Do you have less body fat today than you did in January? The secret to successful body transformation is to have less body fat and more muscle mass.
Don’t let the publicity of quick weight loss programs deceive you. FAT LOSS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WEIGHT LOSS. Yo-yo weight loss and regain damages your metabolism and health. If you are a serial yo-yo dieter, your health is even more at risk. Quick weight loss methods don’t work long-term and they are not worth damaging the only body you have. Your self esteem also takes a hit with every weight loss/weight regain failure.
Build more muscle mass. You don’t have to get bulky to be a muscular woman. Its a fact that muscular women burn more fat and stay leaner throughout life (if they maintain exercise and nutrition).
You need to review your year of fat loss and weight loss progress at least weekly. Do you have less body fat and weigh less? Or, have you gained weight and your body fat increased? Are you eating healthier than you did 3 months ago? Is your health better (schedule that physical exam!)? Did you have a good meal plan to follow? Honestly answer these questions.
If you have not made progress with your fat loss and weight loss, you need to determine the reasons why. You can’t continue to do the same things and get different results.
Your clothes should be fitting looser, your body should be more toned, you should be able to do some type of interval cardio (instead of just slow-paced cardio), you should be able to get through a 30-minute circuit weight training workout, etc.
Keep body fat off by building and maintaining your muscle mass. Your muscles will shrink (atrophy) if you don’t continue to do strength training (muscle does not ever change into fat). And, the body fat will come back with a vengeance! Fat cells will shrink but they will fill up again when you are inactive for a long period of time.
If you are not exercising, you could be hit with a double dose of likely bad news. First, you will probably gain weight and fat. And, your metabolism will slow down because you are also losing muscle mass. Muscle mass speeds up your metabolism because it is metabolically active tissue (fat is not) and your body has to work harder to maintain it.
In your early thirties, you can begin to lose as much as one-half pound of muscle each year. Inactivity will make this problem even worse.
Don’t let this happen to you. Starting today, stay consistent with your strength training workouts. Bodyweight cardio also works well as a combination strength/cardio workout.
Measure your body fat percentage once a week to check on your progress.
Get your FREE DOWNLOAD, “10 Fat Loss Secrets to Transform Your Body: Jumpstart to Your Ideal Bodyweight ,” and start eating better, burning fat, losing weight and building the lean body you want and need!
Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
