Whenever working out, I have always gone with cardio. However, this time I am switching it up, and I am going to do weight training. I know that by building muscle I will burn the fat faster, and I want to see results as soon as possible. I have been doing 20 minutes of weight training a day, my arms are killing me, but it feels AWESOME.
I have only been working with three pound weights, however, when you are weak like me, you need to start out slow! Over the course of the next few weeks, I will be adding more reps, to my workout then switching it up and moving up farther in weight.
I think if I can build more muscle, my metabolism will get better, and it will make things go a lot smoother.
I have also been watching everything I eat, and drinking more water. No more soda for me, not even diet.
What are some things you do to help build muscle, and burn fat?
About Jammie Morey
Hi Jammie,
Congratulations on beginning with weight training!
Lots of people think that they’re just going to get all bulky when they start lifting weights but it takes a whole lot of effort to do so. You are correct that lifting will help build some muscle and help raise your metabolism.
That’s why it’s best to perform both cardio and weight training. Weight training is great to burn more calories throughout the entire day while cardio will knock out a large number of calories while performing the exercise.
Diet is the most important thing when it comes to trying to lose some weight. Most people overlook this because they think they can eat what they want when they work out but that’s not true. Weight gain/loss is all about having a calorie surplus or deficit throughout the day.
With your diet you should have:
1) Lean meats
2) Complex carbs (whole grains, wheat bread etc.)
3) Lost of fruits and vegetables
If you stick to that you’re guaranteed you’re giving your body the proper fuel it needs. Preparing your own meals is the best way to have a healthy diet. Going out to eat in a sit down restaurant or fast food are both very unhealthy options.
Cutting out soda is also a great way to help shed some pounds. My older brother cut out sodas when he was in high school and it made a big difference for him. I think he lost around 10 pounds just from cutting sodas out alone.
I would suggest maybe adding some circuit weight training workouts into your weight loss program. They’re great at burning calories and building some muscle to help raise your overall metabolism, not to mention they don’t take long to perform.
Last thing is that I would suggest going online and searching for a basal metabolic rate calculator. Put in your info and figure out how many calories you tend to burn a day. This way you can adjust your calorie intake(diet) or calorie burn(exercise) to lose additional weight.
3500 calories = 1 pound of weight.
So a surplus or deficit of 500 calories a day for a week (7 x 500 = 3500) will help you add/lose one pound a week.
I think you know what you’re doing just stick with it.
Good Luck!
Alan
Thanks for the information Alan :)