurance training with moderate intensity, about 60% of maximum oxygen consumption, is best for the metabolism and fat burning. Duration should be at minimum 60 minutes. The moderate intensity makes it possible to withstand the activity over a longer period of time, and the intensity level burns most fat. Thereby, you also lose fat and excessive body mass.
