Keep on keeping on. Don’t give up on yourself!
In order to improve fat metabolism and that blast that darn belly fat this hits us around middle age, it requires action.
Eat cleaner, ditch excess sugar, and incorporate a mix of aerobic activities, strength training, and strategic workout timing to optimize the body’s ability to burn fat. It sounds like a lot, but if you put it into your calendar and commit for the next three months, change will take place.
Then, you will be all in.
I love intervals and have been incorporating them in my fitness routine since 1999 with the Body for Life Challenge by Bill Phillips, which I have written about in the past. Before this challenge, I was a soccer and cardio queen who did not eat so cleanly.
It was during this fitness challenge where I learned:
- Why carbs in the am (like oatmeal, bagel, cereal) without protein always made me feel like crap at the office by 10AM
- The power of eating clean
- Why doing a fasted morning 25 minute cardio interval workout rocks
- The exciting mind-body impact of intervals + strength training
- Why women and men must strength train…. to be stronger, and protect bones and joints.
All this eventually led me to becoming a fitness trainer.
Twenty-five years after this fitness challenge, I am still enjoying intervals and strength training along with my more moderate training.
You may have heard the term “the more muscle you have the more calories you burn at rest.”
Tis’ true.
On average, 1 pound of muscle burns around 6-7 calories per day at rest, whereas 1 pound of fat burns only about 2-3 calories per day.
This difference means that individuals with a higher percentage of lean muscle mass have a higher resting metabolic rate, leading to greater calorie expenditure throughout the day.
With the many benefits of interval training and strength training – including longevity, it astounds me that so many people do not do either.
But, I am here to inspire you Virtual Athletes!
Incorporate these workouts into your fitness routine.
Six Interval and Strength Training Tips to Boost Fat Metabolism
1. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT alternates between short bursts of intense activity and periods of lower-intensity recovery.
Program Design:
- Warm-Up: 5 minutes of light cardio (dynamic stretching, walking, jogging, or cycling).
- Work Phase: 30 seconds of intense effort (sprinting, cycling, jumping rope) at 80-90% of your max effort.
- Rest Phase: 1 minute of low-intensity activity (walking or slow cycling).
- Repeat: 10-15 rounds, depending on fitness level.
- Cooldown: 5 minutes of light cardio and stretching.
Frequency: 2-3 times per week.
Metabolic Impact: HIIT boosts fat oxidation during the workout and stimulates excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), meaning you’ll continue burning calories even after the session ends.
2. Steady-State Cardio with Fasted Training
Performing steady-state cardio (like jogging, cycling, or brisk walking) at a moderate intensity, especially when done in a fasted state (e.g., in the morning before breakfast).
Program Design:
- Duration: 30-60 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio (60-70% of max heart rate).
- Frequency: 3-5 times per week, with one or two sessions performed in a fasted state if tolerated.
- Intensity: Maintain a pace where you can hold a conversation but feel your breathing increase.
Metabolic Impact: Fasted training encourages the body to utilize fat stores for energy, promoting fat oxidation during exercise.
3. Resistance Training to Build Muscle 💪
Strength training increases muscle mass, which boosts your resting metabolic rate (RMR).which can enhance fat metabolism over time.
Program Design:
- Warm-Up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio and dynamic stretching.
- Compound Movements: Focus on multi-joint (compound) exercises that engage large muscle groups, which burn more calories and increase metabolism. Use a weight you can handle (with good form) that challenges you by the last rep.
- Squats: 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
- Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8-10 reps.
- Bench Press or Push-Ups: 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
- Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldown: 3 sets of 8-10 reps.
- Lunges: 3 sets of 12 reps per leg.
- Cooldown: 5-10 minutes of stretching.
Frequency: 2-4 times per week, ensuring rest days between sessions.
Metabolic Impact: Resistance training improves metabolic flexibility, increases muscle mass, and promotes fat burning, particularly during the recovery phase.
4. Combination of Strength and Cardio (Metabolic Conditioning)
Metabolic conditioning combines resistance and cardio exercises into a circuit format, which keeps the heart rate elevated while promoting fat metabolism. I enjoy the cardio/strength variety in these workouts. According to the research, getting up and down within a workout burns more calories.
Program Design:
- Warm-Up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio and dynamic stretching.
- Circuit Example: Perform each exercise for 30 seconds with minimal rest between exercises:
- Kettlebell Swings
- Push-Ups
- Jump Squats
- Rows
- Mountain Climbers
- Burpees
- Plank
- Rest: 1-2 minutes between circuits.
- Repeat: 3-4 rounds.
- Cooldown: 5-10 minutes of stretching.
Frequency: 2-3 times per week.
Metabolic Impact: This method elevates heart rate, builds strength, and improves cardiovascular endurance, making it effective for both immediate fat burning and increasing overall metabolism.
5. Low-Intensity Steady-State (LISS) for Recovery Days
On recovery days (I like to do this on Sundays), incorporating low-intensity activities like walking, yoga, swimming, or cycling at a relaxed pace can still contribute to fat metabolism without taxing the body.
Program Design:
- Duration: 30-45 minutes of low-intensity activity
- Intensity: Keep heart rate at around 50-60% of max.
- Frequency: 1-2 times per week on recovery days.
Metabolic Impact: LISS helps burn fat without overwhelming the body, promoting steady-state fat oxidation while enhancing recovery from more intense workouts.
6. Time-Restricted Eating and Workout Timing
Aligning workout sessions with periods of fasting (such as in the morning after an overnight fast or before breaking a fast in intermittent fasting) can further enhance fat metabolism.
Example Program:
- Fasted Morning HIIT: Do that 20-30 minutes of HIIT in the morning, before eating.
- Post-Meal Strength Training: A resistance training session performed later in the day, 2-3 hours after a meal to ensure energy levels for intense lifting.
Metabolic Impact: Exercising in a fasted state can increase fat utilization, while post-meal strength training ensures muscle growth and recovery.
Final Tips:
- Stay Consistent: To enhance fat metabolism, consistency is key. Aim for a mix of cardio, strength training, and flexibility work throughout the week. If you stay consistent, the results will appear and sustain. I promise.
- Stay Hydrated and Eat Protein with Each Meal: Proper hydration and consuming adequate protein help preserve muscle mass and optimize recovery.
There is your fat metabolism course. Simplified.
If you have questions, or need help with these exercise forms, please let me know!
