Combining Cardio And Weight Training To Enhance Fat Loss

It is a fact that the most important part of any fat loss programme is diet. However, balancing a sensible focused diet with an appropriate exercise and supplement regime will greatly improve the results and decrease the time it takes to achieve your goals. Research demonstrates that combining diet with resistance training (weight training) and cardio is the most effective way to burn fat. This article will address the fundamental factors that will help you to use weight training and cardio to achieve your fat burning goals. The method of training is suitable for both men and women regardless of their body composition goals – large and muscular or lean and toned. This is because the end results of this type of training are entirely dependent upon nutrition. Simply put, if you do not eat big you will not get big!

How To Weight Train for Fat Loss

Research suggests that alternating between light and heavy weight training will help improve fat loss. Light weight training refers to training with a weight that you can manage around 12-15 repetitions of an exercise before your technique starts to deteriorate with rest periods of approximately 90 seconds between sets. Heavy weight training refers to training with a weight that you can manage around 4-6 repetitions before your technique starts to deteriorate with approximately 180 seconds rest between sets. Both of these types of weight training help to achieve fat loss in different ways – hence the necessity to alternate between the two for maximal effect. Light weight, high repetition and low rest period training will increase the heart rate during exercise and heavier weight, lower repetition training will increase your resisting metabolic rate, amongst other benefits. Combining both types of weight training will ensure you are a fat burning furnace around the clock – not only when you are in the gym.

Cardio and Fat Loss

There are other articles on here that address the benefits of steady rate cardio vs HIIT cardio and the benfeits of Fasted State cardio vs Food-fuelled cardio – so if you would like to know more I would direct your reading towards these. However, as a basic rule of thumb it is helpful to remember that the amount of calories burnt is a direct relation to the distance covered during exercise regardless of speed. However, calories burnt whilst exercising is not the same thing as total fat loss. It is for these reasons that research suggests HIIT is the most conducive means of cardio for fat loss.

Supplements and Fat Loss

There are many supplements that help with fat loss and body composition. In relation to the basic core supplements that will be most impactful for fat loss it is recommended that you look for those that either help facilitate greater exercise output during training or those that improve recovery afterwards. Therefore, four highly recommended supplements are:

1. Whey Protein: 25-35 grams of protein upon waking and before and after exercise training.
2. Caffeine: 30-60 minutes before cardio (200-400mg) and before weights (200-600mg).
3. Green Tea Extract: Combined with Caffeine – (500-1000mg per dose).
4. Glutamine: 5-10 grams upon waking, before and after exercise and before bed.

Fat Loss Summary

• Combine weight training and cardio for greatest fat loss outcomes.
• Choose HIIT Cardio for Fat Loss.
• Results are a product of a good diet and exercise effort.
• Use supplements that help boost exercise or recovery to improve results.