Your 30 day Pre Christmas shred
This program can be used if you have been training for 2 years or 2 weeks.
You will just adjust it according to your fitness and strength level.
What types of training your program will include:
HIIT
Almost everyone has heard of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), which you go from High intensity bursts to low intensity or total rest periods for a short duration.
HIIT can be effective for both sprinters and endurance based athletes and with how busy everyday life can be it can be done in 20 minutes.
So why does HIIT work so well? Lets take a look.
- HIIT is one way to increase both testosterone and growth hormone levels. These hormones are responsible for gaining muscle and losing body fat and by doing all you can to optimize these hormones will keep you on track to losing maximal body fat
- HIIT is performed for 20 minutes or less.
Short intense workouts anyone can integrate into their lifestyle.
- HIIT can increase VO2 max (your maximum rate of oxygen during exercise) for both high intensity and endurance athletes. VO2 max is the max amount of oxygen a person can use and transport during exercise. Since your body requires more oxygen to burn fat more than carbs it makes sense why body fat is used more in the long term when you’re training to increase oxygen.
- HIIT increases lipolysis (using fat as fuel) and keeps you in an elevated fat loss state for up to 24 hours after you finish your workout
- HIIT adapts your body to effectively remove metabolic waste from the muscles between intervals. The quicker your removing lactate and other byproducts as a result from high intensity training of any kind, you enable the body to be ready for another round of high intensity exercise with less rest.
Some examples of HIIT
HIIT training for on the track:
- Sprint the straightaways and walk or jog the curves. Do this for 20 minutes.
- Sprint 200 meters (half way around the track) and walk/jog the other half. Do this for 20 minutes.
- Sprint 400 meters (1 lap) and then walk/jog the next lap. Do this for 20 minutes.
Outside sessions:
- Sprint for 15 seconds and walk/jog for 30-45 seconds. Do this for 20 minutes.
- Sprint for 20 seconds and walk/jog for 40-60 seconds. Do this for 20 minutes.
- Sprint for 30 seconds and walk/jog for 90-120 seconds. Do this for 20 minutes.
In the gym:
- Squats for reps for 1 minute and then rest for one minute, then repeat for 20 minutes.
- Deadlifts for reps for 1 minute and then rest for one minute, then repeat for 20 minutes. Note: Make sure you are using the right form with these.
- Circuit training – mix up squats, bench press, deadlifts, and pullups, doing 1 minute of exercise for every 1 minute of rest. Repeat for 20 minutes.
- Bodyweight HIIT training – Mix up bodyweight squats, pushups, and pullups for 1 minute of exercise followed by 1 minute of rest. Repeat for 20 minutes.
- Box jumps or squat jumps – jump onto and off of a box or on ground as quickly as possible for 1 minute and then rest for 1 minute. Repeat for 20 minutes.
- Skipping – Skip for 1 minute of exercise followed by 1 minute of rest. Repeat for 20 minutes.
Weight Training
With the subject of fat loss people generally think cardio for weight loss. In terms of weight loss this is quite true. Cardio will help you lose weight – both muscle and fat.
You will end up smaller and softer. The end goal should be retaining or even building some extra muscle.
WHY would I want more muscle when I’m trying to lose weight? More muscle means more energy burnt to sustain that extra muscle which keeps you leaner and burning more naturally through the day.
A well designed weights program combined with an effective HIIT program and nutrition plan will far out whey just getting on the cardio for fat loss and is the by far the best way for leaning up.
In your program it should consist of different intensity techniques at times to give you maximal effect such as.
Supersets, drop sets, circuit style, heavy lifts with perfect form, slow tempo, fast tempo to name a few.
Your body is an advanced piece of machinery and will adapt fast so make sure you have different intensity techniques in your program and constant progression to avoid plateauing.
Example of program:
3 days per week weights with a day rest between
Day 1-10 days will be circuit style program with minimal rest (30 seconds) with 2 * 20 minute HIIT sessions per week included
Day 11-20 superset opposing muscles such as chest and back or quads and hamstrings with heavier strict form. 3 * 20 minute HIIT sessions included
Day 21-30 you’ll keep super setting with heavier strict form adding in drop sets and change the tempo to slower controlled movement on the eccentric and fast explosive to contract the muscle. 3 * 20 minute HIIT sessions included.
Nutritional Principles
Some principles to stick by while on the 30 day program to get your body burning more body fat as your primary fuel.
- Protein will keep you fuller longer, eating a protein rich meal consisting of some meat or eggs will generate more heat than a carbohydrate rich meal therefore assisting your metabolism to stay running hot. Aim for 1.5-2.5kg per kg body weight
- The less carbs you ingest the more your body will rely on body fat to be released as fuel (don’t under eat carbs though, your body still needs them)
- Eat the appropriate amount of food your body needs for fuel not the amount of food you feel you think you need.
If your aim is to lose body fat then you must follow the rules when it comes to eating what your body needs to fuel with a slight deficit and no more than that.
- Stay Hydrated. Keep sipping your water throughout the day
- Keeping up your essential fat intake will help you lose that unwanted fat and help you achieve your optimal body composition.
Click the link below to see a list of foods to include in your plan:
https://getmotivatedhealthandfitness.com.au/3825-2/
Summary of what we have gone through.
- There is a lot of confusion about how to really burn fat. Once you have a well designed program consisting of weights, HIIT and nutrition all that is required from there is your hard work.
- During exercise, your body will either burn fat, carbs or in some cases, protein (when your body is carb depleted or training for longer than 60 minutes)
- Your body will decide what to burn (fat or carbs) based on the intensity and length of your session, what you eat and when
- By following an effective training program, you will burn more fat and calories even while you are at rest.
- Fats require more oxygen to burn than carbs.
- The more intense you train, the more carbs you will burn in the session, in most cases but will burn fat for a longer duration over the following 24 hours.
- The less carbs ingested over time, the greater your body’s reliance on fat burning (don’t give up carbs totally though – your body needs them)
- Carb intake prior to exercise will result in release of insulin, which stops or slows down the fat burning process.
Your exercise alone is only part of the plan. What you do when your not exercising has an effect that is substantial. Understanding this and sticking to a plan help with ongoing body fat management, which is an article itself for another day.
To give your body the best possible outcome and keep yourself accountable that you stay on track, get in contact with Get Motivated today [gravityform id=”7″ title=”true” description=”true”]
Here is a great quote and how very true it is:
“Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” Edward Stanley, Earl of Derby (1826-93), British statesman. The Conduct of Life, address at Liverpool College, 20 Dec 1873.