For when you want to see real results
Do you want to lose weight by exercising more? To see real results, you have to stick to these five basic rules.
1. More exercise also means eating differently
Let’s start with the bad news: losing weight through more exercise is almost never possible. That’s because exercise in itself creates a bigger appetite and because you really have to exercise a lot to burn so many calories that you lose weight.
Do you want to lose weight? Then you really have to eat differently. The best rule of the game is: fewer ’empty’ calories from sweets, snacks, soft drinks and sugar. And just some more complete products, such as vegetables, fruit, nuts, fish, dairy, eggs and whole grains. Those products give you satiety and provide you with nutrients to support your health and build muscle. Eating healthy and exercising is the best way to permanently maintain a good figure.
2. Do strength training
Running on the treadmill or endless cycling on the exercise bike: it’s a thing of the past! It takes a lot of time, you use relatively little energy and you hardly build muscle mass. The fastest way to a slimmer and, above all, toned figure is strength training.
By training with weights, you build muscle mass. Muscles are active tissue: if you have more muscle mass, your metabolism increases. That saves calories, every day! An additional advantage is that muscle looks tighter than fat. Your figure improves, even if you don’t lose weight.
3. Avoid routine
Humans are creatures of habit, and so are sports. Before you know it, you’re always running the same round in the woods or doing the same exercises in the gym, and then in a fixed order. Do not! Because your muscles also get used to that load and you no longer make any progress. Waste of energy right?
In the sports world, trainers use the FIIT principle. That stands for frequency, intensity, time and type. If you regularly vary these factors, you keep shaking your body ‘wake up’ and stimulating your muscles.
An example? If you’re a runner, do an extra lap a week (frequency), include interval training (intensity), do a longer run at the weekend (time) or go for a run in loose sand (type). Try to change something in your training at least every month!
4. Increase your heart rate
Many people think it is good to stay in the gym for a long time, do a lot of light exercises with a lot of repetitions and take a break between exercises. We have news for you: it becomes much more effective if you train at a fast pace, if you do vigorous exercises and if you keep your heart rate high during the training.
Just ask your trainer about a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout. You can do a complete workout in just 20 minutes, and you’ll be really tired too. Challenge yourself, raise your heart rate and save time.
5. Take your rest
Did you know that muscles are only built after training, during rest? So give your muscles a rest and don’t do strength training more than three times a week, with a day of rest in between. Also get enough sleep: at least 7 to 8 hours a night. Sleep deprivation has been scientifically proven to be a risk factor for overeating, obesity and even diabetes.
If you want to build muscle, you need protein. Have a protein-rich snack (such as a bowl of cottage cheese) after exercise and before going to sleep and let your muscles recover and build up during your sleep.
