In this post, I’m sharing the best exercise for fat loss. And well, it’s probably not what you’re thinking! So let’s jump right into exercise and fat loss (a topic that is always top of mind for us at the New Year).
The Best Exercise for Fat Loss
The best exercise for fat loss is…to stop all that fork lifting! LOL. (But seriously tho!)
I’m pretty sure you’ve read somewhere that fat loss is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. And although you probably tried to brush this under the carpet…I’m here to tell you that you better lift that carpet, pick the facts back up, and hang them on your fridge!
Fat loss/gain is dictated by the number of calories you ingest, and the calories that you use throughout the day. In fact, according to a 2016 study, focusing on nutrition alone gave much better results (from a weight-loss standpoint) than focusing on exercise ONLY.
This is not to say that you should only diet and not exercise, as there is substantial evidence that you’re more likely to see better long-term progress with BOTH!
Of course, there are exercises that use loads of energy and calories…mostly cardio. BUT remember: cardio alone will not shape up your body. And the number of extra calories you burn does not justify the extra three boxes of cookies you plan on eating as a reward for exercising!
Normal amounts of cardio are great and perfectly ok to do. But they don’t build significant amounts of muscle like strength training does. (And, before you start freaking out…nooo, you won’t look like a man! Women don’t have enough naturally occurring testosterone to even remotely look like a man…but that’s a topic for another blog.)
Basically, exercise alone won’t make you lose tons of weight, and you shouldn’t look at your weight loss journey and pick one over the other. Instead, look at nutrition and exercise as peanut butter jelly, macaroni and cheese, cereal, and milk…you get my drift!
It’s also important to note that you cannot spot fat loss. So if you’re asking “What exercise can I do to reduce the extra fluff on my belly?” the answer is the same exercise you would do to reduce the fat around your thighs, arms, or anywhere else in your body…just create a caloric deficit!
Of course, you can do exercises to isolate and help shape that area. But these exercises will not “melt away” the fat that covers those muscles.
If you’re looking for extra exercise guidance, then I will invite you to join my 4 Weeks Mega Shred. This transformation has effective home and gym workouts, nutritional guidance, and a $2000 prize to jump-start your fitness journey! Click here to join the next transformation!
