Should I stop lifting heavy when my goal is to burn fat?

Two things happen when you lift heavier - you burn more calories and you burn more calories longer after the lift. In other words, lifting 200 pounds 5 times will burn more calories than lifting 100 pounds 10 times, even though the workload is the same. This is because of the way your anaerobic system is taxed, changes to your heart rate, the way the body accumulates what is known as "oxygen debt" and how the body pays off that debt using EPOC (exercise post-oxygen consumption).

So if your goal is to burn more calories, a super-circuit at a quicker pace will actually burn less calories. Lifting hard and heavy will burn the most calories during the lift and keep your metabolism elevated the longest.

What Exactly Is Cardio?

Cardio is really a modern term that has grown to replace aerobic exercise. To avoid the stigma of the aerobic craze of the 70s people switched to cardio when discussing it relative to fitness and strength-training programs to disassociate with the aerobics-only phenomenon.

Cardio is short for cardiovascular exercise which means really any exercise that benefits the heart. This used to be mainly aerobic training but now research suggests that weight lifting also benefits the heart - this is an example of a phrase that became popular before science could really validate it.

Aerobic exercise is any sustainable activity that utilizes oxygen (ergo the burning of fat) for a primary source of fuel. Weight lifting that is intense and in short duration will primarily use stored glycogen and the ATP-CP pathway (intramuscular energetics with creatine phosphate that - adenosine triphosphate or ATP is broken to adenosine diphosphate and this releases energy. To rebuild ADP to ATP, the CP is split, lending the extra phosphate moelcule needed for ADP to become ATP and thereby fuel another reaction).

Now, this definition is muddied because you can have weight training i.e. longer sets that actually use oxygen and are therefore more aerobic (take circuit training, for example, when people aren't using a heavy load). You can also have what is traditionally thought of as cardio i.e. sprints that can be anaerobic depending on the rest. If the heart rate is allowed to lower between the intervals followed by maximum output then you are more in the anaerobic/glycolytic range. If you are only doing intervals but the heart does not drop substantially then you are going to be in more of a cardio range.

Basically, and this is a nutshell, oversimplifying because I've already gotten quite technical, there are primarily three systems that fuel energy. ALL energy systems are used to some extent, but various activity will use more of one or the other.

Anything lasting just a few seconds is going to be primarily anaerobic and use the ATP-CP system. This includes weight lifting, where the reps last a few seconds and are maximal bouts of output. Active rest occurs between the repetitions and then actual rest occurs between the sets. Shot-put, 50 yard-dash, weight lifting, olympic lifting, power-lifting are all examples of this.

Anything lasting a few minutes is primarily the glycolytic system where lactic acid is utilized to generate energy. This would be prolonged bouts such as sprints, longer weight lifting sets, etc. Basketball (run down court, then stay at the court = submaximal bout followed by active rest), and Soccer are examples of this.

Anything beyond that first few minutes must utilize oxygen turnover and therefore you are in the aerobic zone. This would be longer runs, rowing, hiking, etc.

Now, keep in mind there is no black and white with this - you still cross over into multiple systems. The reason why HIIT is more cardio than, say, a 20 minute weight training session, is that in HIIT on the slower intervals you are still performing work. Your heart rate drops somewhat but doesn't drop a lot and therefore is still elevated in its output - this means that oxygen must fuel the process. On the other hand, in typical weight training, you are resting between sets which allows adequate recovery for the heart rate to slow while the muscle energetics replenish themselves.
A long weight training session with short rest and a lot of supersets is going to be aerobic at the same time as being anaerobic during the sets - you are anaerobic to explosively move the weight but because you are not allowing your heart rate to drop significantly between bouts of work the entire workout becomes more aerboic. Dave Draper was a huge advocate of this method of training and felt you could build muscle and stay lean or even burn fat simultaneously by supersetting a lot. Looking at his physique I don't doubt there is some validity there.

Hope that helps - if you really want to dig into the details just search on ATP-CP or muscular energetics and you can get some good primers. Of course, then you might be forced to look into the Krebs Cycle and other pathways of metabolism and discover just why it is a gross oversimplification for people to say "this exercise burns muscle" or "if you exercise on an empty stomach your body is forced to burn fat"

A Real Client Post From Our Social Site

Well . . . I did it! I officially admitted to another live human being that I am NOT happy with my current state of health AND that I don't seem to be able to do anything about it by myself! As I drove to my appointment with Total Health & Fitness consultant Rick Plenert, I felt as if I was going to my own execution!

But I wasn't prepared for what actually did happen. Rick sat and talked to me about my current health (please note: I said "health" not "weight"!). Next he weighed and measured me, and believe it or not I wasn't embarrassed or ashamed! Don't get me wrong . . . it was a REAL reckoning to see my statistics IN black & white, ON paper. But as I sat there with Rick looking at numbers that seemed gargantuan to me, I noticed a smile on Rick's face.

No, it wasn't a smirk! It wasn't a put-down! Rick was smiling because, as he explained, my "current condition" happens to be something that can be dealt with and managed with real, positive results. As he explained, most people see their current weight or health as something depressing and defeating. But by working with Rick and THF on a health program designed just for me, I will begin to learn the skills and information to put myself in my best possible condition! Suddenly, I noticed something I hadn't felt for a long, long time . . . HOPE!

So I'm sitting here with my 0.5 cup of cottage cheese and my 1 sm tomato (which happens to be one of my favorite treats!) and a binder that contains the beginnings of a new life for me. I REALLY want this. I'm going to give it everything I've got. And if you don't mind checking in from time to time to laugh and cry with me . . . and giggle along the way, I'd love to have you see how it works for me. Let me know how it is working for you, or if you'd like to see how THF could work for you!

You know, this doesn't feel like an execution after all . . . it may even be the beginning!
~Tracy

View Tracy's Page - click here

Egg whites or whole eggs?

Both. The yolk contains some fat, but fat is not the enemy - fat has a stigma attached to it from the decades of "low fat" advice that basically allowed the obesity and overweight levels in the U.S. climb so you can see how effective that advice was. Eggs are often hailed for their high quality of protein, but few people realize that these tests are with the whole egg. It actually loses value when you only eat the yolk. The yolk contains nearly half the protein, fats, and healthy antioxidants such as Vitamin E. Eggs from free range or grain-fed chickens are superior in quality.

Traditionally, the yolk was shunned for cholesterol diet, another old myth that is dying hard - for more information on why you needn't worry about the cholesterol in egg yolks, read this:

Harvard Article

How do I lose fat without losing lean mass and still gain strength?

There is often some confusion about lean mass. Most people look to lean mass religiously as muscle mass, which it is not. It is everything that is not fat, and this includes water and other items. Fat cells are composed of some water, so if you lose a large amount of fat, you will lose lean mass - but not muscle, as most would think, simply water weight.

I'm sure all of you are focused on muscle mass. Provided you stimulate the muscles through resistance training and don't lose weight too quickly, you can retain or even gain muscle tissue. The issue comes when people are impatient and want to lose at some marathon pace ... your body can only process so much fat per week, so when you push the limit beyond about 1 - 2 percent of your weight each week, you risk losing muscle mass in the process.

Total Health & Fitness Online Community

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new online community! This is an opportunity for everyone to post pictures, comments, and build an environment to help people succeed and educate others.

Click here to view and become part of our new online community. We'd love to see and hear from everyone.

What's the best way to get rid of "love handles?"

How to get rid of love handles? You need to lose weight. And twisting is not going to get rid of them. If anything, twisting will increase the size of your obliques, and make your love handles more pronounced.

The only way to get rid of love handles is to lose fat. There is no spot reducing. If you still have them, you still have fat to lose.

I know, I store fat in my love handles before anything else.

Fortunately, you've come to the right place to learn how to get rid of love handles.

How Do I Raise My Metabolism?

Train With Weights
Training with weights boosts your metabolism in a number of ways. Weight training itself has been shown to increase exercise post oxygen consumption (EPOC) - in other words, your metabolism may be raised for hours or even days after the session. Weight training is also the main way to stimulate the growth of muscle tissue.

Muscle tissue is metabolically active, so it requires calories even when at rest. Muscle tissue also helps increase the number of fat-burning enzymes and organelles in your body.

Supplement With Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are involved in the manufacture of hormones and repair of cell membranes in your body. With the right types of fats, your body can use these anabolically.
These processes require energy, so the fats may actually increase your metabolism despite the added calories you are consuming! You can add fats to your diet without increasing calories simply by increasing the percentage of calories from fats and then lowering the percentage of calories from carbohydrates or proteins.
Every Little Bit Counts

Believe it or not, simply changing some simple daily habits can have a huge impact on your metabolism. Do you play the game of driving around the parking lot for twenty minutes waiting for the perfect space to open? Instead, park at the edge of the parking lot and walk to your destination.
You'll probably get there quicker, and burn some calories along the way. Other metabolism-boosting activities include standing instead of sitting, taking stairs instead of elevators, and even fidgeting!

Don't Fear Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are not the enemy. Using the right types of carbohydrates can be a valuable tool for your metabolism.

For example, you may expend more calories consuming 20 grams of carbohydrate from lentils than 20 grams of carbohydrate from sugar. The lentils contain fiber and other nutrients that the body must work to extract, and therefore expends more energy. Look for fibrous, low-glycemic carbs and focus on unprocessed carbohydrates.

Fluctuate Calories
Zigzagging calories is by far one of the most effective methods for keeping your metabolism revved. Homeostasis is the action your body takes to "remain stable." In other words, if you drop your calories, your body will try to slow your metabolism in order to keep things the same.

By zigzagging calories, you may be able to thwart this mechanism. Some people zigzag day by day - for example, if their target is 2000 calories, they'll consume 1800 one day and 2200 the next. I prefer to consume low calories for a week or two, and then raise calories for a week, and then drop them again.

Increase Protein
Protein requires a complex chemical conversion by your body in order to be used as fuel. It takes up to 30% of the calories you consume to oxidize or use protein for energy.

For example, 100 calories of protein may take up to 30 calories to process. Therefore, increasing the percentage of calories in your diet that come from protein may help raise your metabolism.

Perform High Moderate Cardio
High intensity cardio, like weight training, takes you into the anaerobic zone of training. This, in turn, creates what is known as "oxygen debt." Even when you have concluded your exercise, the body is processing waste and recovering from the activity - and therefore keeping your metabolism elevated.

Increase Frequency Of Eating
Most bodybuilders are aware of this technique. Consuming food triggers digestion, and digestion requires calories. By eating more frequent, smaller meals, you continuously supply your body with nutrients while forcing it to digest and break down the foods. This, in turn, can have the net effect of raising your metabolism.

Eat Whole Foods
The calories that you burn during digestion are due to the need for your body to break down the foods. Your body must extract the fiber and nutrients, take chains of molecules and chop them into smaller versions to absorb them into your bloodstream, and perform a variety of tasks in order to assimilate foods.

When foods are processed, much of this work is done for you. For example, processed flour is ground into small pieces that the body can digest more quickly. This means your blood sugar rises faster and your body expends fewer calories processing the flour.

Whole grains, on the other hand, pack more nutrients, are higher in fiber, and force the body to work harder to use them as energy. Another advantage to eating whole foods is that many of the nutrients in these foods - such as vitamins and minerals - are cofactors in metabolic processes that your body uses to burn fat and build muscle.

Drink Cold Water
This tip is probably overrated. Your body will expend more calories trying to raise cold water to the temperature of your body, but the exact amount is debatable. It stands to reason, however, that integrating this habit with the other habits listed above can contribute to the greater goal of raising your metabolism.

Start Those Kids Off Healthy

Now that most of you have some ideas on how to stay healthy, let's focus on the kids.

Here are a few ideas on how to keep them healthy.

* Always eat breakfast.
* Eat more fruits and veggies.
* Eliminate sweetened drinks.
* Limit TV or computer time.
* Increase activity time. Get moving.
* Eat together and explain healthy food options.
* Be positive about food and its health potentials.
* Don't give the kids a hard time about weight, continue to educate.

Your Best You

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Well NOW is your chance to feel all those things in a short period of time. Total Health & Fitness is your key to discover life and live the "healthy you".

We take the guess work out of losing fat and educate you on how to keep it off. You have never had a program work like this. Most people jump on the new fad diet or waste thousands on surgeries. We can save you money and get you to your fat loss goals. We guarantee you that you will see results and gain the power of success through reaching your goals and pushing yourself to become happy, healthy, and discover life.

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Water Works for Weight Loss

Nothing quells the appetite like water, lots and lots of water. Start out with two quart bottles in the morning and carry one with you to work or wherever you go. If you like, divvy up the 64 ounces of water into eight (8-ounce) bottles or four pint (16-ounce) bottles to carry around with you all day.

Yes. You will have to make more frequent bathroom trips, but it is worth it. Drink your 64 ounces of water before dinner, if possible, so you're not up half the night going to the bathroom.

Water not only fills you up and lessens your appetite, it prevents those sugar cravings we all encounter when our blood sugar drops and we reach for cookies, candy, ice cream, fries or other high-calorie treats. Water also flushes out the system, rids the body of bloat and toxins and clears up the complexion.

New Top Form Supplements Blog Launched

Top Form Supplements, a leading health and fitness supplement company, officially launches its fitness supplement blog.

Together with Total Health and Fitness, Top Form Supplements helps individuals realize their health and fitness goals through the use of perfectly formulated health and fitness supplements. “This is a huge landmark for company as we realize the impact this blog has on our overall Internet presence,” says Mike Butler, President of Top Form Supplements. Through the Top Form Supplements blog, we are establishing an effective web marketing and social strategy by providing free fitness and health supplement information for our customers and the general public. Customers who subscribe will receive a weekly fitness and exercise tips and other offers from the Top Form Supplements online store.

Visit the Top Form Blog by clicking here