Cardio? Is It Ruining Your Lose Weight Plan?

I used to think going for a run was the quickest way to jump-start my weight-loss goals. From the outside, cardio seems to be the quickest way to burn fat and shed a few pounds, especially if you push yourself to the point of heavy breathing and sweating. 

I've learned over the years, though, that cardio isn't all it's cracked up to be. In fact, it might be the very thing that's stopping you from dropping those extra pounds.

"While doing cardio is great for your heart, lungs, and even your stress level, it’s not the fastest way to lose fat," said Lauren Clare, personal trainer and certified holistic health coach. The real key to losing fat is by building more muscle. "Having more lean muscle on your body helps increases your metabolism, which means you will be burning more calories on a daily basis," Clare explained.

5 Common Weightlifting Myths That Need To Be Debunked.

When you take a look around the weight room, men almost always take up the space. We've been conditioned to believe that guys like to pump weights while women go for a run or do yoga. 

This is a dangerous stereotype to believe; there are some serious benefits to be earned from lifting weights on the regular, especially if you're a woman. Whether you're trying to lose weight or grow some lean muscle, it's time to get friendly with that barbell. Let's start by debunking some common myths.

Myth 1: Weightlifting Makes You Bulk Up

"Most women don't have enough testosterone production in their body to put on huge muscle gains and 'get big,'" explained Lauren Clare, personal trainer and certified holistic health coach. That's because women have way less testosterone in their systems than men do (20 times less, to be exact), and testosterone is one of the primary hormones that promotes muscle growth. So when you see those big, bulky guys at the gym, don't panic, because it's not physically possible for you to turn into the Hulk from a strength-training routine.

Similarly, Clare discourages us from believing the photos you might see in bodybuilding magazines. The buff women you are seeing are taking supplements and training extremely hard. You won't end up anything like that, even if you lift weights several times a week.

5 Mistakes You Are Making That Are Ruining Your Weight Loss Efforts.

If it feels like you’ve been trying to slim down for weeks, months, maybe even years, and nothing’s happened, we feel you: The struggle is real and the frustration even more so. 

But before you think about waving that white flag, you might want to double check that you're not making these common mistakes without even knowing it.

We tapped nutrition and fitness pros to find out which seemingly helpful diet and workout choices are really keeping us from shedding the pounds

3 Key Principles For Weight Loss You Need To Follow.

Have you ever wondered what you should prioritize when trying to lose weight? Cardio, strength training and counting your macronutrients (protein, carbs and fat) are the three big components of weight loss. You should be doing all three, but each of these is not created equally.

Here’s how Erik Taylor ranks those three elements for weight loss:

1. COUNTING YOUR MACRONUTRIENTS

Logging your food is the most important component of weight loss. Figure out what a safe calorie deficit is for you, follow these guidelines consistently and the weight will come off. Make sure to readjust your daily goals as you lose weight.

Lift Weights To Lose Fat. This Is Why.

When it comes to losing weight, diet is key. It's easier to eat fewer calories than it is to burn them later. But what about the exercise part of the equation? When working out to maximise fat loss, science shows us you want a balanced routine of cardio and strength training. Lean muscle takes more energy to maintain than fat, which helps to maintain your metabolism and burn more calories. Aside from gaining strength, muscle also help protect your joints from injury and even helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Findings from a Duke University study also support that a combo of cardio and strength training works best for losing fat. The study followed 119 people through three different exercise regimens: cardio only, strength training only, or a mix of the two.