One of the goals people frequently choose is to change their body composition by boosting muscle tissue and reducing fat. People search for easy ways to burn more fat and build more muscle tissue. Some work. Others are failures. Making small changes in your habits can make a huge difference. Every little bit counts. Use these techniques to increase the fat you burn and help you keep it from returning.
Get more active.
That may sound simple and extremely obvious, but it's more than keeping a workout schedule. It means using non-gym time to be active. Take the steps instead of the elevator. Park further from the store and walk. Get up and move about every hour for five minutes. That does more than burn fat. It improves your overall health. Take time to play but make it active play instead of a computer game. Shoot hoops with the kids or play hide-and-seek inside on rainy days. Go out dancing on date night.
Focus on strength-building exercises.
Strength training burns calories as it builds muscle tissue. Running may burn massive calories, but they are from lean muscle tissue and fat. Your body requires aerobic exercise, but it shouldn't be the only type you choose. When lifting weights or doing push-ups, the calories come from fat, not muscle tissue. Building muscle tissue also helps to keep fat from returning. Muscle tissue requires more calories to maintain than fat tissue does. The more muscles you have, the more calories you burn.
Have a pre-workout and post-workout snack.
Pre-workout snacks provide energy for your body so you maximize the benefits of your workout. It also improves recovery when you build muscle tissue. Post-workout snacks also trigger recovery. The magic of muscle building takes place during recovery time. It's when the micro tears in the muscle that were created when exercising heal and make the muscle bigger and stronger. The snack replenishes the glycogen in the muscle. It should be a carbohydrate and a protein.
- Drink more water, black tea, or coffee instead of soft drinks. It reduces the amount of calories you consume. Drinking a cup of black coffee before exercising can improve your workout.
- Vary the intensity of your workout and make it a HIIT workout. Alternate the intensity between high intensity and a recovery pace. HIIT workouts burn more calories in less time and continue to burn extra after the workout.
- Make sure your diet contains protein, carbs, and fat. Some people make the mistake of eliminating fat. Fat-free products often contain more sugar. Healthy fat is necessary to increase fat burning.
- Don't work the same muscles intensely each day when doing strength training. Your muscles need time to heal. Wait 48 to 72 hours before working the same muscle groups. If you don't, you could lose muscle mass.
For more information, contact us today at Habitat Health & Fitness
