What exactly is “cardio with weights?” Is it simply running while carrying dumbbells or with ankle weights. Also, what about doing long runs (ie greater than 15km), but at a fast pace? That can produce a wicked “burn.” Is this equivalent to the afterburn you mentioned here, and helps with fat loss?
Thanks a lot.
In the last update I talked to you about the massive shortcomings of “slow-go” aerobic exercise for fat loss and began to briefly touch on the benefits of something much more effective – short duration, high intensity exercise.
Simply put, if you are looking for the fastest fat loss results, high intensity exercise is a MUST.
Short duration, high intensity exercise comes in two major forms: metabolic resistance training and interval training. Today, I want to take a DEEP look into the benefits of each.
First up, metabolic resistance training:
As mentioned in my previous post, metabolic resistance training is simply “cardio with weights”, and when speaking of the most effective form of exercise for the fastest possible fat loss, this is it.
A couple of studies to support this that my buddy Alwyn Cosgrove dug up:
Schuenke MD, Mikat RP, McBride JM.
Effect of an acute period of resistance exercise on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption: implications for body mass management.
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2002 Mar;86(5):411-7. Epub 2002 Jan 29.
In this study a 30-minute circuit style metabolic resistance training session was put to the test. The result was a 38 hour increase in metabolism – massive AFTERBURN.
Let’s put this in perspective: Say that you worked out at 8AM on Friday. By way of metabolic resistance training, you’d still be burning calories from that workout while out at the movies on Saturday night.
You want to burn calories by watching Wolverine? Now you can.
Here’s another:
Kramer, Volek et al.
Influence of exercise training on physiological and performance changes with weight loss in men.
Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 31, No. 9, pp. 1320-1329, 1999.
This study showed that those who added metabolic resistance training to a reduced calorie diet burned up to 44% more fat than those who dieted alone.
Don’t get me wrong, diet is the NUMBER ONE component of the fat loss puzzle, but once you’ve got that down, metabolic resistance training can really take your results to a whole new level.
And here’s one more:
Bryner RW, Ullrich IH, Sauers J, Donley D, Hornsby G, Kolar M, Yeater R.
Effects of resistance vs. aerobic training combined with an 800 calorie liquid diet on lean body mass and resting metabolic rate.
J Am Coll Nutr. 1999 Apr;18(2):115-21.
This study compared “slow-go” aerobic exercise to metabolic resistance training and found that the resistance group lost significantly more fat without losing ANY lean muscle even at an extremely low calorie intake (not so for the aerobic group).
In fact, believe it or not, while the aerobic group experienced a decrease in metabolism (and lost muscle), the resistance training group actually increased overall metabolic rate.
THAT’S the power of metabolic resistance training.
Convinced that metabolic resistance training flat out WORKS? Good. Next up, interval training:
Interval training is simply a form of high intensity cardio in which you alternate back and forth between periods of high effort and periods of active recovery.
For example, you may run very hard for a period of one minute and then follow it up with walking for one minute, repeating 8-10 times for a less-than-20-minute workout.
Does it work?
Tremblay A, Simoneau JA, Bouchard C.
Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism.
Metabolism. 1994 Jul;43(7):814-8
Are you sitting down? If not, take a seat.
You want to know what happened when this research group compared 20 weeks of endurance training vs. 15 weeks of interval training?
While the aerobic/endurance group actually managed to burn more total calories during exercise, the interval training group lost NINE TIMES more body fat. NINE TIMES.
Nine times more fat loss in half the time? The clear choice for fat loss is interval training.
And it all comes down to elevated metabolism after your workout is completed – the afterburn.
Are you experiencing the afterburn?
Give me at least 700 comments and I’ll be back tomorrow with some sample interval training workouts and a post you won’t want to miss!
Talk to you in the comments section!
Joel
P.S. Every so often, something crosses my desk that’s just too good not to share with you. Well, my buddy and uber nutritionist Kyle Leon is at it again:
==> Metabolism trick to OVERCOME your genetics (actually works)
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Thanks for everything you write; I always look forward to what’s coming next.
I am just now getting back into working out, but have been a proponent of interval training since college (over ten years ago now). It began with the Body For Life — Bill Phillips — training program, which is a great way to start.
It was a twenty minute work-out broken into four five minute blocks. The first minute you walk, run, bike, row (whatever) at a level you PERCEIVE to be about 5 out of 10 in intensity. The next minute you step up to level 6 … and so forth until you reach level 9. Then drop it back down to a level 5. The final block you push yourself to a level 10. The good points are numerous. First of all it breaks up the monotony really well. It is psychologically much easier to push yourself for a minute or two. Afterward your metabolism is jacked up and revving for a longtime. You are majorly stimulating muscle growth. What I loved about it the most though was that everytime I went back (assuming I was eating right) I was STRONGER. Nearly everytime I got on the treadmill I felt better at some point than the times before and that alone is a major motivation and reward! Way better than my days of trolling the park at 6 mph pace for two hours….
@ Pieter:
Not necessarily. You should swim in sets, like:
15x100m fast with 1min rest.
OR 4 sets of (4x150m Hard + 200 ez)
If those are too diffucult, start with half, for example, and build your way up to it.
So in the final analysis, which is best for weight loss? MRT or HIIT?
Hi, I am on the 5th round of the Xtreme fat loss diet. I have lost 4kgs and 7cm from my waist and a few cms of my arms, but and thighs and 2% body fat. Not bad but I’d still like to loose another 5kgs and 8% body fat. I have been doing these exercises you mentioned in this article and I can say that they do work. I HATE cardio but can easily manage the high interval training.
However, I am really struggling with fast days and protein only days. On fast days I feel terrible and by the afternoon I have a migraine, which stops me finishing the exercise program for that day. I know that this is really important so any help with that would be great. I also gag and spew when trying to swallow all the required BCAAs, which again isn’t very good as I am not keeping them down. I tried the powder but that isn’t much better.
Re the protein only days I am finding it very hard to find anything appealing to eat that has minimal fat and/or carbs. Trying to eat 200g of cooked chicken fillet is a bit boring and a little dry!! Do you have any good food ideas for these days?
I really hope you answer me as I am very dedicated to get better results.
I would love to hear more! PLease, pretty please!
I think the combination of metabolic resistance training with interval training plus an appropriate diet is really all you can do to lose fat rapidly without resorting to lap band surgery or liposuction. I’m using Cheat Your Way Thin in conjunction with the 1000 Calorie Challenge (I’ve just finished week 4 of Phase 1) and been experiencing some success this way.
Yes, this type of training absolutely works! I changed my training habits and saw a significant change in my body fat and in less time. Nothing wrong with being a 43 year old mom of two and sportin’ a 6 pack and on a really good day (super clean eats) 8 pack!
I must share this!
Joel, thank you for posting the references to the *actual* studies so we can check out the statements you make for ourselves (and not make us dig through PubMed), rather than off-handedly referring to “studies out there” that show this or that. It’s the web. Nowadays, the off-hand statements are hard to “just trust.”
High marks from me for that. And continued readership as well.
I’ve been running for 2 mins and than walking for 2 mins–for half an hour. Would that give the same effect as the 1 min ratio? I’m assuming it isn’t since you mentioned that it has to be a very hard run. I guess the next time I work out, I’ll try the 1 min one and speed up the running, and just do that for 20 mins. ^^ Dunno if the afterburn I’m getting is directly because of the interval training or not–since I usually do squats right after. Looking forward to tomorrow’s post!
I can’t wait to see some examples … I have also been falling Isabel’s plan and she had posted a routine that you can do anywhere, anytime in about 20 minutes. It kicked my butt more than a 5k did!
I would love to see your interval training as well as metabolic training. I have done as you described the running for one min., then walking for one min. I would like to know about some more.
Higher metabolism and fat loss ftw!
Is doing this on a stationairy bike gonna have the same effect?
interval training that is…
And did the group only do walking/running?
You already gave one interval exercise. How about enhancing the walk/run with arm exercises? Walking sticks or dumbbells sound good. Maybe let the arms with the dumbbells hang during the low intensity part? Maybe moving the arms with no extras could work.
Hi, I have started interval treadmill along with ur extreme fat loss diet and have lost 3 lbs in one week that is great thanks
Very interesting. I bought into the slow cardio thing because my trainer recommended it. I wasn’t getting the results, so when I kicked up the level of effort, I got much better results. I’ve lost 20 lbs. so far.
I love all the information that your site has been providing and looking forward to learning more from you.
Would a CURVES circuit workout be considered MRT? It’s basically
resistance training done at a constant pace for 30 minutes. Would love to
hear your comments!
I am experiencing the afterburn. I have never lost this much weight so quickly with such minimal effort as I have with this cardio with weights style of working out. I love the information you are sharing…it is changing me and my family.
Thanks for the great article. I’d love some examples of interval training and HIIT to include in my routine. Looking forward to your next post!
Cheers,
Jess
I would very much appreciate seeing some hi intensity exercises. It’s a solid theory I’ve heard about for a long time, but I’ve never known exactly what to do…
I am anxiously waiting to hear more!
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Hey, it’s Joel! So you want to know a little more about me, huh? Well, I’d be happy to oblige :-)
I guess it all started back in 2001 (my freshman year of college) when I was just a “skinny fat” 19-year old kid. At the time, I was spending close to 2 hours a day in the gym (now my workouts last about 30 minutes), and despite my efforts, you’d probably never guess I worked out a day in my life by looking at me...