If you want to look fit, athletic and hot by Memorial Day, it has to start now.
One of my clients, Dave, was joking that he saw an advertisement last June and July that said "Get fit for SUMMER!"
He asked, "Which summer? Summer 2008?" (keep in mind this was 2007)
It’s sad, if you start working on getting fit for summer… and it’s already June… guess what? You missed it!
You’ve got to start now.
On the flip side, if you’ve been following your fitness program since New Years, and you’ve been kicking ass, you’ve already seen some awesome results.
It’s time to take it to the next level.
Your programs (long term workout structures) have to change.
What got you here, will not take you to the next level, even if it was awesome.
The body adapts, and it adapts really quickly.
You adapt to a workout program in 4-8 weeks.
When your body adapts, you stop getting results. Even if it was a good workout program.
Let me repeat:
The body adapts, and it adapts really quickly. You adapt to a workout program in 4-8 weeks.
When your body adapts, you stop getting results. Even if it was a good workout program.
Workouts have to be like seasons. Winter must be followed by spring, which must be followed by summer. After summer, you must have fall. And after fall it’s time to have winter again.
You can’t fight it. It doesn’t matter how well your workouts used to work. Your workouts must change. And they must change in the right order and for the right reasons.
Smart personal trainers call this "periodization". It’s just a technical term for the fact that your workouts have to change… like seasons.
In a month, I’ll be releasing a six month, 12 phase "periodized" training program – "Fighter Workouts for Fat Loss".
In the meantime – if you’ve been doing my program The Stubborn 7 Pounds, then maybe you should try Turbulence Training, or The Fit Yummy Mummy Workout. If you’ve been doing The Fit Yummy Mummy or Turbulence Training, maybe it’s time to try The Stubborn 7 Pounds.
What ever you’ve been doing – it’s time for a change.
If you need a change immediately, and you want few workouts to tide you over until you start your next program – you can get six free Fighter Workouts for Fat Loss.
By Josh Hillis
Author of How To Lose The Stubborn Seven Pounds
Josh is one of the five fat loss experts in The Ultimate Fat Loss Answers
Josh is a fat loss expert, a kettlebell instructor and personal trainer in Denver, Colorado. Josh helps women and men lose stubborn fat.
"I’ve seen more results in 6 weeks training with Josh than I saw in the previous two years working out on my own" -Stephanie Weis
© Joshua Hillis 2008
Sweet, Josh! Looking forward to the new workout structure.
I did Workout 1 from “Fighter Workouts for Fat Loss” yesterday, and I’m certainly feeling it today!
Thanks for your help Josh; I’m stoked about the results this next level will bring.
I keep up my workout throughout the year..but i’m not seeing any real great results. I don’t do the long, slow, no intensity workouts. I do the short, intense workouts ( most of the time) by intense, i’m saying I do a sprint on the treadmill for a minute followed by a 2 minute fast walk. I do this for about 20-30 mins. Then do the eliptical for about 10-15 (on a hard resistance). I do SOME weights..probably not as much as I should. ( have been doing lunges w weights. And I can’t do squats.)
Why am I not seeing results???!?
Im trying lose about 15 pounds by May 1st.
can I do it?????
The weights are absolutely essential.
Here are the most important things in fat loss, in order:
1.) Nutrition
2.) Resistance (weight) training
3.) Cardio
99% of the time, people mess up the nutrition. It’s the most important thing!
If you want to get lean, you’re going to want to do weights, no question. And you want to get stronger.
If you can do lunges, but you can’t do squats, it means you aren’t squatting correctly – anatomically they are very similar movements. But that’s ok, if you can lunge, start with lunges.
You’ll also want a big pushing movement, and a big pulling movement.
Eventually, you will want to hire a really good CPT or RKC to teach you how to deadlift.
Your cardio is perfect. Just keep in mind you need the other two pieces to be tight.
Nutrition – keep a food log. Get the Body for Life cookbook (Phillips) and the Eating Clean cookbook (Reno)
Could I piggyback on one of the above comments? I regards to interval training, is heartrate the important factor? i.e. I could jog hills and get my heart rate up to max heart rate or I could do short all-out sprints and get the same heart rate. Is more work in same amount of time better for interval training or does it matter?
I tried to do the first work out last night. I ended up with a incredibly sharp pain in my throat while breathing. I think it was caused by a dry spot in the back of the throat, but I’m not sure. It went away a few hours after I stopped exercising. Anyone had that happen to them?
Earl – To me, it’s the same. I love hill sprints as much as flat ground sprints.
John – could just be dry throat, bring a water bottle and stay hydrated. But I’m no doctor. If it persists… could be strep throat!
Perfect article. You can acheive anything that you would like if you put your mind to it!!!! Good Luck:) Tracey