The Best Type of Training for Fat Loss: Understanding and Optimizing for your Goals
I was texting with my sister this weekend, and the topic of the best type of training for fat loss and in general our goals, came up. Actually, the conversation started with her telling me that her legs were tired from a hard workout week, and she was deciding whether to do cardio or get a massage. I, of course, referred her back to my article on How to Recover from an Injury Fast. There is a section in there that covers how to determine whether your muscles are fatigued and need rest, or if the person in question is tired. Then I recommended she just jump on the elliptical for a low impact workout for 15-20 minutes with some high intensity interval training (HIIT), and then call it a day. However, for her it was her long cardio day, which is what started the conversation, and led to answering the age-old question:
What is the best type of training for fat loss and weight loss?
Now, my sister and I work out very differently, and the extremity of our goals are very different. She wants to be healthy, stay within a specific weight range and tone up. I want to be healthy too, but be extremely lean and strong as well.
So, we both have two similar goals.
Be healthy
Tone up/lean out
However, we also have two very different mindsets.
She doesn't feel like she has had a solid workout if she hasn't done a long amount of cardio. I used to feel this way, but now, I have a different mindset about what a solid workout means. For me, a solid workout means I sweat, pushed hard, and improved, even if it was by the smallest amount. And in regards to numbers, I do try to burn a certain number of calories a day, but it isn't too big a deal if I don't.
As for training...
My sis has a minimum of three long cardio days a week. One is at least 90 minutes long. Otherwise she works out with low weights and does circuit training with Jillian Michaels videos. On the other hand, I lift super heavy in the gym for an average of one hour, six days a week, and then only do 10-20 minutes of cardio a day. My long cardio days, the seventh day when I do not lift weights, are an hour at the most. So, here we are. We both have some common goals, but very different mindsets and training regimes.
So, what's better for fat loss?
Firstly, let me start by saying if you are working out and getting healthy, then there is nothing wrong with that. It is great, fantastic and you should keep it up! All that matters is that you are happy with yourself and feel healthy. If you have a solid routine, like my sister does, keep going! However, in regards to answering this age-old question of what the best way to train is, I want to be very specific to the type of goal you have. In this case, using the common goals my sister and I both have, I am going to focus my answer specifically around the best type of training for fat loss, toning up, leaning out, getting shredded, or any other term you want to call it. Because ultimately, all of those terms mean the same thing.
In order to tone up, you have to burn fat.
Our fat sits over our muscles. So, in order to get that nice toned look, we have to lose fat so that our muscles become visible.
Let's look at the high cardio method my sister uses first.
(Please keep in mind, that when I mention overtraining, that doesn't necessarily just have to mean cardio. You can over train on weights, or other conditioning routines.) While cardio does help burn fat, you can reach a point where instead of burning fat, you start losing lean muscle! Uh oh! Let me explain. What we consume is our fuel. Just like a tank of gas, if we drive long enough, we started running on empty. For our bodies, the first thing we burn, or use as our fuel is carbohydrates. If we run out of carbs to use as energy, the body starts pulling from our fat stores. This is why keto is so popular, because without many carbs to pull energy from, the metabolism goes straight to using the fat for fuel. However, when we over train, and don't refuel, our body will eventually turn to its last energy source. Protein! In my article on cooking with protein, I explained that protein is responsible for muscle recovery and lean muscle growth. This means that if we over train and don't stay properly fueled, then we are going to stop burning fat and start burning protein. If we start using protein as an energy source, then we are not providing our muscles with the nutrients they need to grow and recover. Thus, we start losing lean muscle mass. This is important because every one pound of muscle burns three times more calories than one pound of fat at rest. So, with more lean muscle, we burn more calories, have a higher metabolism and burn more fat.
Now let's look at my training routine.
We already covered that I lift weights for an hour a day six days a week. While you lift, you are technically breaking down your muscles, but with proper protein intake, I am also helping them recover, and I am getting stronger and gaining more lean muscle by breaking them down first. And by gaining more lean muscle I am ultimately boosting my metabolism, burning more calories and burning fat. For cardio, I only do 10-20 minutes a day for six days. I tradeoff between a good steady speed, where I am working hard and my heart rate is up, and HIIT. On day 7, I don't lift weights, but I do a long, slow and steady run. This means that on short cardio days, and even my long steady cardio day, I am burning calories, and, while we haven't discussed diet here, I know I am in a fat burning mode because I fuel up pre-workout. In addition, when I do HIIT, which we will discuss in more detail in a different article, I am also getting what is known as the after-burn effect. Essentially this means that after a HIIT session, you are burning more calories and your metabolism is boosted for 24 hours after a session. HIIT doesn't just have to be in cardio though. It is high intensity interval training, which I also put into my weight lifting routines. I will go from doing squats to doing burpees or jumping rope. I might even do walking lunges with weights on my back. You can really incorporate it anywhere.
So, which is the better way of training for fat loss?
If you're wanting to lose fat fast, I'm going to have to go with my routine. Now, that doesn't mean you have to lift like I do. Or have similar extreme goals like I do. However, by incorporating heavier weight training, I am encouraging that lean muscle to grow faster. If you're just wanting to stay in shape and be healthy, then my sister's method is fine. Although, I want her to start lifting heavier, she is perfectly happy with her routine. In the end, that is what matters. She is still reaching her goals, and she is healthy.
In summary...
It's important to optimize training plans based on what your goals are and how soon you want to meet them. Understanding the body holistically, like when to refuel is also important in the recovery process, and the fat burning process.