Can you lose weight when training the six-pack?
Difficultly! In fact, to lose weight it is important to train the whole body and not just a specific muscle group. If you want to lose fat, it is essential to exercise for large muscle groups, which burn the most calories. Work especially on your back and legs, which are almost two thirds of the muscle mass of your entire body. And above all, be very careful with your food.
Does resistance training make me lose muscle?
Not necessarily. The combination of cardio and strength triggers energy expenditure, so you should follow a balanced diet. A word of advice: do the strength and endurance sessions on different days, so you can get the most out of each workout. If you have to do both together due to lack of time, you must first set your priorities.
Is there a danger when overdoing the training?
Yes. If you don’t get enough rest, your body may be at risk of not recovering what is necessary for the next session.
As a consequence, the yield gradually decreases. This is called overtraining. Want to know the symptoms? Elevated heartbeats at rest, lack of strength, headache, sleep disorder, depression … you know – rest for at least 24 hours between two resistance sessions.
I heard that running in the morning is not good for your health. It is true?
Ask yourself: is it more mornings or evenings? It belongs to the first group if, when you get up in the morning, your mind and body are capable of 100% yield. “Night athletes”, on the other hand, are unable to reach their full performance until lunch time, and some even in the afternoon. Run at the time that best suits your biorhythms, which will be when you feel best. Just want to, as there will be no inconvenience in starting the day with a running session.
What can I do to not get bored on the treadmill?
Try some variety! There is nothing that compels you to run 60 minutes at a steady pace. Modern treadmills have several exercise programs: interval training, simulation of mountain courses with different slopes … the possibilities are practically endless. You can also place an audio book or a podcast. And don’t forget the option to run outdoors every now and then.
How can I favor the burning of fats?
Eat a steak instead of a spaghetti dish. Eating too much carbohydrate can cause an increase in insulin production, which in turn hinders fat metabolism. In reality, hydrates are only needed if the training intensity is too high. The lower the intensity, the less hydrates you need. To burn fat to the maximum, in the hours before training you should not eat carbohydrates from foods rich in starch, such as pasta or potatoes, as well as sweets or soft drinks. After training you should also not eat pasta, but lean meat, unsweetened dairy products or fish. Important: never forget the rule of drinking 2.5 liters of water a day.
What is this about ‘good fats’ and ‘bad fats’?
It is important that you know how to differentiate them because they make a difference to your health in general and weight loss in particular. Harmful fats are basically those that come from saturated fatty acids. The word “saturated” already defines it perfectly: these acids only need external substances and, therefore, have little influence on metabolism. If they accumulate easily in the abdominal area, you will have a lot of difficulty in eliminating them from there. The bad guys are: french fries, mayonnaise, fried and fatty roasts, meals with sauce, fatty meats, canned goods and butter.
The “heroes” that protect human beings are unsaturated fatty acids, whose mission is to do what others do not do: participate in metabolism. You will find “good fats” in cold water fish, such as salmon and mackerel, as well as in dried fruits, lentils and vegetable oils.
If my goal is to have a perfect body, do I have to drink more fluids than ever?
Yes, that’s a good idea. But no soft drinks or juices, but unsweetened water or tea. Neither of these two options has calories, yet both activate metabolism and decrease appetite.
If you drink a glass of water before each meal, you will be more satiated before eating. In addition, the body needs fluid to properly metabolize the most important nutrients, such as proteins. The ideal is to drink 2 to 3 liters of water a day.
I want to lose 5 kg. Is strength training a good option?
Naturally, yes. An 80 kg man spends about 300 kilocalories in a 30-minute weight training session, almost as much as in a football or basketball game. And the more you train, the faster you lose weight, as for every kilogram of additional muscle you have to burn another 200 calories. Another advantage is the so-called post-combustion effect: a single weight training keeps your metabolism accelerated up to almost 48 hours.
