Losing Those Holiday Pounds!

FOCUS ON LOSING THEM 1-2-3

The holiday season may have come and gone, but the five pounds of holiday fat that the average American gains during the holidays linger on. The time between Thanksgiving and the New Year may only be five weeks long, but in that time most people see their largest weight-gain of the year. There are three things to remember this New Year above all else to shed unwanted fat.

First off, recognize what role strength training plays in losing weight. Whether you’re a man or woman, youth or senior, strength training is the building block to fitness, AND to weight-loss. Strength training burns calories while making your body stronger and look better. It won’t make you look like Arnold, thankfully; as few of us want to look like that. Lean muscle burns fat, and lean muscle is achieved by strength training. In addition, strength training revs up your metabolism even after you leave the gym.

Secondly, utilize HIIT Training (High-Intensity Interval Training) for your cardio, fat-burning sessions. Look at a heart-rate scale on any treadmill, and you will be led to think that low-intensity exercise burns more fat calories than high-intensity exercise. However, burning fat calories is more complex when given a closer look. HIIT Training involves alternating moderate-intensity cardio exercise with bouts of high-intensity exercise. The beauty of this method is that it burns more calories in less time. That means less time spent on the treadmill, and all of us can find that more attractive. In addition to burning more calories in less time, HIIT Training reaps greater results to your overall cardio-respiratory health. Ask a certified professional on how to incorporate HIIT Training into your fitness plan.

Third and lastly, keep a journal of what you eat each day. A recent study by Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research found that participants who kept a food journal lost nearly twice as much weight as those who did not. Those are huge numbers when it comes to reaching your goals. There are numerous calorie charts online, and most restaurants now have calorie listings online as well. A little discipline with pen and paper becomes easier as you start to see the pounds shed from week to week.

As spring quickly approaches, decide where you want to be in a few months. Keep your fitness goals realistic and measurable. Concrete results will help motivate you to keep going when things get tough. A little structure and planning are crucial in making your spring body a reality.