Don't be Lied to About How You Burn Fat!

Don't be Lied to About How You Burn Fat!

 

This blog has a few numbers in it so please don't panic. The numbers are not the main message. The main message for today is that you should probably focus on doing more than the minimum. What would you expect from following the basic guidelines for any endeavor? The basic outcome. That is it, nothing more. The guidleines from the CDC are just to keep from getting more fat IF you follow their guidelines for eating as well, and how many people actually get their 5 serving of veggies a day, much less the 30 minutes of light exercise.  Do this and expect the MINIMUM results. So why not try to see what the MAXIMUM results can be for you?

 

  Some people need maximum results for their weight loss RIGHT NOW! If you have trouble walking at all, or you cannot climb stairs pain free, then you need top have maximum results in minimum time. What can you do? Combine your cardio and weight workouts for 90 days. Commit to 90 days of eating by the Food Guide Pyramid. It is more in depth than you think, but within less than 5 minutes you can find out how much you should be eating of each type of food. Included in the pyramid (www.mypyramid.gov) is physical exercise. It does list the minimums so keep that in mind. Strive to achieve a healthy weight, chances are you need to lose weight, not just maintain.

 

   So if you think that just walking 30 min a day is going to burn your fat, you are being lied to. Although it is true that you tend to burn about 90% of your calories from fat at very low intensity, you burn very few calories. Then there is the Cross-Over point in exercise. At this point you can burn 3x the total calories and burn 50% of your calories from Carbohydrates and 50% from Fat. Basic quick math:

If you only burn 100 calories an hour at low intensity (25% of your max, walking), 90 of them will probably be from fat. 

If you burn 300 calories an hour at a moderate intensity (60% of your max, jogging), 150 of them will be from Fat.  

If you burn 500 calories an hour at high intensity (90% of your max, running),  100 calories will come from Fat.

 

   These are just for easy numbers. If you are running for an hour, as you would in a long race in which you do not stop, you would probably burn about 600 calories for a 6 mile race if you weigh about 130 pounds. That would probably be about 800 for me since I weigh about 175. Adjusted for what my fitness level is that would be about 60/40 fat and carbohydrate respectively.

 

   So go out and challenge yourself today, and every day for the next 90 days. Go for one jog this week, and lift weights twice. Next week add in a bike ride. Take your spouse or a friend for a walk, then race them. Make it fun. Or if it is not fun, do like the Southern Baptists say, "fake it , until you make it."