Don’t Sweat It To Burn It
Personal Trainers and other fitness professionals have an ongoing debate of whether sweat is required to lose body weight [referring to body fat]. Although we take Coach Jordi’s stance on this discussion it is important that the opposing argument is valid to a certain extent. On one hand, the majority of trainers in the Coachella valley believe that sweating during exercise is a necessary indicator for weight loss. At Desert Barbell on the other hand, we believe that we understand that there are many physiological pathways to calorie burn and different avenues to achieve a certain goal. Let's dive into what our coaches believe is the best approach to weight loss, the indicators and the best process to achieve your fat loss goal.
Coach Jordi’s Take
As an exercise scientist it is hard to narrow down the best approach to fat loss due to the fact that exercise prescriptions should be specific to the individual. However, the fastest way to burn body fat is a combination of aerobic based exercise and resistance training. Physiologically, to metabolize fat as energy three reduction processes need to happen. Starting with lipolysis where triglycerides are broken down to free fatty acids and glycerol. The second step occurs is a process referred to as Beta-oxidation, here is where free fatty acids get converted to acetyl-CoA. The final and third step is when acetyl-CoA enters the mitochondria (powerhouse of our cells) to produce 32 adenosine triphosphate molecules [ATP=Energy]. So, in my training approach, I kick start lipolysis by creating an oxygen debt through high intensity exercise lasting no more than five minutes. To get into the nitty gritty of the workout I encourage beta-oxidation to take place by doing long duration moderate intensity cardio in the form of running, lasting 10-20 minutes. Lastly, to use up all the energy produced in beta-oxidation, I end the workout with a 25-30 minute High Intensity Circuit Training (HIIT) bootcamp. If a person weighs between 140-160 pounds, they will burn 650-780 calories in our hour-long session. That's our Monday morning DayBreak Class available to all members.
Combining all three components of fat metabolism I designed this unique class available to all our members. Although the class design might seem simple, I used in-depth knowledge of human physiology and group psychology to keep you going when you hit your mental block. In short, the best way to burn fat is by addressing every component of fat metabolism.
Melanie’s Approach
Although I cannot deny the approach of our Exercise physiologist is highly effective and it has been proven to work in the research he conducted at Northridge State University, I have my own take on providing results to my clients. My approach regarding fat loss has everything to do with behavior modification and impulse control. I use the transtheoretical model of behavior change to achieve behavior chance for two reasons. One, to understand what stage of change my client is in, and two, to narrow down my approach maximizing nutrition and exercise adherence. Once the client is willing to receive coaching and there is little to no resistance to change it becomes really simple to implement dietary modifications. If the client never fully commits to her/himself, self-sabotage is inevitable. For example, Bob wants to lose ten pounds of bodyweight, but he does not acknowledge how those ten extra pounds is affecting his life. when Bob denies or refuses to acknowledge the significance of his goal, the goal then becomes dismissible, opening way to rationalizing bad habits. at its essence, this is the most common form of self-sabotage.
Addressing diet, I don't focus on what my clients are eating but rather what they are not. Hence, my usual recommendations require adding food instead of reducing. I know you have heard it, “to lose weight you must be in a caloric deficit”. Although the statement is true, that doesn't mean you are going to be healthy once you reach your desired weight. Adding the good stuff to your diet will ease the transition to a caloric deficit. Meeting your daily nutrient requirements enhances energy levels, brain function, mood and attitude. Once my clients feel great then they can start lowering calories gradually to start using fat as energy solely by being in a caloric deficit. To re-emphasize, adherence to change needs to occur, the client needs to want to change before any strategy can work for them and once an approach is adopted, stick to it. After that, adjustments in the diet make it easier to lose weight and keep it off. In short, I address behavior followed by dietary intervention to produce sustainable results.
Don’t Sweat It to lose it.
We understand that there are different ways to lose body fat, therefore the notion that you must sweat to lose fat is false. If that was the case, we wouldn't have an obesity problem in Coachella since weathers reach 120 degrees. Sweat is not a good indicator of fat metabolism because sweat has different functions in the body, and it represents different processes. Processes including body cooling, body detox, and serves as a carbon-hydrogen buffering system. If you want to lose body weight, don't rush it, be consistent and don't stress about it. Choose a strategy that works for you and stick to it. And remember that if extra help is needed, we are here for you.