Back To The Basics

I just had about a 45 minute “heated” discussion with a client about weight loss.

She kept insisting that she could exercise (mostly cardio) her why out of being overweight.

I just want to be clear again.

75% of weight loss is diet.

25% of weight loss is exercise, and that exercise should mostly be strength training or, to be honest, ALL strength training.

When you perform cardio for an hour, you would be lucky, REALLY lucky, to burn 400 calories.

If you then ate:

1.5 pieces of thin crust pizza or a medium sized bagel with a tablespoon of cream cheese or 4 chips with guacamole equals 400 calories – you just ate up your cardio calories burned.

BUT, when strength train, you boost your metabolism 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Tufts University says you can boost your metabolism as much as 15%.

So, to make it simple, say you metabolism is burning 2000 calories a day (I’m around 2,200), then 15% on 2,000 calories is an extra 300 calories, EVERYDAY, which would equates to over 31 pounds a year of fat loss.

That’s why I’m so adamant about the strength training and the fact that no, cardio really isn’t your exercise of choice.

Plus, don’t forget the research that states that cardio makes you hungry!

I’m done for the day.

Jim