The trick to losing weight AND looking hot is making sure that the weight you lose is fat weight. Too many people lose muscle weight and fat weight at the same time. Sometimes people lose muscle weight and keep the fat weight – then they look "skinny fat", how does that sound?
When you lose muscle weight, you look gross. "Hey look!" you say as you jump on the scale, "I've lost WEIGHT!" You're so excited! And you still don't have abs. In fact, seems like no matter how much weight you lose, you never really look any hotter. Well maybe you look ok with your clothes on… but if you want to look hot naked, just loosing weight isn't going to be enough. You need to lose fat and hold on to some lean toned sexy muscle.
My job as a trainer in helping people lose "stubborn fat" is actually pretty easy. Most of the time people who come to me are burning muslce and holding on to fat. It's not that the fat is "stubborn", it's that they are burning muscle instead. They are losing weight, the wrong kind of weight.
The most obvious way to burn muscle is too much long slow cardio, and not enough protein and weight training. That's why marathon runners are always skinny fat. They are really skinny… but they aren't lean. Most of them tell me that the more they run the fatter they get. Not that they get any bigger, they've lost tons of weight… they just get fatter.
It's pretty simple – the body is smart. The body adapts primarily to survive. Being lean and sexy isn't top on it's list. It just wants to live. So lets say you run and run and run, and never lift weights. Your body is burning all these calories running… so what does it do? Well of course you lose weight. But where does that weight come from? Your muscles? WHAT! Why does it come from muscle and not fat? Simple, you aren't using your muscle, so your body gets rid of it. Hey, the fat it can use to live if you get stranded on a desert island. But the muscle… if you haven't used it in years, why would your body think you need it?
What about the runners who aren't even losing weight anymore, what's up with that? The body develops a mechanical efficiency to running. Which makes you a better running competitor. But it means you burn less and less calories doing the same activity. So you should change it up. Try swimming. Or rowing.
Sorry to pick on runners. Hey, I used to be a runner. I just go with what I see the most of. I could say the exact same thing about the people who spend an hour and a half on the eliptical machines every day. Or people who do super long biking. Anyone who does super long duration cardio, and no weight training at all.
By Josh Hillis
Author of How To Lose The Stubborn Seven Pounds: Take Your Body from Good to Rockstar.
National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT) and Performance Enhancement Specialist (NASM-PES)
Russian Kettlebell Challenge Certified Instructor (RKC) and Combat Applications Specialist (RKC/CAS)
I enjoy all your articles on running. Iam trying to lose a good amount of fat before this summer and many people like myself think that only running will be good enough.. So after reading your articles I know that I now need to lift some weights after I run or switch it up a bit.
Keep up the writing!
Hey Courtney! That’s great to hear, I’m glad you like my articles!
Running IS great, it’s just not the “end all be all” of fitness. I still go for long runs once in a while just because there is something meditative about it for me. I’ve started to really like rowing also.
From a body composition standpoint, my request would be that you actually lift weights BEFORE you run. Which ever one you do first is going to get more energy and focus. From the standpoint of how you look naked, weight training first is going to be much more effective for most people.
The exception would be if someone is a competetive runner – in that case running performance comes first and looking hot naked comes second =)
Josh
hi im zanab im 16 and wanna losse about a stone and tone up how i got a kettle bellh ow long will it be if i keep sing it that i will loose weight ?
Hi Zanab. With intelligent kettlebell lifting and intelligent eating, you should use a pound or two per week.
Getting a kettlebell is a really smart step, and kettlebell lifting has a much higher metabolic demand than what most people do in the gym.
That being said – don’t neglect your nutrition. Nutrition is going to be half your results, so make sure you are getting it from good, whole food sources. I strongly recommend reading Tosca Reno’s book “Eating Clean”
hi can u plz tell me if i will loose weight my going on a diet of drinking water and eating grilled mean with salad ?
check this post:
https://joshhillis.com/articles/2007/10/everything-you-.html
Also, I stronly recommend getting Tosca Reno’s book “Eating Clean”.
hello there, my name is zeinab im 19 and i have a huge problem. Well i am not that fat lol actually i do not look like im 200 pounds, unfortunatly i am 🙁
mmm…. my problem area is my stomack and my arms including my bra rolls i got from wearing the wrong bra for years……
i haven’t eaten junk food or drank pepsi for a months,,i have been going to the jym for 2 weeks doing some running,cardio and weight lifting as well, yet i still look the same :S
I wonder what i am doing wrong and sometimes i wonder if my eating habits are not right which sometimes they’re off balance.********HELPPPP******* I want to look really gooood as soon as I can and no matter what it takes 🙁
*******************HELP********************
my names zanab aswell lol i have the same problem exactly the same as you zainab i dont no what we are eating that is wrong lol
If the scale weight isn’t going down, there is only one possible explanation –
you are eating too many calories.
You MUST keep a food log and track your calories.
You MUST use a food scale.
I also recommend getting Tosca Reno’s book “Eating Clean”.
Just remember this – scale weight = total calories. If you eat less calories, your scale weight will go down.
Keep a food log. Find out what you are eating now. Reduce it by 500 calories per day.
i have been doing the same activitys through out the day, but have been cutting down on my weight. i have lost half a stone over two weeks from 9 stone to 8 1/2 stone. have i lost fat or muscle?
Have you lost any strength? Are you lifting the same or heavier weights?
good read bookmarked will return to read more posts
Interesting information I haven’t been through such information in a long time.
http://raspberryketonedangers.com/why-dietary-supplements-are-highly-recommended-when-trying-to-lose-weight/??????????