1. Going Crazy With Your Cardio. Few people get lean without any cardio training at all, but doing too much can actually make you softer, especially in your waistline. All exercise stresses your body so it releases cortisol (stress hormone) which can make your body retain excess water. Even though you may be lean you won't look lean when this happens. There's a layer of mush between your muscles and your skin. What is there for you to do? Well, take a look at your routine.
2. Ditching The Carbs. When you follow a diet with little carbs in order to burn fat, your body can compensate by lowering your metabolism. You see carbs raise the levels of insulin which means the energy enters the muscles as glycogen. This is a good thing since you need energy for your heavy workouts. The bad side of the hormone insulin is it can also flush energy into hungry fat cells. The key is knowing when to consume carbs and when not to. I recommend you start your day with a source of carbs for breakfast accompanied with lean protein. The other times to ingest carbs is prior to training, immediately after training and within the two-to-three hours following your workout.
3. Starting To Use Lighter Weights. When you want to lean out, don't drop the poundage you use in the gym! You need to keep on working hard so you sacrifice the least amount of muscle tissue. There's no such thing as weight training to get ripped. You get ripped by the diet process and cardio. Make sure you keep working hard with low reps. You see, when you ask for less from your muscles, they adapt. When the calories are restricted there's a great risk your body chooses to burn some muscle mass in order to meet your new requirements.
4. Choosing The Easy Calories. Why is it that so many of us forget to eat veggies? I know the texture is hard for some to handle and maybe you aren't fond of the greens. Bad excuse! By feeding your body with vegetables, you burn more energy. Greater fat loss, that is! When you let your diet consist of easy to digest foods like milk, protein powder, bars, yogurt and fruit, you don't get the benefits from increased calorie expenditure. Digesting hard and chewy vegetables taxes your system more than anything else, so make sure you eat a bunch of them every day.
5. Relying On Protein Bars To Get In Shape. Does your beloved every day protein bar look like a chocolate bar? Well, the truth is it may actually be a real chocolate bar! Am I kidding? No. Even though the protein bar has fewer calories than the regular chocolate goodie bar, you get a lot more calories from the bar than needed. For the same amount of calories you can get a dinner plate with lean chicken, vegetables and a good source of essential fatty acids. What do you think will get you in shape?
Siddiqu is an ACE (American Council of Exercise) and NFPT (National Federation of Personal Training) Certified Personal Trainer, as well as a Boxing Fitness Trainer. He has been a personal trainer for years. His clientele has ranged from college students to American Idol participants. Siddiqu specializes in weight loss and body toning. His educational background includes a B.A. in Marketing from DePaul University and he is currently pursuing an MBA/MS from Loyola University Chicago. His athletic background is Junior Olympic state record holder and Captain of DePaul Track Team.
