3 Tools to Losing Weight

At its simplest, losing weight is burning more calories than you consume. Thus, there are 2 basic principles to shed those lbs:

1.) Burn more calories by increasing exercise

2.) Consume less calories by cleaning up your nutrition

I know, easier said than done.

For those of you that don't really know where to start, I've got 3 simple, not-so-secret tools to help you lose some weight as efficiently as possible.

Tool #3 is your way of working smarter, not harder (although it's still going to take some hard work).

TOOL #1: CARDIO

The 2 types of cardio, steady state and high-intensity, each have their respective purposes but both accomplish the goal of burning calories.

For those of you low on time, high intensity interval cardio (think 30 sec working, 30 sec resting) like sprinting, burpees, and jumping is a more efficient workout. A high-intensity cardio workout can burn in the range of 200-400 calories in just 20-30 mins. However, many beginners need to work up to this.

Steady state cardio like walking, jogging, biking, and hiking burns in the range of 200-400 calories in 30-60 mins.

TOOL #2: STRENGTH TRAINING

Assuming you already know the benefits of strength training for your all-around health and well-being, I'm just going to focus on strength as it relates purely to weight loss.

A strength training session of 30 mins can burn in the range of 100-150 calories during the workout. However the real value of this type of training is that your body continues to keep burning additional calories (200-300) while muscles recover/rebuild during the next 48 hours!

Research also shows that the more muscle a person has, the more calories they burn on a daily basis (as much as 50 calories per lb of muscle added).

TOOL #3: NUTRITION

That's my super secret tool?! You already know nutrition matters, but my goal is to make you understand just how much it matters.

As a gym owner and fitness enthusiast, I'll be the first to tell you that your exercise is only 20% of the battle. Losing weight is 80% nutrition (at least)!

Think of it like this... you burn about 100 calories running a mile. Now think about how many calories are in food:

-burger 600 cal

-burrito 700 cal

-pasta 600 cal

-pizza slice 400 cal

-fries/chips 300 cal

What's the better option: running 7 miles or not eating a burrito?

To lose 1 lb per week (3500 calories per lb):

Figure out how many calories you typically eat daily to while maintaining your current weight. Then aim for a deficit of 500 calories per day-- either by eating less or exercising more. 500 cal x 7 days= 3500 cal

Lastly, be patient and stay consistent! It takes time to lose weight, so find something that's sustainable for the long term. Circuit training classes are a perfect combination of strength training and cardio!