Posted by If you are frustrated with your lack of progress, this will be the most important article you read for the rest of this year. There are less than 90 days left in the year, but with this article series over the next few weeks, you will discover information that can aide in still changing your body in 2009 – even during the holiday season.
A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found 26 out of 58 men and women dropped only 2 pounds after a 12-week cardio program. This confirms cardio is not the best way to transform your body. Even though these poor men and women were forced to complete five hours of cardio per week, most of them just did not get results.
Even the lucky ones who did get “results” with cardio still managed to lose only an average of 6.7 pounds in 12 weeks. Now we can agree it would be nice if there as an actual magic pill, special food or fat melting workout that would allow you to achieve fat loss and develop that toned and sculpted body you always wanted?
While we all know no such magical quick-fix exists, there is one sure-fire way to achieve permanent results. How? By following a complete and integrated fitness program with a focus on a change in body composition (body fat vs. lean muscle) rather than weight, you will succeed in transforming your body. Lean muscle plays the key role in any type of fitness program.
Whether you are interested in fat loss or muscle gain, lean muscle requires certain conditions in order to allow a positive change in body composition. Lean muscle requires you:
1. Burn more calories each day than what you take in.
2. Develop a consistent and effective exercise program to boost your metabolism.
What Your Total Body Transformation Program MUST Have
Your transformation program should give you a complete formula for success. It should provide you with: supportive nutrition, sensible supplementation, resistance training, smart cardio, and personal assistance.
Traditional fitness programs generally isolate only one or two of these factors while your transformation program should use all five factors to truly result in lasting, positive change.
This series of articles are designed to highlight what you need to do and why in order to achieve your ultimate fitness goals. Not only will your body transform, but you will also develop a better understanding of how your body works.
You will learn how to make wise, informed choices based on a balanced nutrition and exercise program. During this process, you will learn how to replace unsupportive habits and develop a new outlook, and how to take complete control over how your body looks and feels while achieving a consistent, long-term fit and healthy lifestyle.
I will introduce you to all Five Factors of Fat Loss and complete body transformation. By following the tips outlined in this article series, you can improve your chances of achieving and maintaining your fitness goals.
The Benefits For You
The first thing most people inevitably notice when they apply the Five Factors of Fat Loss is a dramatic change in their energy level. You will wake up in the morning and be surprised that you actually have energy!
As you put quality fuel into your body – regularly and in the right amounts – and when you optimize the way your body functions through a combination of smart cardio and resistance training, you will start to appreciate what energy REALLY is!
When you change your habits and apply a formula that guarantees results, you will begin to feel a change in your energy levels as early as three to four days. So, within a couple of weeks, typically, you will begin noticing your clothing fits differently – perhaps a little looser.
Before you begin this life-changing journey, you must accept and live by the basic understanding that these articles are built around the premise of “progress, not perfection.” By developing awareness that improvement is measured by your daily progress, you can save yourself a lot of grief and frustration from the get go. Simply focusing on small, positive steps in everything you do is a vital component to a permanent physical change. With time, commitment, and a willingness to continue to take those small steps, failure is no longer an option.
You can begin, right now, by taking a different, more positive course of action. Strengthen your commitment. Take a chance, have faith and proceed with confidence. You are about to become yet another success story; joining hundreds who have successfully learned how to eat, how to move and how to believe in themselves once again. They are experiencing the joy of living life to the fullest. So will you.
Next: Establishing a Starting Point – Body Composition and Setting Goals
Robert Selders, Jr. is a certified personal trainer, author, speaker, and the owner of 3Q Fitness Studio (Home of CrossFit Garland) in Garland, TX. Learn more about personal training and exercise/nutrition programs at www.3QFitness.com.
Edited by R. Ferguson
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