Exercise frequency while dieting is one of the most misunderstood areas in the world of fitness training.
It’s why gyms are packed as soon as a little May sunshine shows its face as everyone increases their gym visits to get their body beach ready!
It’s logical that you’d need to train more often to burn more calories to lose weight right?
Actually, no…
The truth is you should actually workout LESS when you want to get lean and show off the body you sweated through winter for!In this article I explain:
- Why Working Out LESS can Deliver Better Results
- Avoiding The Single Biggest Mistake Dieters Make Which Eats Time and Kills Results!
- Why Reducing Exercise Frequency When Dieting Is Essential
- How To Tailor Your Workout To The Goal of Your Fat Loss Diet
Workout LESS and Get BETTER Results?
While this statement sounds like a bold marketing headline with little to support it, in the context of working out to lose weight it’s true.
It flies in the face of the public perception that getting in shape requires you to workout like a maniac!
I blame Rocky Balboa and Arnold.
Remember Rocky running up those famous steps and punching hanging carcasses? Remember Arnold looking like something out of a comic book in his 80’s heyday?
These movies are part of the reason that the “no-pain-no-gain” mantra is ingrained in our society and why we think you have to work out to excess if we want results.
Hard work equals results, right?
Sure, if you want results you have to work hard; just don’t confuse that with having to work hard too often. It’s the biggest mistake you can make if you really want to get lean!
Avoid The Single Biggest Mistake Dieters Make Which Eats Time and Kills Results!
The attitude that you have to work yourself into the ground to lose weight is the single biggest mistake dieters make. This is why working out less can give you better results.
Allow me to elaborate…
What do most people do when they want to lose weight?
- They workout 5-6 times per week
- They do extensive cardio
- They workout with light weights for more reps to burn more calories
How many people do you know who actually get lean using this approach? A genetically lucky few I suspect and not many others.
Most people using this type of set up will simply lose muscle rather than fat, get weaker and find themselves fatigued from overtraining. If that’s bad enough you’ll usually have to write off your social life and dedicate every spare minute to exercising!
Why Reducing Exercise Frequency When Dieting Is Essential
Even Joe Public who only cares about getting lean before his beach holiday knows that to lose fat you need to create a negative calorie balance. This can be achieved through diet, exercise or a combination of both.
But what your average dieter doesn’t know is that when you lower calories you also reduce your recovery capacity too.
The only exception to this rule is steroid users who trade off their health for enhanced recuperative abilities …not a good deal in my book!
When dieting our bodies need longer to recover from each workout, so it should be obvious that adding extra cardio and working out longer won’t be in your best interests.
Dieters who ignore this advice will burn out after a few weeks and the feel extreme fatigue associated with overtraining. This sends stress signals to your body which make you hungrier, less motivated to train and feeling lethargic.
The end result is usually falling off the wagon epically: binge eating, skipping workouts and usually gaining back the weight you lost.
Not a productive way to get lean!
How To Tailor Your Workout To The Goal of Your Fat Loss Diet
While you might want to get stronger or healthier, it’s fair to say that most people train for cosmetic reasons. Well if you want your body to look its best, then your diet should help you lose FAT not just weight.
Losing lean muscle isn’t good if you want that “toned”, lean but powerful cover model physique so coveted.
Getting that body requires a degree of muscle coupled with low body fat and this should be the focus of your fat loss diet.
Anything which detracts from that goal should be removed so you focus solely on effective exercises and give your body the additional recovery time it needs.
So in summary your goals should be:
- Lose Fat
- Maintain Muscle
- Reduce Exercise Frequency
- Reduce Exercise Volume
Here’s how to put a tick in each of those boxes…
In Reducing Workout Frequency To Lose Fat and Maintain Muscle! you’ll discover the how to tailor your workout plan so it’s the most effective use of your gym time!
Also, find out why bicep curls and cardio has no place in your fat loss workout!
It’s the only way to productively workout less AND stay strong, keep your muscle and keep losing fat!
Check it out now and fix your workout plan before you visit the gym again!
Return from Exercise Frequency to Free Workout Routines
Return from Exercise Frequency to the Home Page
