“You can’t run to get fit, you need to be fit to run.” – Diane Lee
During a recent conversation, I was
discussing training for fat loss with a young lady. She said to me, while
pinching her belly, “I need to get rid of this!” I run a couple times a week,
but it’s still there. She wanted to know why. I responded to her, “It’s still
there, because you’re running a couple times a week”.
When people want to lose body fat –
they think they have to do some type of Cardio, short for cardiorespiratory,
based exercises. So, they hop on the treadmill or head to the streets to start
running.
Why?
Because somewhere they heard the myth
that losing body fat requires cardio based exercises. Or, they see the images
on the gym ads of all the thin people running on treadmills. So, they assume
that the people in the ads got that way by running on a treadmill.
While running may be good as a stress
reliever or to improve your endurance, it is not very effective for fat loss.
So, if you’re running, and your goal is fat loss – STOP.
In order to lose fat, you have to do
some form of resistance training to increase your lean muscle mass. For more
effective workouts, perform your resistance training using the interval
training method. Not only will it improve your results, it will save you time.
One of the top five excuses I always hear for people not exercising is: "I
don't have time". So, if you don't have time, why bother wasting 45
minutes to an hour on the treadmill... Better Results - Less Time is a score
for interval training.
What is Interval Training?
Interval training is bouts of intense
activity followed by a low level of activity, and it has been proven to be more
effective for fat loss than steady state aerobic exercise. Why do interval
training instead of running? Interval training increases your oxygen
consumption – which uses more energy. The calorie burn even continues after
your workout. After the workout, your body expends energy to get back to its
pre-exercise state. This is referred to as Excess Post Exercise Oxygen
Consumption (EPOC), or Afterburn. Afterburn can sometimes
continue 24 - 48 hrs after your workout. This is where the “magic” of fat
burning occurs.
If you’re running to lose fat only to
find that you aren’t getting the results you want, then realize it’s probably
the running. I’m not against running for pleasure or to improve your
cardiovascular health. I believe in training for results, and running for fat
loss is not going to get you the results you seek. So, if like running,
continue to run. Just make sure the activity matches your goals.
David E. Cox, ACE-CPT, is a personal trainer that has dedicated his life
to helping to improve the lives of others through exercise and healthy living.
He is owner of Positive Vibes Fitness, a private personal training studio in
Glen Burnie, MD where we educates, motivates, and inspires people from all
walks of life. Be sure and sign up for his monthly eNewsletter, The Vibe, at
www.positivevibesfitness.com
