Tuesday, January 02, 2007

7 Weight Loss Mistakes

When it comes to fat loss, I feel like I've been everywhere andseen everything. I've watched 95% of people in the gyms strugglewith weight loss and make no progress, but I've also watched the weirdest and wildest regimens work for others.

And in dealing with thousands of people on the Internet and throughthe Men's Health website, I've been able to pick up on the "SevenMistakes People Make When Trying to Lose Fat"

Here they are to help you avoid them...

1. People simply fail to consider the consequences of their actions.

Alwyn Cosgrove (one of the top trainers in the business) once toldme, "I get my clients to think, 'Will this help me or not? Is thisa positive step or not?' If you can see that every action that youtake is either helping you lose fat or stopping you from losingfat, then you will start to make better choices."

So remember that everything you put in your mouth is either for oragainst fat loss. And every exercise choice you make is either foror against fat loss. "Get that", Alwyn says, "and you're a hit."

2. People neglect to control their insulin and blood sugar levels -2 key factors in determining whether or not the body fat will comeoff.

If you eat processed foods you are guaranteed to elevate yourinsulin & blood sugar levels. If you do that, your body sends themessage, "Store fat!", and you won't make any progress. So avoidwhite-flour based bakery products, sugary drinks, and almost anycarbohydrate snack that comes in a bag or a box.

3. People train like it's the 80's.

Yes, I know. Eighties music is popular again. But that doesn't meanineffective training methods from the 80's like light weights, lowintensity steady state cardio, and endless low-intensity ab workshould also make a comeback. That type of training should stayburied in the back issues of cheesy muscle magazines. Stick tostrength training and interval training for efficient and effectivebody changing routines.

I know that the "fat-burning" zone and "morning cardio on an emptystomach" has been drilled into your heads by well-meaning trainersand articles, but science just doesn't support this.

The latest on fat loss research from Australia has shown that a20-minute interval program led to significantly more weight lossthan 40-minute aerobic sessions.

We must adapt our programs to the science in order to succeed.Don't be left behind!

4. People don't take 30 minutes to plan their next day's foodintake.

If you fail to do this, you will set your fat loss efforts back bya minimum of 72 hours. Without a good meal plan, you are left tohunt and gather food in the modern world. And that's a recipe forfat loss disaster. You are bound to eat something processed if youaren't prepared. You will lose the fat burning benefits fromyesterday's workout and it will take until the end of the followingday to get back on track. An entire 72-hour period wasted.

5. People don't eat enough vegetables.

We can thank John Berardi for making it common knowledge that youshould eat fiber-rich vegetables at every meal to assist your fatloss efforts. By doing so, you'll control your blood sugar andinsulin - thus supporting the optimal hormonal situation for fatloss.

6. People screw up their hormones with poor lifestyle choices.

If you are out boozing and staying up late on the weekend, you areshutting down your fat loss and messing up the optimal hormonalenvironment for fat burning. I will talk a lot more about theoptimal hormonal levels for fat loss in the future, as I believethis is the underrated key to building your best body ever.

7. People don't plan and monitor their training sessions.

If you are still going to the gym without a plan, then you aregoing to have a hard time losing fat. And if you aren't recordingyour workouts and eating habits, then you aren't losing as much fatas you probably can. To fix this mistake, start by getting on trackwith strength training and interval training. It's guaranteed toget you lean.

I know that your motivation is high at this time of the year. Sograb a good program based on science, add to that a nutrition PLAN(that is actually planned out on paper - like the TT NutritionGuidelines from Dr. Chris Mohr), and get some social support onyour side and you will succeed this year.

Visit http://www.turbulencetraining.com/ for fat loss today.

Best of luck to you in all you do in 2007.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

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