You need to understand this right now if you are going to get the most out of your exercise programme. There is no such thing as spot reduction. The technique does not and cannot work. Ever!

It is crucial that you understand this point because a lot of people waste their time at the gym targetting their abs or thighs or biceps or whatever with intensive weight training exercises only to be disappointed with the end result. The reason they are disappointed is because they don’t know what you and I know. It is not possible to target the loss of fat from one particular part of your body.

What does happen when you target specific parts of your body with high intensity resistance workouts is that you stimulate the muscles used in a particular exercise. This has no effect on the fat stored in the cells in or around that part of your body. You cannot burn fat from your biceps by training your biceps, you cannot burn fat from your stomach by training your abs and you cannot get rid of the fat from your legs by training them with weights.

Hopefully after those four paragraphs I have got the message across. I’m sorry to go on so much but this message is really important.

So, one more time. Fat is simply a way for the body to store fuel for whenever it feels it needs it. The body will decide to use up fat from different parts of your body in any order it likes, whenever it wants to. You cannot influence where the fat is used up from.

The reason I advocate the use of intensive resistance or weight training exercise is for the overall fat loss effect. As we have discussed before in our previous myths, lean muscle mass is metabolically expensive to the body. The more you have the more fuel your body needs to use up in order to maintain it. Your goal therefore is two-fold when training with heavy weights. You want to build up muscle to burn off fat and you want to develop lean muscle mass in specific parts of your body in order to look good. It’s that simple.

So remember, use a properly structured free weight training program which is designed specifically to stimulate muscle growth. The exercises should use low to moderate repetitions but should be performed at a high intensity level.

As we said in myth number 7, don’t be afraid to train like a body builder, it is by far the quickest way to lose the fat and get the body shape you desire.

This is “Myth #8″ in our “12 Myths of weight loss” series. To read the previous Myths, click on the following links -
Fat Loss Myth #7 – Train too Heavy, Get Too Big
Fat Loss Myth #6 -Exercise Slowly and Burn Fat Faster
Fat Loss Myth #5 – A Fat Burning Diet Requires No Exercise
Fat Loss Myth #4 – Lose the Carbs, Lose the Fat?
Fat Loss Myth #3 – Lose Fat by Eating Less Fat?
Fat Loss Myth #2 – Lose Fat by Eating Less?
Fat Loss Myth #1 – Drop the Calories, Drop the Fat?

I suppose if you are reading this article you are the type of person who has, or who desires to have a lean, toned, and on the whole, fat free body. More than likely you will have the understanding that if you reduce your fat intake then you will store less fat in your body, thus over time you will reduce your body fat content. It does seem like a sensible approach doesn’t it? Surely if you take on board less fat through the meals that you eat, then that would mean you lose fat from your body mass right?

The fact is that general diets which advocate restricting the general intake of fat as part of your regular meals are at the least ineffective and in a lot of circumstances they actually have the opposite effect to that which you are trying to achieve, i.e. weight loss. Let me give you a few good reasons why this is the case.

- Low fat diets have a higher sugar content. If you are following a calorie controlled low fat diet, then you will naturally have to replace the calories you lose through the restriction of fat with other things. This will normally mean replacing the fatty items with things like fruit, bread and pasta. While these things are lower in fat, they actually have quite a high sugar content. Your body uses sugar as a fuel but it is processed and used pretty much immediately. If you are not in a position to use up this fuel, then your body will simply store it as fat anyway.

- Low fat diets make you feel hungry and increase the probability of cravings. The fat you get from your normal meals or dietary fat, plays a big part in making you feel full after each meal. Obviously, if you feel fuller after your meals the chances of you craving a snack between meals is reduced. Also, if you replace dietary fat with foods which contain more sugar then your blood sugar levels will fluctuate much more than normal. This means you will have less energy during the day and can also lead to snack craving as well.

- Low fat diets reduce levels of testosterone. One of your aims is likely to be an increase in lean muscle tissue and testosterone has a big part to play in this process. Any increase in lean muscle tissue you achieve has an effect on fat loss. Testosterone also has an impact on your ability to burn fat so it stands to reason that a reduction of dietary fat, because it has a negative impact on testosterone levels isn’t a good thing.

- Low fat diets make you store more fat. We have discussed this phenomonon in our previous two myths. Fat is one of the measures that the body uses to determine if there is a plentiful supply of food available. If you reduce your dietary fat intake, then your body reacts by slowing down the metabolism, burning fat more slowly and breaking down lean muscle tissue.

There are some guidelines you should stick to with regard to dietary fat intake. At no time should you reduce this to below 10% and an ideal target for dietary fat content is 15 to 20%.

The key to this whole message is the type of fat you consume.

You may have heard of saturated and unsaturated fat. As a general rule, saturated fat intake should be kept to a minimum. These types of fats are generally solid at room temperature and so exist in things like meat and cheese etc. Those types of fat that exist as a liquid at room temperature are the ones you should make sure you keep at a healthy level. These are the unsaturated fats and can be found in many foods such as fish, avocado, nuts, seed oild and olive oil among many others.

This is “Myth #3″ in our “12 Myths of weight loss” series. To read the previous Myths, click on the following links -
Fat Loss Myth #2 – Lose Fat by Eating Less?
Fat Loss Myth #1 – Drop the Calories, Drop the Fat?

Each person’s body requires a certain number of calories in order to perform its daily functions, no matter what their lifestyle may be like. Even if you simply spend the day lying in bed watching television, your body is still burning calories in order to breathe, circulate blood, think, digest your food, flip the channels, and much, much more that most people rarely if ever think about. This figure in terms of the number of calories required is known as your basal metabolic rate (or BMR) and is relative to several factors, including a person’s height, weight, and age.

In addition to your BMR, your body also burns additional calories in relation to whatever activities you do throughout the day. All activities burn calories, even low-key activities you don’t normally consider such as walking, driving to work, or doing light housework. Some certainly burn more than others, like working out strenuously or running, but they all burn fuel regardless. Add your calories burned through activity throughout the day to you BMR, and you have your total amount of “calories out” for the day.

“Calories in” come from the foods you consume, of course. As with activities, some foods account for more calories than others. When you consume more calories than you burn a day, you gain weight. When you consume fewer calories than you burn a day, you lose weight. When you consume the same? Your weight stays constant.

Now that you know the basics of how and why you may gain or lose weight, you need to know the basics as to how many calories a pound of fat is actually worth, which is more or less 3500 calories. This figure is the same whether the pound in question is going on or coming off. If you want to burn a pound of fat a week, then you need to create a calorie deficit of roughly 500 calories a day in order to meet the 3500 calorie deficit necessary, and this is best done through a combination of calorie-cutting and increased calorie expenditure through physical activity.

However, as with any diet method, it’s important to remember to make healthy choices. Choose your calories wisely, prioritizing fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats. Eliminate junk food from your diet, or at the very least, cut way back on your intake of it. Do this in tandem with an exercise regime that allows for 20-30 minutes of continuous exercise at least 5 days a week. It’s also important to remember to discuss any potential diet or exercise program with your doctor before deciding once and for all that it’s the right one for you.

NEVER, EVER QUIT! MAKE FITNESS A LIFESTYLE!

Do you know what is the biggest mistake made by beginners?

They quit!

Remember in the January issue, where I mentioned how attendance in our gym shoots up for about 6-8 weeks around New Year’s? Well, it’s back to normal now because all the quitters dropped out already.

What’s especially sad is that most people quit right when they’re on the verge of making substantial progress.

Remember: You’re never a failure as long as you’re working on the progressive realization of a worthy goal. But the second you quit, then it’s official – you’re a failure.

Quitting should not even be an option because…

FITNESS IS A LIFESTYLE!

Don’t let these four words slip by you just because it’s an oft-repeated cliché. This is an important mindset! You have to stop thinking of getting in shape for a New Year’s resolution, vacation or wedding (or a contest, you bodybuilders). You must start thinking about getting healthy and in shape FOR LIFE.

When you’re just starting out, firmly resolve that quitting is not even an option. Don’t approach this endeavor with an “I’ll try” attitude. If you accept quitting as a possibility, you might as well not even start; just grab that remote control, a bag of chips and get back on the couch where you were before.

Also, understand that results may come slowly in the beginning if you’re not the genetically-gifted type. This process requires great patience and persistence for most people.

Most beginners never allow themselves the time it takes to get any momentum going. They expect too much too soon, get discouraged and quit.

It takes a big push to get started. It’s like getting a rocket off the ground – it uses most of its fuel just launching off the pad, but once it’s in the air and the inertia has been overcome, it can keep going with very little energy expenditure. Don’t quit just because it’s difficult to “launch!”

GET A PERSONAL TRAINER, COACH, OR MENTOR

Life is too just too short to learn everything there is to know on your own. Don’t waste time climbing the ladder only to find it’s leaning against the wrong wall! Learn from the experts. Get a trainer, personal coach, or mentor to help you start right – right from the start.

Don’t know what to look for in a trainer? Read my new article about personal trainers. You’ll find it in the Fitness Renaissance website library here:

www.fitren.com/res3art.cfm?compid=18&artid=86

JOIN A GYM IF YOU CAN, BUT A SET OF DUMBBELLS ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO GET YOU STARTED

I admit I’m showing my bias by saying everyone should join a gym (I’m in the health club business), but I sincerely believe nothing beats working out in a high quality health club. In a well-equipped gym, the possibilities are endless, the atmosphere is motivational and people are there to help you.

More often than not, however, beginners start at home. That being the case, I admit that you don’t need a gym to get started. You also don’t need any of that garbage advertised on late night TV. The only piece of equipment you need has existed for over 100 years – that’s right, the humble DUMBBELL!

Remember – don’t overcomplicate this – think basics, basics, basics (and dumbbells are as basic as it gets.)

Dumbbells are the single most versatile piece of equipment in existence. You can perform hundreds, even thousands of exercises with dumbbells.

Ladies, a set of 3 to 20 pounds will be more than sufficient. Guys, a set from 10 to 40 pounds should do the trick (for now). I’ve also heard wonderful things about Powerblock dumbbells for space-saving, although I don’t have first hand experience to cite.

If you also get yourself a bench and clear out a little corner in your favorite room, then you’re ready to roll!

Here it is – The beginner’s all-dumbbell routine:

1. Dumbbell bench press (chest)
2. Dumbbell side lateral raise (shoulders)
3. One arm dumbbell row (upper back)
4. Dumbbell extension behind head (triceps)
5. Dumbbell Bicep curl (biceps)
6. Dumbbell Lunges (thighs)
7. Dumbbell One leg calf raise (calves)
8. Dumbbell leg curl (hamstrings)
9. Crunches (abs)

There you have it. Simple and effective. At home or in a gym.

If you’re just starting, do this routine for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps per exercise, except calves and abs which you can go up to 20 reps. Rest 1 minute between sets. You’ll train your whole body in each workout, 2 -3 three days per week, non-consecutive days.

After 3 – 6 months, you’ll probably need to add exercises and move up to a split routine. (So I guess I have to do another article, called 8 tips for intermediates: How to keep going).

WEIGHT TRAINING IS NOT OPTIONAL – IT’S MANDATORY!

It’s is a common misconception that you should start with aerobic workouts and lose the fat first before adding weight training.

Unfortunately, the best you can hope for from diet and aerobics alone is to become a “skinny fat person.” You may lose weight, but you’ll have a poor muscle to fat ratio and a “soft” appearance.

Obviously, weight training is the key to developing strength and muscle. What few people realize is that weight training also increases fat loss, although it occurs indirectly.

Weight training is anaerobic and burns carbohydrates (sugar).Cardio is aerobic and therefore burns fat. So it seems logical to focus on aerobic training for fat loss.

However, something interesting happens “beneath the surface” when you lift weights. Weight training increases your lean body mass – aerobic training does not.

Low calorie dieting and aerobic training without weight lifting can make you lose lean body mass. If you lose lean body mass, your metabolism slows down, and this makes it harder to lose fat.

If you increase your lean body mass, you increase your metabolic rate and this makes it easier to lose fat. With a faster metabolism, you’ll burn more fat all day long – even while you’re sleeping!

If you have limited time, and your main priority is fat loss, then do a very brief weight training program and spend the majority of your time concentrating on cardio. But never neglect the weights completely – always do both, and if possible, devote equal attention to each.

About the Author:
Tom Venuto is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, personal trainer, gym owner, freelance writer and author of “Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle” (BFFM): Fat Burning Secrets of the World’s Best Bodybuilders and Fitness Models. Tom has written over 140 articles and has been featured in IRONMAN magazine, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Muscle-Zine, Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise. Tom is the Fat Loss Expert for Global-Fitness.com and the nutrition editor for Femalemuscle.com and his articles are regularly featured worldwide on literally dozens of other websites.

To get the FACTS on exactly how, what & when to eat and how to train to achieve maximum fat loss, without losing muscle or slowing down your metabolism… AND to discover the shocking truth about the diet, weight loss and supplement industries, Check out Tom’s e-book online here: www.burnthefat.com

There are so many opinions about how to lose body fat that many people end up completely confused and they don’t do ANYTHING!

They’ve read about 27 ways to diet, 34 ways to do cardio, 101 ways to lift weights and 79 supplements to take. But they still don’t have a clue how to start.

You stuff your brain with so much information it feels like it’s going to explode, but then you never do anything about it. You’re like a deer stuck in headlights. Sound familiar?

I call this the “paralysis by analysis” syndrome.

The most important thing you can do is take action. Just begin the journey and figure it out as you go. Better still; get a coach or trainer right from the start.

Actually, losing fat is not that complicated. You don’t need a PhD in exercise physiology to figure out that any exercise is better than no exercise. You don’t have to be a genius in nutritional biochemistry to figure out that an apple is better than a pop tart. Getting lean is simple: Exercise. Eat healthier foods. Eat smaller portions. Isn’t this stuff just common sense? Didn’t your mother tell you this?

So what’s stopping you? What makes you freeze up?

If you’re like most people, FEAR is stopping you. You’re so afraid of doing something wrong, you choose to do nothing rather than make a mistake or look foolish.

What you must understand is that people who accomplish much and people who accomplish little BOTH have fears. The difference between the two is that the latter feels the fear and lets it immobilize them. The former feels the fear and does it anyway.

Begin the process. You can always fine-tune your program as you go. Naturally, it’s better to aim and then fire, but its better to fire and then adjust your aim later than not to fire at all. You can’t win a battle by hiding in the trenches.

WALKING IS A GREAT WAY TO START A CARDIO PROGRAM

Ok, so you’ve decided to forge ahead in spite of your fear and start working out. Congratulations. Now what? How do you choose between Stairmaster, Tae Bo, Lifecycle, Yoga, Kickboxing, Elliptical machine, jogging, swimming, etc.?

Any exercise is better than no exercise so stop over-analyzing: just pick something and start. Just do it.

If you can’t make up your mind, then here’s the simplest, easiest, most guaranteed way for any beginner to successfully start a fat loss program:

Walk!

Here’s why:

It requires no equipment
It requires no knowledge of exercise technique
It can be done by almost everyone, regardless of experience
It can be done almost anywhere
It’s safe

For all these reasons, walking is the perfect way to begin. However, the better your condition becomes, the more you’ll need to advance to higher levels of exercise intensity to reach higher levels of fitness.

I’m not saying you should abandon walking, but if you decide to keep walking, a casual stroll will no longer do. For an experienced exerciser, I would consider walking a method of locomotion more than a serious workout.

There’s a big difference between walking for health vs walking for fat loss. Even a 10 or 15-minute casual walk has health benefits. But if you want to turn walking into an effective, fat-melting workout, you’ll need to push yourself for 30 minutes or more several days per week. Walking briskly uphill (or on an inclined treadmill) is an excellent fat-burning workout for anyone.

DON’T GET CAUGHT UP IN MINUTIA – FOCUS ON FUNDAMENTALS

Read any book about success and it will tell you “pay attention to detail.” Sounds like good advice – unless you haven’t mastered the fundamentals yet. In that case, it’s the worst advice you could follow.

Every day people send me questions like these:

“Should I use a fast acting protein powder like whey or would casein be better? What if I mix both and also add a little bit of Soy? If I use all of them, what ratio of the three would be ideal and when should I take them?”

“I want to do the ephedrine-caffeine stack and it says to take 20 mg of ephedrine with 200 milligrams of caffeine. The ephedrine comes in 25 milligram tablets, so should I chip a little bit off the tablet to get the right ratio?”

Do you see the problem here?

These are legitimate questions, but they’re completely moot if you’re eating doughnuts and sitting on the couch all day long. Fix your diet and get your butt moving first, then worry about the little things.

Emerson said, “The height of the pinnacle is determined by the breadth of the base.” The heights you reach will depend entirely on how broad a foundation you build. Great coaches such as Vince Lombardi and John Wooden credited most of their success to drilling their players on fundamentals.

Forget about ALL the minutia until you have the fundamentals down cold!

Forget about supplement dosages
Forget about macronutrient cycling
Forget about tempo manipulation
Forget about glycemic indexes
Forget about the latest Bulgarian or Russian periodization program

Master the fundamentals first!

The fundamentals of fat loss include: (1) Do your cardio, (2) Lift weights, (3) Burn more calories than you consume (4) Eat 5-6 small, frequent meals and never skip meals, (5) Keep your fat intake low, but include small amounts of good fats, (6) Eat natural foods; avoid processed & refined foods, (7) eat more complex carbs, fruits & vegetables, (8) eat lean proteins with each meal, (9) Think positive: visualize yourself as you would like to be.

If you’re not doing all these things, and you’re looking for the perfect supplement stack or the optimum periodization plan, I’m afraid you’re barking up the wrong tree.

I don’t want you to think that details don’t matter – they do. The “Law of Accumulation” states that every success is a matter of hundreds or even thousands of tiny efforts that often go unnoticed or unappreciated. Everything counts. Everything either helps or hurts. Nothing is neutral.

The problem is when you get bogged down in minutia before you’ve even learned the basics. Minor details produce minor results. Major fundamentals produce major results.

Don’t major in minor things. Lay your foundation first, then move on to the finer points. And remember, as Jim Rohn says, always be suspicious of someone who says they’ve found a new fundamental.

KNOW YOUR CALORIES

The most important dietary factor in fat loss is not how many grams of carbohydrate, protein or fat you eat, the most important factor for fat loss is calories. Eat more than you burn each day and you will store fat. Eat less than you burn each day and you will lose fat.It’s just that simple.

Where the calories come from is important too, but unless you understand the calorie concept, nothing else matters.

I’m appalled at how many people claim to sincerely want to lose body fat who admit they haven’t a clue how many calories they eat.

Get serious! If you don’t have the faintest idea how much you’re eating, how can you expect to make any progress?

Did it ever occur to you that your ONLY problem might be overeating!

Do you realize that too much of anything gets stored as fat?

That’s right – even if you’re eating nothing but “natural and healthy” foods, if you eat too many of them, you’re still going to get fat.

Portion control, my friend, portion control!

On the other hand, maybe you’re under-eating and slowing down your metabolism. There’s a fine line.

For all the details on your daily calorie needs, refer to my article Calorie Calculators

Click Here to read the second part of Tom’s great tips for weight loss

About the Author:
Tom Venuto is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, personal trainer, gym owner, freelance writer and author of “Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle” (BFFM): Fat Burning Secrets of the World’s Best Bodybuilders and Fitness Models. Tom has written over 140 articles and has been featured in IRONMAN magazine, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Muscle-Zine, Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise. Tom is the Fat Loss Expert for Global-Fitness.com and the nutrition editor for Femalemuscle.com and his articles are regularly featured worldwide on literally dozens of other websites.

Learn the Truth About Diets, Weight Loss Programs And Fat Burning Supplements

To get the FACTS on exactly how, what & when to eat and how to train to achieve maximum fat loss, without losing muscle or slowing down your metabolism… AND to discover the shocking truth about the diet, weight loss and supplement industries, Check out Tom’s e-book online here: www.burnthefat.com

Measurable You need some way to measure the goals you set. If you set a goal of a %age of bodyfat, you need to be able to measure you bodyfat. This could be as simple or as complicated as you can dream up.

Attainable You don’t want to set a target of 1.5% bodyfat unless your’e a bodybuilder who is just about to go into a competition. It’s a goal that’s extremely difficult to achieve and even if you do, it is impossible to maintain and stay healthy.

Realistic You don’t want to set a goal of 1.5% bodyfat if you’re currently 22%. Or to run a 4 minute mile if the only training you’re had in the last rear in playing xbox. If you aim too high, you will get discouraged easily and will give up.

Timely Set a deadline for yourself. And stick to it!

I’ve read you should write your goals down and put them in a place where you will see (and be reminded of) them every day, but I find that this is only useful if you’re struggling with motivation. You can then use it for that little bit of help to push you a bit harder.

Your starting weight, body type, height and even gender will shape the direction of your goals. A 220lb 6′5″ man is going to have different goals to a 220lb 5′3″ woman. The man in that example may set a goal of increasing his weight or at the very least keep holding it steady while the woman is probably going to want to lose some weight.

The sort of goals that you may want to set for yourself could be: They want their body to be toned. Maybe even a little muscular. If they are male then maybe they want abs. Or perhaps you just want to get rid of the double chin

What most people really mean when they say they want to lose weight is that they actually want to lose fat. You can’t spot reduce fat (and any person or company trying to sell you a product that claims they can is scamming you). Muscle weighs more than fat. Muscle also needs to be fed energy in the form of calories – so they more muscle you have the more enegry you burn. This applies to all activities – from resting to exercise. So you want to preserve muscle at all costs. So when you step on the scale and have lost weight, you need to ensure you haven’t lost any muscle – If you have, you may have achieved your scale goals, but overall you’re effectively going backwards.

The average person can lose at the most 2lbs per week of fat. If you drop more weight than this, you’re either losing excess water or muscle. So you want to design your workouts to target fat loss and preserve (or even increase) muscle mass.

I’ll go into the details of actually achieving that goal in another post, but until then – happy goal setting!

One of the most common thermogenic combinations in the bodybuilding world is known as the ECA stack and is a combination of ephedrine, caffeine, and aspirin. (ECA is in fact an anagram of these three substances.) When used in tandem, and in the recommended ratios to each other, these three components can produce powerful thermogenic results. Some bodybuilders even combine it with the previously mentioned cold exposure method to produce an even more powerful effect.

However, as with any medication, thermogenic supplements should be used and managed with care and caution. They are not for prolonged use (typically it is not recommended that they be used for longer than 8 weeks) as such use can lead not only to a loss in effectiveness of the product itself, but to the possibility of physical or psychological addiction. Most experts recommend that if after 8 weeks you still don’t see the result you’re after, you should take some time off from use and then continue at a later date.

In addition to dietary supplements, there are also a number of foods out there that can help you to burn or eliminate fat. Foods high in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, are known to help the body process fatty tissue by diluting it, making it more difficult to absorb in the process. You may also have heard that spicy foods like chili peppers can help give your metabolism a boost and aid in digestion as well. Other foods known to help break down fats and help prevent them from depositing include soy, garlic, and fruits that contain pectin (for example apples).

To further aid in fat loss and prevent weight gain, it’s important to note that some types of foods actually cause your body to burn more calories just by digesting them. For instance, fats and carbs are extremely easy for your body to digest, so it doesn’t burn much energy in the process. Protein, on the other hand, requires your body to burn much more energy to process it, helping to keep your metabolism higher. There are even foods in existence called catabolic foods that are actually thought to burn more calories to digest than you actually get from the food itself. The best known of these include celery and grapefruit.