January 14, 2016 | by Jeremy Meyer | Lifestyle, Personal Training,

Three habits to accelerate weight loss

Fat Loss vs. Weight Loss

One of the biggest misconceptions of many clients is between fat loss and weight loss. You can be 68kg (150lb) of lean muscle or 68kg of skinny fat.

Body fat distribution tells a bigger story

There are different types of fat distribution, and different types are associated with certain nutritional or hormonal imbalances. There’s no doubt that it is harder to lose and easier to store body fat in a fast-paced, populated city like Hong Kong.

Do you store fat around the belly? You’re probably a stress bucket. On the sides of your body? You could be insulin insensitive or have a high intake of dietary carbohydrates. How about in your lower body? You might have trouble detoxifying.

What training actually does

You train promote favourable endocrine responses such as building muscle, increase your strength, improve metabolism and structural balance. You don’t get leaner by shaving off fat in the gym if you eat or drink whatever you want after you leave.

Three ways to improve body composition

Fix existing chronic issues that contribute to inflammation.

Take care of your heartburn, indigestion, chronic stress, adrenal fatigue, recurring injuries and sleep. You will find that your body will recover faster, experience fewer food cravings, and improve digestion, thus improving your motivation to train and eat better.

Nutrition

You can’t out-train a poor diet. You can’t train 4 days a week, eat healthy 4 out of 7 days, binge drink on the weekend and expect to see results. Be consistent with your nutrition. Choose high quality, nutrient-dense whole foods, such as pasture-raised meats and organic vegetables. Avoid processed food and foods that you are intolerant to like a plague. If tomatoes give you heartburn, don’t eat tomatoes.

Choose metabolic resistance training.

Choose higher intensity and volume resistance training to induce a favourable endocrine response to training. Using challenging weights for high repetitions will induce lactic acid, responsible for releasing growth hormone, helping you burn more fat. Full-body workouts in a superset, tri-set, or circuit format with non-competing exercises create the largest metabolic demand. But it must be done in a challenging rep range and intensity that generates lactic acid and pushes the lactic acid threshold.

Stop worrying about the number on the scale

If your goal is fat loss, then prioritize your training and nutrition around fat loss, not weight loss. Improve your body composition by addressing gut health, stress, nutrition and chronic aches and pains. By reducing systemic inflammation first, you will speed up your rate of fat loss leading to weight loss. 

Book an appointment with a RAW Strength and Conditioning Coach to see how we can help you manage inflammation, nutrition and create a customized fat loss program for you