Do you find it shocking that the secret formula for burning more fat does not mean skimping on sleep or logging extra minutes at the gym?

The fact is long bouts of steady state cardio do not lead to sustained weight loss or an improved body composition. Unfortunately, repeating the same exercise everyday will diminish its impact overtime, meaning that you have to continually lengthen your workout to achieve the same affect. If your goal is to improve your bodycomposition by losing fat, while gaining muscle this strategy is not in line with your goals. The answer to this dilemma, may be found by considering the role of the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is in control of maintaining weight as well as bodyfat. However, it remains wired from times of starvation as well as constant activity and its’ top responsibility is to keep you alive and protect its resources, this is true even in the case of obesity! It is not surprising that people can get frustrated and return to their sedentary lifestyle.

Sleeping an under-appreciated weapon in the battle against bodyfat is considered the top sports supplement for athletes. Even, Tom Brady has his own recovery sleep wear partnership with Under Armour, recognizing the powerful punch sleep quality can contribute to his performance. Going to the gym is where you make microscopic tears in muscle fibers by exercising, but sleep is the time you actually build muscle as well as lose fat. Consider that insulin, the hormone responsible for energy storage is directly affected by the quantity and quality of sleep we get. One night of bad sleep and your blood glucose can appear prediabetic, 3 consecutive days of poor sleep and you may appear completely diabetic. In addition, the hormones that help manage our appetite Ghrelin and Leptin increase without adequate sleep leading to cravings for high glycemic carbohydrates. This is your bodies response to provided you with quick sources of energy. Unfortunately, indulging in those cravings only make your energy levels dip further while hastening any weight or fat loss efforts. Motivation to maintain better diet and lifestyle changes become increasingly challenging.

The exercise and sleep habits that we have been practicing for decades have misled us!
What can you do right now to take advantage of nature to achieve the fat loss goals you are seeking?

Here are my top suggestions that you can start implementing today:
1) Vary your exercise routine, never do the same workout 2 days in a row. For example: alternate walking, swimming and biking or if walking is your only option, rotate a short, fast paced walk with a few longer, slower paced walks
2) Add interval training to your cardiovascular workouts, specifically high intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT has demonstrated to burn fat, build muscle and increase the number of Mitochondria. Fat burning occurs in the 24-48 hour window after exercise has occurred. There are many ways to do HIIT, but a simple way to begin is to challenge yourself to go “all-out effort” for 30 to 60 seconds and alternate with 60 to 120 seconds of “recovery”. As always, listen to your body and know your current fitness level.
3) Make sleep a priority. Practice good sleep hygiene, such as, staying on a schedule, keeping your room dark and cool, remove electronics, consider a sleep meditation practice and, eat your last meal at least 3 hours prior to bed. Meal timing in particular has recently gained more attention in its powerful ability to affect your bodies circadian rhythm.

Final takeaway: appreciate your bodies amazing ability to adapt to stimuli, and that by utilizing the latest science, you too, can have more control in your ability to achieve your fat loss goal!

If you want to know how a personalized plan could be the missing link in achieving your goals, please call now 941-685-8074  to schedule a free 15 minute discovery call.