basal metabolic rate
Fat Loss Myths Part 2: Cardio Is Necessary For Fat Loss
Myth: It is necessary to perform cardio on a regular basis to lose fat.
Truth: Cardio is not necessary for fat loss, and contributes relatively little to a fat loss program compared to high intensity strength training.
To lose fat it is necessary to create a calorie deficit - you must consume fewer calories than you expend so the body obtains the difference from your fat stores. While overall activity level has an effect on daily calorie expenditure, additional “cardio” (steady state or interval training) burns relatively few calories even if performed for an hour or more at moderate intensity daily. A greater calorie deficit can be achieved by simply restricting calorie intake, with little time investment other than the few minutes required for planning and recording meals.
The most important benefit of exercise to a fat loss program is not the calories expended during workouts, but the maintenance of muscle tissue while fat is lost. This requires strength training. There is a direct relationship between lean body mass, particularly muscle mass, and metabolic rate - more muscle equals a higher metabolic rate. If calorie intake is reduced significantly without regular, consistent strength training, muscle tends to be lost along with fat resulting in a reduced metabolic rate. Cardio does nothing to prevent muscle loss and may even accelerate it. › Continue reading
High Intensity Strength Training: More Aerobic Than “Aerobics”
The following article is published here with the permission of the author, Greg Anderson, owner of Seattle’s home for high intensity training, Ideal Exercise.
The most common question asked by our new personal training clients at Ideal Exercise is: “Where are the treadmills and stationary bicycles?”. Most have never heard that great benefits to the cardiovascular system, commonly referred to as “aerobic fitness”, can be had through a program of high intensity strength training with no additional steady-state activity. And while I do certainly spend a great deal of my time explaining why such benefits are certainly possible (and more desirable as it is much more efficient to achieve muscular and cardiovascular benefits in a single program) it usually takes a few workouts before the client understands the depth and magnitude of cardiovascular involvement possible from strength training. As one of my trainees remarked recently (after a set of squats to complete failure followed by 20 seconds of effort against the bar in the bottom position): “My God! (gasp, gasp…) this is more aerobic than aerobics…”
Although (as I shall explain) the statement that high intensity strength training is “more aerobic than aerobics” is not entirely correct, such an observation on the trainee’s part does underscore the profound effect of intense muscular contractions on the cardiovascular system. The current mania for “aerobics” in the fitness industry stems from a misunderstanding of two factors: The function of the cardiovascular system, and the identification of skeletal muscle as the window through which optimum loading of the entire metabolic system(s) - including the cardiovascular system - takes place. › Continue reading
Fat Loss Myths Part 1: Overweight People Have Slow Metabolism
Myth: People who are overweight have slower metabolic rates.
Truth: With rare exceptions, people who are overweight have metabolic rates similar to or higher than lean people.
Studies comparing the resting energy expenditure of overweight people and lean people show little difference in basal metabolic rates. The ones that do show a difference show overweight people have higher metabolic rates.
Thielecke, J. Möseneder, A. Kroke, K. Klipstein-Grobusch, H. Boeing and R. Noack. Determination of total energy expenditure, resting metabolic rate and physical activity in lean and overweight people. Zeitschrift für Ernährungswissenschaft Vol. 36, No. 4, December 1997 P310-312
Summary: A new2H/1H and18O/16O equilibration device was tested, standardized and employed for the determination of total energy expenditure. It was shown that overweight men and women have increased resting metabolic rate as well as increased total energy expenditure when compared to their lean counterparts. The physical activity level (PAL)index was slightly decreased which possibly suggests a decreased physical activity in obese people.
I have measured the resting energy expenditure of a large number of overweight people using the Korr ReeVue, and almost all of them were shocked when told their metabolic rate was average or above. Almost all were convinced they had slow metabolisms and claimed they ate very little. Once they started accurately weighing, measuring and recording their daily calorie intake, it became obvious the real problem was excessive calorie intake. They grossly underestimated the amount of calories they consumed daily. Studies using double-labelled water have also shown many overweight people underestimate their calorie intake, or in some cases are simply under-reporting it to researchers. › Continue reading
Q&A: SuperSlow and Fat Loss
Drew,
First, thank you for your response in advance.
I am embarking on a 2 week trial of superslow. The trainer is roughly doing 10/10 with a 2 minute maximum w/no rest between the 8 exercises(I failed at approx. 1:45 on all exercises). The workout took about 25 minutes. He wants me to train only 1x week. My goal is to lose fat around my midsection (I have some fat due to inactivity after a car accident in which I was hit by a drunk driver as well as poor eating habits) and get stronger/more fit. I am 47 yrs old, 5? 8” tall and weigh 170lbs. with approx. 10% BF.
I thought of doing something close to Darden’s “a.s.a.p.” (1500 cal diet w/SS work). Do you have advice that might help me get the best result I can achieve?
BTW, I feel very tired after my 1st SS workout today. The studio has all Med Ex machines.
Thanks again and I appreciate your contributions and I look forward to your response.
If your body fat was accurately measured at 10% you should have very little fat around your midsection to lose. At 10% body fat most men’s abdominal muscles are starting to show fairly good definition. My first advice would be to have your body composition re-measured.
Assuming you actually are 10% body fat at 170 pounds, and are still relatively inactive, a rough estimate of your daily calorie expenditure would be around 2,300. If you start working out more than once weekly and become more physically active on a day to day basis this number would increase. An estimate of your daily calorie deficit for near maximum fat loss would be around 500 - your body can get roughly 30 calories per day from each pound of stored fat - so I recommend starting at 1,800 calories. If you eat less than that and your daily calorie deficit exceeds the amount of energy you can get from your fat stores the difference is going to have to come from other tissues, which could mean a reduction in muscle mass. › Continue reading
Estimating Daily Calorie Expenditure
Whether you’re trying to maintain your current bodyweight, gain muscle or lose fat, it is necessary to estimate daily calorie expenditure as a starting point for determining the calorie intake appropriate to your goals. The key words here are estimate and starting point. No formula or method of measurement is perfect. No matter how good something looks on paper, what ultimately matters is practical results. Whatever your initial estimate, you will need to keep records of calorie intake and goal-relevant measurements and adjust your intake accordingly. › Continue reading