Summer’s just about over and I’m starting to hear a lot of excuses about why people are skipping workouts and eating crap again.

So here’s what I would do if I were you…and wanted to lose fat and stay lean over the upcoming holiday season (it’s never too early to start building healthy habits to avoid over-eating in the Fall)…

1 - I’d return to the program that has worked best for me in the past.

So let’s say that my best fat loss ever was 8 pounds in 4 weeks last summer…when I was eating right and doing 3 total body workouts per week followed by intervals.

Then I’d simply get right back on that program, pronto. Don’t worry about trying to set up some fancy program based on this research or that, just get back to what worked before.

 

Even better, if you have the TT for Fat Loss manual, then you should start back with the routine that worked best for you. For most people, it’s the Original TT workout, although you might gain more upper body mass with the TT2K3 workout.

2 - I’d replace all sodas and juice with Green Tea and water.

Eliminate all liquid calories. That’s something we can all EASILY do without.

3 - I’d eat at least 6 servings of vegetables per day.

If you are starting at just 1-2 servings per day, slowly work your way up. Vegetables will help fill you up, and they are important for fighting off cancer.

Don’t give me that, “I don’t like vegetables” speech. It might have worked when you were 8, but not now. Spend a few minutes and a few bucks in the produce department and you’ll find something you like.

4 - I’d snack on almonds rather than carbohydrates.

A research study from way back in 2001 showed that replacing carb calories with almonds lead to more weight loss.

I’d eat only lean protein sources. Etc. Etc. And this is what I do, everyday. Maybe a burger on the weekend, but other than that, I’d stick to the plan.

5 - I’d only do tough, total-body exercises.

Single-leg exercises, rows, difficult pushups, and total body abs exercises would be all I’d do. That and intervals.

In fact, all of the major exercises in the TT workouts are “total-body exercises”. If you don’t think that chin-ups and DB rows are total body exercises, then you aren’t doing them to their full capacity. Maybe you don’t have the total body muscle control to work your whole body with these exercises.

If you’re confused by what I wrote, go ask a truly experienced lifter, in person, and they should be able to show you how you can make all lifts “total body exercises”.

And you don’t have to drive to the gym to do the TT workouts. In fact, you could probably get a total-body TT workout done in the time it takes you to get to the gym and back.

6 - I’d keep trying to get stronger.

Training to get strong causes the greatest metabolic response in your body. That means, in less geeky language, that your body will burn more calories, and ultimately more fat, when you train to get stronger.

No more farting around with the high reps, low weight stuff. Leave that to the bad workout videos from the ’80s.

7 - I’d drop slow cardio and do only TT intervals.

You already knew that one.

BONUS Tip - I’d use Online Message boards, like the TT Member’s Forum, to get social support for fat loss.

Social support is proven to help folks lose fat,

CB

Tags: craig ballantyne, fat burning, tips

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, M.Sc., has been writing for Men's Health magazine for over 8 years, and is the author of the world-famous Turbulence Training for Fat Loss System at www.TurbulenceTraining.com. and runs the popular TT members support system. He has a Master's of Science Degree in Exercise Physiology, and has been a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist for over 10 years. Craig creates a new Turbulence Training workout each month for busy men and women who want to lose fat at home without slow, boring cardio workouts. When not working, Craig spends a lot of time with his dog Bally, who also has six pack abs.

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 30th, 2008 at 5:19 am and is filed under Weight Loss. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.