Why I Do Not Always Like Fat Loss Workouts

Now don't get me wrong - fat loss workouts have their place, but I think they are overdone. If people spent more time on getting stronger as their goals and less time on chasing the sweat from fat loss workouts, I think people would see BETTER results.

I often add a cash out at the end of my workouts for some extra fat loss benefits - but I don't always, I typically find my strength training to be enough. On my yoga days, I might add in a Tabata to get in some extra fat burning too, but again I don't always - sometimes I just need a yoga day - it is enough.

I know the vast majority of people working out are looking for fat loss. I get it, so everyone out there is raving that their workouts are the best for losing fat, weight, inches, etc, etc. Even Zuzka and BR.TV use these key words as big promoters for their services.
Say you need to lose 30 lbs - and you do it - and are left with a smaller version of you, with flabby arms, a jiggly butt, and so forth. Wouldn't it have been better to have lost the weight with a strength training program than a fat loss one?
Strength training is one of the most under rated ways to lose weight. If you build muscle - you lose fat and look better. And I hear this all the time - "but I don't want to build muscle, I just want to 'tone.'" (EYE ROLL!!!!) I hate to tell you folks - do you know what toning is?! In order to tone your body you need to BUILD muscle!

Besides - the majority of calories you burn in a day is through your resting metabolic rate (RMR) - NOT through activity. How do you increase your RMR? By having more muscle on your body. How do you do that? By strength training!

Fat loss workouts can make you sweat like crazy, huff and puff and make you feel like you worked out HARD. They can be fun, definitely have their place, and if you enjoy them, go for it. BUT - and  I have said this before - the amount you sweat and even how sore you are the next day are NOT indicators of a superior workout. Sorry - they are NOT.

I often think people do not get the same 'feeling' in their bodies when they lift weights. I used to be the same way. But I'll tell you after trying to lift 200lbs off the floor, my heart rate gets up there like I just did a set of sprints, and I only did one rep! Putting a 35 lb plate on my back and trying to crank out a set of push-ups is grueling. Holding 35lb Kettlebells in each hand and trying to do 12 reps of lunges on each side is hard work for my body. I am out of breath and my body is tired. It is a different feeling than cardio, and now one that I certainly prefer.
Not saying that you have to lift 200 lbs, but your strength training routine might need some tweaking to get the results you are looking for. (You can see me deadlifting 200 lbs on my FB page.

This is why I think a lot of you out there have said that you 'outgrew' BR.TV and even Zuzka. Most of you still follow both and do many of their routines, but you ADD-ON ALL THE TIME. Their workouts haven't been enough. Zuzka's Summer Shred has done an OK job at combing cardio and strength IMO. Though she leaves the pull-ups for the end of the routines. If you really wanted to get strong at these and build some more upper body muscle (or TONE it) I would do these separately, at the beginning, before starting the workout. By the end you are wiped, and not able to give it your all. She is smart and starts the workouts with heavier leg work.

I get a question about that a lot as well - can I combine strength and cardio? Yes, by all means, especially if you are short on time. I cannot get as strong this way, hence why I prefer a cash-out.
If you are someone you can alternate days, I would strength train 3, then do a 15-20 min HIIT 3 days followed by some yoga. Again your schedule will dictate much of this. If you ask BRET Contreras - my favorite in the industry - he says if your diet is good and you strength train HARD 3x a week, you most likely will not need cardio AT ALL. I can agree, but then there are some people who just enjoy going for a run, or someone like me you just loves yoga. There's an enjoyment factor too.

One of my readers (thanks Tracey) has recommended Jade Teta, though I have not had a chance to look into him yet. He is supposed to be excellent at combining the two.

I'm not a fan of cardio - can we say BOR-RING! - so I'll stick to my strength training and yoga. Cardio also does not do much for your muscles comparatively to strength training.
If you are not getting the results you are after and your diet isn't a mess, it is probably time to step up your game with the weights.