Do you have the components of an effective fat loss workout in place?
Based on the questions I have been receiving I am concerned that there is confusion on what a true fat loss workout plan needs to have in place. See if your fat loss plan measures up:
What is Resistance Training?
Resistance training – also know as weight or strength training or “lifting weights” – is the only form of exercise that can fire up your metabolism and create the lean, toned, defined body shape you are after.
Resistance training is any form of exercise that forces your muscles to work harder than they are used to in order to improve or increase the amount of lean muscle in your body.
Muscle is your metabolism.
The more lean muscle you have,
the more calories you burn, the easier it is to reach your fat loss goals. And NO – - - cardio alone is NOT going to provide you with this goal.
And NO Ladies – you absoLUTELY will NOT get Bulky >>> “The Truth about Women, Weights and Getting Bulky”.
You must move and challenge ALL the muscles in your body in order to increase strength, boost your metabolism and reshape your body. The moves you use can range from body weight exercises such as squats and push ups to moves that use equipment such as dumbbells, medicine balls and bands.
The key to an effective resistance training program is to challenge the major muscle groups of your body with each workout so you improve strength and endurance. This means that your workouts should not feel easy or comfortable PLUS you must change your workout plan up every 3 to 4 weeks to prevent hitting a plateau.
What are Intervals?
Intervals are a more effective type of “cardio” workout where you alternate brief, high intensity periods of exercise (where you work out as intensely as you can), with active recovery periods, where you slow down just long enough to catch your breath.
Short and “sweet” vs. long, tedious and boring is what delivers fast fat loss cardio results – lasting results, doable results.
High intensity cardio in the form of intervals is much more effective than ‘normal’ low intensity cardiovascular exercise – especially in terms of fat loss. In fact, 10-15 minutes of high intensity cardio performed 3 or 4 times per week is all you need to shed more fat and inches as you prep for bikini season.
For more details about WHY Intervals are superior to traditional methods of cardio, please be sure to take a look at >>>> Intervals: Fast Fat Loss Cardio
For Treadmill-Less Intervals Examples you MUST see >>>> Body Weight Intervals VIDEO
Fit Yummy Mummy Short Burst Workouts
The workouts that I have designed, that I teach and that I myself follow are a combination of resistance training and intervals.
The fun is found in the fact that my Fit Yummy Mummy workouts are no more than 15 minutes a session. My workouts are designed to target all the major muscles in the body for maximum metabolism boosting effects and with INTENSITY so your body is Forced to Change and you get results quickly.
This is a HUGE benefit for busy moms and busy women for that matter who just do not have hours at a time to workout. Workouts are FAST, Effective and fill you with the energy and confidence to know you can Stick To Your Workout Plan!
Now when I speak of working our for a mere 90 minutes a week – this means if you follow the 3 day a week workout plan, you will perform your Fit Yummy Mummy resistance training followed by your Intervals. 3 Days a week also means you are allowing a day of rest in between each workout for recovery.
If you follow the 6 day a week workout plan you will simply alternate your FYM resistance training days with your interval days.
Either plan will get you fabulous, body shaping results.
Still have questions?
Keep leaving your fabulous comments and questions below and also be sure to see the Top 10 “Will It Work For Me” Questions by clicking below…..
Have a great weekend!
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Tags: fat loss workouts, interval workouts, intervals for fat loss, Resistance Training
Thanks! This is a great summary. I’m a very interested reader of your blog, and am trying to get my mother interested as well-which seems to be working. (I am not a mother yet, but a high school student). I look forward to reading your newsletters all the time!
Do you have any suggestions for low-impact intervals? I can’t jog/run/jump…what can I do?? (I hurt my back and need to take it easy for a few days – but don’t want to skip the cardio…walking on the treadmill at around 2.5 MPH (which is admittedly lame) was the best I could do last night…
Hey Kristen – if you injured your back you need to REST!!!!
Not sure why you are still trying to workout.
PLEASE understand that it is Totally fine to SKIP cardio.
Cardio is not the end all be all of results.
What will have the greatest impact on your results at this point while you are recuperating is what you are Eating.
No amount of cardio (or any exercise for that matter) will undo poor eating habits.
Please take the time to heal and when you are ready – and have your Dr’s okay – ease back into your resistance training workout plan. And if you are unable to do intervals – just stick to walking.
Once again – results are not a product of Cardio alone.
Results come from taking care of your body with supportive foods and making your body stronger with resistance training. Think of cardio or intervals as a bonus….just stop thinking of them as the only solution.
yes workout shakes do u have experience about it
Yes Jacklin
I recommend Prograde – you can click on the link Prograde link in the right hand side bar to learn more.
so I took the plunge and got off the treadmill (just when I was starting to get used to it!) I could immediately see the difference. Such a better workout! But after the first day or so, my ankles got so swollen and sore. That doesn’t seem normal. I can’t decide what the root of the problem is. I have been doing jumping jacks, running in place, mountain climbers, etc. About 30 sec. up and 1.5 minutes down. Should I just chalk it up to weird joints and get back on the treadmill???? I really do appreciate all the trouble you’ve gone through to make this program so easy and user friendly. It’s fantastic.
Sorry but after 3 kids, jumping rope causes me to wet myself!!! Am I the only one who has this problem? Any other non jumping interval ideas??? Butt kicks and jumping jacks seem to be not as bad and yes I know what kegels are.
He, he Susan! – your comment made me chuckle – at 46 and after 5 kids I can totally relate to having ‘wet’ problems with jumping! But you know what, I’m finding that these resistance exercises do seem to be working all those muscles that should help out with our problem. Likewise, I seem to find that jumping jacks are OK and running on the spot.
Another excellent post Holly, this is one of my favorites for sure. I think so many of us have heard for years that 45-60 minutes of cardio is optimal but you prove that theory wrong.
Thanks Holly! by the way nice guns
your arms are my inspiration.
Holly,
I lost all the weight I want to lose—but I still need to build a little more muscle. In fact, I really don’t want to lose any more weight, just want to increase muscle tone. What should I do? Should I increase resistance training and stop the interval training? Or just continue with both and hope that I stop losing weight? I find it’s easy to lose weight, but not easy to tone. Please help!
Congrats Alina!
If you are not wanting to lose more weight – then you simply need to increase your calories and continue on with your Fit Yummy Mummy workouts – adjusting them as needed to meet your strength goals.
Please keep in mind – that I have followed my own program for the past 4 1/2 years now and I have not been losing weight for 4 years – I initially lost and then have maintained ever since. I eat about 2,000 – 2,400 calories a day and make sure my FYM workouts are challenging.
No need to stop interval training. I too continue with my intervals.
Just sit down and reevaluate what you are eating and make sure you are no longer eating calories for fat loss – but for maintenance.
If you need extra support and guidance I’d love to have you join us at ClubFYM!
Holly, You Rock!!! I just had a look at a snippet of the literally thousands of other fitness videos on u-tube. It is so obvious they are not going to work! The people are holding weights that my grandmother could lift in a heartbeat, I get more workout in my biceps just picking up my youngest. and its really obvious that they are using sex appeal to get you to buy their product. One woman had the camera focusing on her pushed up boobs while she was demonstrating an exercise! I feel sorry that there are people that will get sucked into buying those videos. Its such a marketing ploy. It’s so wonderful to see you and your wonderful website, there is no bs, its respectful and it does not insult people’s intelligence. Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou
Despite not being on club fm I follow all your blogs and videos etc and it’s a great inspiration. I feel great Holly and I have already gone down one size in my clothes.
Thanks
Yaseena
hi Holly,
if Prograde is not available over here, what would be your recommendation for a post workout shake/meal using real food?
thanks,
Andreea
Hey Andreea – where do you live?
Prograde ships world-wide.
I highly suggest drinking your post workout meal for fast delivery of the nutrients your body needs to recover. Whole food meals take too long to digest.
A friend of mine recommended me the fityummymummy program and i love it! i am going to tried it for the first 21 days since i tried many before without results.
My question is why i can not do even one push up? i know you said quality is better than quantity, but i can not do even one. should i keep working in the not really push ups or should i try another exercise for my arms?
thanks,
Maria
Hey Maria….you purchased Fit Yummy Mummy on July 14th…3 days ago – the ability to increase strength takes time and consistency- you have barely just begun to prepare your body for results…please give it time.
Holly, this is Maria again. I had a baby almost 4 months ago and when i do any jumping, running exercise i hurt inside….the doctor says i am fine but i just can’t do them. Also i wet myself very badly and i am so frustrated with that because i only have one child.
Anyway i do really want to know if i can just do resistant training and skip the intervals. Can i do resistant training everyday?.
Also in the book there is the side plank with pulse…what does pulse mean? i read the book and it does not explain it.
Thanks for your time and good work,
~Maria
hi holly…u have been a great source of inspiration…I hane downloaded your viveos from utube…getting gr8 results…want to thank u
can resistance training be done daily….if not …can streches be done daily
hey holly..i m from india…I have been working out from 8 yrs….since my son is born…I started with morning walk…but never did like what i m doing these days…working out with weights…mountain climbers …belly blasters….I m following u…through your vedios from utube and the mails u have been sending me to my email ID…u have been a great source of inspiration