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Fat Burning

on Tuesday, 23 October 2012. Posted in Doctor of Fitness, Fitness Training, Weight Loss, Weight Training, Strength & Conditioning, Fitness

If you’re trying to lose weight, chances are you’ve turned to some sort of cardio workout like the treadmill or elliptical machine to help you shed those extra pounds. If so, you’re not alone. Around the world, millions of people spend countless hours logging hundreds of miles walking, jogging, climbing bicycling and running in place, all the while hoping their in-the-gym journeys melt away pounds and body fat.

The sad news is, a lot of them really are going nowhere.

Today, some personal trainers have completely eliminated traditional cardio workouts from their programs because they believe those endless hours on the treadmill are nothing more than a waste of time. Fitness experts have been cited in numerous articles for several less-than-glowing reviews of cardio, claiming cardio machines grossly overestimate the number of calories they burn, that cardio does not lead to dramatic weight loss and that it may actually increase hunger and cause people to eat more!

Great. Then what exactly should you be doing to burn fat?

The answer appears to be a combination of strength training and interval training.

Strength training, which includes training with free weights and resistance devices, works by building muscle mass, which then boosts your metabolism and helps you burn more fat all day long.

Interval training involves traditional cardio exercises, like pedaling a bike or running on a treadmill, but alternating quick bursts of high intensity exercise with longer, lower paced intervals instead of maintaining a steady, moderate pace. This cuts down on fatigue, allowing you to burn fat – and calories – faster.

Alternate interval and strength training every week, and you should see great results –plus it’s a lot more fun than spending hours on the treadmill!