It’s the elephant in the gym. Something that isn’t said out loud as much as it should. “I’m here, sweating my butt off, because I just want to look good.”
Fitness blogs (including mine) are filled with posts about nutrition, fitness, and overall health. But what about just coming right out and saying that most of us are on the treadmill for 30 minutes because we want to look great in the mirror and be showered with compliments at work? No shame in that game.
There are so many people going into gyms across the world day in day out running on a hamster wheel or lifting up things and putting them back down for time. While some have noble reasons behind their efforts, a majority just want to fit into a dress or look great at the beach, etc. So, I wanted to share 3 excellent ways to start losing more body fat now, not 5 weeks from now when the kale salad smoothie diet you’re doing is too hard to stick with and you lose motivation to be fit and healthy. Let’s just shoot for losing some body fat and looking good in the mirror. Chances are, the fitness and overall health end up there too.
- Stop the slow, long cardio and SPRINT!
This is #1 for a reason. There are so many people on the cardio machines compared to the free weight sections in gyms. This drives me nuts. You would have to spend so much time doing a slow elliptical ride or a slow incline treadmill walk in order to get the benefit of being there. Instead, the next time you head in the direction of the cardio hop on the treadmill and crank it up to a manageable speed that will allow you to run 10 30-second sprints. Your body will not like it, and that is a sign you’re probably headed in the right direction. Sprinting not only will help you lose body fat in less time, it can also add a power/strength aspect to your lower body. Now, instead of spending 30-45 minutes watching the news while you walk you can be onto the next task in life in 5-6 minutes. Talk about efficiency.
2. Superset exercises
I’ve said this before in posts, but I will continue to push this ideology to anyone that has come far enough to read this. If shedding body fat is a priority, ditch the heavy stuff where you’re resting for 3 minutes between sets for a 3-4 exercise circuit with little to no rest between sets. You’re body will thank you. What you lose in strength you will gain in awesomeness in the mirror.
Ex. Instead of back squatting 80% of your max and resting three minutes between sets, do a kettlebell goblet squat followed by a two-kettlebell deadlift followed by a skater jump. This will serve to elevate your heart rate and allow you bundle three great exercises in at one time. The body fat will come off before you know it.
3. Kick the sodas and beer
This one stinks for a lot of people. A nice corona with lime while you watch football is an image that is hard for most to pass up. However, it adds up. As a coach, I’ve found the most time efficient and effective way to get a client to lose body fat right away is to get them off of sodas/beer. You could probably even throw junk food in there, but really the beer/soda are the priority.
Personally, I think soda and beer companies do an excellent job at marketing and that’s what makes this step so hard. They have endless commercials trying to tie an experience to their product that makes the consumer want to live that moment. Look at how refreshing a coke looks when you watch it during a commercial. Bud light commercials make the beer an easy choice to go hand in hand with sporting events and friends hanging out. So, they try to target an experience that would help you associate things in your life to their products. It’s deeper than just saying “I’m not drinking beer anymore”.
You have to realize the cues that lie deep within your brain to trigger the craving for it. However, once you are able to kick these two things it’s like a magic trick how quickly you can drop a percent of body fat.
Take Away:
- Ditch the long cardio, switch to time efficient/effective sprints (10 x 30 sec sprints)
- Superset multiple exercises in a row/Shorten rest between sets
- Kick the beer and soda out of your lifestyle and see the benefit
In an effort to keep my posts shorter going forward, we will close it here. I hope these three tips serve you well in the near future. You can try one or do them all at the same time. Either way, I guarantee if you do these tips they will contribute to you heading in the right direction.
Peak Sports Performance 