Fat and Cardio

                  Lately I’ve been hearing and seeing way too many diet and exercise fads that are ineffective, a waste of time, and in some cases, dangerous. I think it’s important to address some of these so that people can move on from these fads and actually make some real progress towards their goals. The top two I’ve noticed is the ever popular “No Fat” Diet and the obsession with 3 hour long bouts on the cardio machine to lose weight.

While I understand that the word “fat” would make people thing that eating it will make you fat, it’s a little more complicated than that. First of all, your body NEEDS fat in order to function, especially in women. Your body systems won’t run properly or efficiently without certain fats. Without fat, your body is less able to absorb vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. In addition, fat is a source of energy for your body at 9 calories per gram (calories = energy measure), whereas carbohydrates and protein only have 4 calories per gram. Lastly, having fat in your body is necessary for proper insulation.  Fat in your body helps to keep a normal, safe temperature. You may have heard about good fats and bad fats. Generally this is referring to unsaturated fats. Saturated fats, and trans fats. It’s a good idea to get most of your fat calories from unsaturated fat (mainly plant based), some from saturated fat (mainly animal and dairy based) and only a small amount, if any at all from trans fat (mainly fried and processed foods). So rather than trying to cut out fat all together from your diet, treat it as the essential nutrient it is and include the right types of fat. Some of the many good sources are avocado, almond butter, vegetable oils, and fatty fish.

I see so many girls at the gym spend hours upon hours using cardio machines like the elliptical and treadmill. Many people think that the best physical activity to lose weight is spending as long as possible doing cardio. Yes, you are burning calories during that time but if you really want to make progress, there are better ways to spend your time (and less of it). What a lot of people don’t know is that your muscle burns more calories than your fat does. Because of this, it’s important to incorporate strength training into your weight loss plan. Adding more muscle to your body will increase your metabolic rate and therefore help you to burn more calories. On top of that, strength training improves your bone health, increase your stamina, up energy levels, and has plenty of other great benefits. So rather than spend your whole gym time doing cardio, split it up and focus on strength training as well. You’ll see more progress faster and feel better at the same time, just make sure you’re using correct technique so as to avoid injury. If you’re unsure on how to lift weights and strength train properly or effectively, the coaches and trainers at The Spot Athletics are more than qualified to help you out and put you on the right path with classes and sessions for everyone from beginner to expert.

                  Hopefully I cleared up some misconceptions for you today and you can work more efficiently towards your fitness and weight loss goals. Good luck and happy lifting!