I’ve been out of the blog for a bit, while working on some other projects, and refining and researching more ways to lose weight easily and effortlessly while still eating your favorite foods.
One thing that has caught my attention, and I thought you may want to know about it is a study that was actually done in 2007 in Australia.
Some researchers at the University of NSW and also the Garvan Institute had studied 45 overweight women over 15 weeks.
They put them through a 20 minute cycling program where they “sprinted” on a stationary bike for eight seconds followed by 12 seconds of light cycling.
What was the result?
“They lost three times more weight as other women who exercised at a continuous, regular pace for 40 minutes,” UNSW Associate Professor Steve Boutcher said.
Three times the weight, with half the time?
Wow.
I’ve been trying the workout myself with Lindsey and I’ve got to say, while it sounds pretty easy in theory. It’s actually pretty tough to keep that 8 seconds on 12 seconds off pace for a full 20 minutes.
But it’s much less time, it’s not THAT hard. And it really does seem to work.
Lindsey’s not actively trying extremely hard to lose any weight, but she has lost about 3 pounds in the last 2 weeks. And we’ve only been doing this workout about 2 times a week.
We’ve not been cycling though. We go to the park with the dogs, and they have some running trails there.
Basically, we jog a medium pace up a steep hill for 8 seconds, then walk for 12. And repeat.
You do have to keep your heart rate in check for this exercise. It can get going very quick, and you don’t want to go over your maximum heart rate for your age.
If you don’t know your max heart rate you can find out here:
Anyhow, I think the key to the success of this exercise may actually be by raising the chemical compounds found in your body called catecholamines. These can help increase burning fat in trouble areas, or just in general.
This type of exercise almost seems like it might have a “rowing” effect. Where it kind of “sucks” out your fat burning chemicals and saturates your body with them.
I think more research needs to be done on this type of exercise, but it certainly has promise.
While you don’t have to run to lose weight or stay in shape, it still is one of the most efficient ways to work out, keep yourself healthy, and burn some calories.
The reason why running is more efficient is mainly because it burns calories faster than other exercises like walking, biking, hiking, etc. So while it’s not necessary, it does take less time to see the same results. In addition it strengthens your, lungs, and helps tone your legs, etc.
Plus it helps increase your endurance, and gives you a nice little natural high when you’re done. So for those reasons I do enjoy running.
But honestly, I can’t stand running without something to make it fun for me. Because if I’m just running around a track, or on a busy road, or on a treadmill then I get bored out of my mind, and it’s just no fun.
If you’re going to work out, it’d better be fun, or else you’ll never stick with it, and you’ll never get any real results from your efforts. (And that’s very frustrating)
So what I like to do to make running fun is to:
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#1 - Run to a reward
Personally my favorite is to run into town and get some good food. I like a local coffee shop in my area that has awesome coffee and scones. Usually on Saturday Lindsey, Clover and myself will run into town and pick up some tasty breakfast there. (In fact we did that today and that’s what the video above is about)
And when you run to get breakfast, if you do it right, you’ll neutralize any calories you eat for breakfast which really helps with losing weight, and you still get to eat some great food and have your favorite drink too.
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#2 - Get a nice view
Running in boring areas is mind numbing, and makes you focus on how tired you are, or how long you’ve been running. Because running is a big mental game, if you’re bored you’ll usually think you’re more tired than you really are. And if that happens either you’ll think that running is pure torture, you’ll stop, or you will just not enjoy yourself.
If you choose a spot to run that is interesting, has fun things to look at, and distracts yourself from the fact that you are running, then running can actually be enjoyable and fun.
Personally, I like running by the water, or in big parks with lots of trails, trees, animals, etc.
I also really like running with our dog Clover, because she usually enjoys herself so much that the excitement rubs off on me and I find myself having more fun as a result.
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#3 - Don’t take your run too seriously
If you need to take a break, go for it. You’re not running a race here, you’re running because you want to. And if you need a break, take it. Just walk it off, and resume whenever you feel comfortable.
If you make it a point to make running uncomfortable by pushing your limits (unless you enjoy that) then you’ll never keep running because who enjoys uncomfortable experiences? No one.
And you can only take so much of a bad thing before you quit. So allow yourself some room for error. It’s really not that big of a deal.
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#4 - Run somewhere fun then walk back
If you don’t run in a loop, (where you start somewhere and then finish your run in the same spot), then you can run just as far as you would on a “loop run.” And then you can walk back from the end of the run. This way you can cool down for longer, and you’ll get a nice walk on the way back.
Personally, if you have the time, I find this much more relaxing and you get the benefit of burning more calories, because you not only took a run, but you also went on a walk as well.
I find the walk back from a run therapeutic, relaxing, and fun. Especially because of the nice endorphins that are pumping through your veins after you’re done running. (That’s what people usually mean when they say “a natural high.”)
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My personal recommendation
So if you’re thinking about starting running to lose some pounds, my personal recommendation is to make it a fun and rewarding experience. Don’t take the run too seriously, have fun, and make it exciting, not boring.
If you can find ways to make running a positive experience, you’ll not only be able to have fun while doing it, but you’ll get in shape much quicker as well. Because you’ll stick with it much longer than you would if you make running a boring, torturous and horrible experience.
What are you waiting for? Go out there and have fun!
*UPDATE: A video overview of this article has been added at the bottom of this post.
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Ok, this is a warning, please don’t read this article unless you want your views regarding diet and weight loss to radically change. This article is a little long, and has some technical and scientific language in it. In addition, this article includes actual studies and cites the sources of the information presented, this is important to prove that I’m not just making this information up, and that this is real stuff.
That being said I’ll still do my best to bring this information back down to earth as best as I can so you are able understand the facts and open your eyes to a new world of weight loss. A world that is much more free, easy, simple, and very effective.
Here we go down the rabbit hole:
Many people have a misconception that they actually need to eat specific foods to lose weight. They also think that in order to lose weight they are not allowed to eat their favorite foods.
This obviously causes a great deal of frustration with conventional or “traditional” diets, and many people fall prey to breaking down under the intense pressure of sticking to a strict diet. And most of us just do not have the iron will to stick to restrictive diets.
The truth is, you can eat your favorite foods and still lose weight. Yes even chocolate, ice cream or cheese cake.
Please don’t misunderstand me. You cannot eat unlimited quantities of food and still lose weight. People who are overweight eat unconsciously and don’t track what they eat. You must put some reasonable limits on your food intake.
That being said, this probably still sounds too good to be true, but I assure you it is not, and if you look below you’ll see actual scientific research backing up the truth about food and weight loss.
I’ve compiled these studies into a list of myth’s about weight loss and then posted my response to each of these myths with an actual study to back up my claims.
I understand that not everyone enjoys reading studies because can be very dry and boring, so I have only included the most important quotes from each study. If you want more information I have cited my sources and you can look up the full studies. Prepare to be enlightened.
One last warning, please don’t read on unless you want your opinion of the “dieting” world to be changed forever. If you are comfortable with restrictive and boring diets, then I suggest you stop reading now because these studies can rock you to your core.
Alright, here we go. This information has been presented in the form of dieting “Myths” I will respond to each myth with a short commentary and a study to back me up.
Myth #1: I’ve heard of the Glycemic Index before, and that foods with a high Glycemic Index such as refined carbohydrates, sugar, white rice, white bread, and sweets in general can make me gain weight.
Yummy Fitness’ response to this myth: This is just not true. Studies prove that you can have your weight loss and eat your chocolate too. The glycemic index can and does have some bearings on your results, but not nearly as much as most diet companies would have you believe.
Check out this study entitled, “Reduced Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Diets Do Not Increase the Effects of Energy Restriction on Weight Loss and Insulin Sensitivity in Obese Men and Women.”
Quotes from the study:
“In summary, lowering the glycemic load and glycemic index of weight reduction diets does not provide any added benefit to energy restriction in promoting weight loss in obese subjects.” (1)
“…it seems reasonable to suggest that energy intake, not dietary composition, determines weight loss, and intervention efforts should focus on total energy restriction to promote weight reduction.” (1)
1. Susan K. Raatz, Carolyn J. Torkelson, J. Bruce Redmon, Kristell P. Reck, Christine A. Kwong, Joyce E.Swanson,Chengcheng Liu, William Thomas, John P. Bantle. (2005). Reduced Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Diets Do Not Increase the Effects of Energy Restriction on Weight Loss and Insulin Sensitivity in Obese Men and Women. The American Society for Nutritional Sciences J. Nutr. 135:2387-2391.
Myth #2: Shouldn’t I eliminate “fatty” foods from my diet? I heard that eating fat causes you to gain fat.
Yummy Fitness’ response to this myth:
Again, this is not entirely true, and a new study done by Washington University in St. Louis actually suggests the exact opposite. The study summarized below shows that diets extremely low in fat can actually be responsible for fat gain. Please look below for a summary of this study published by Washington University in St. Louis:
Quotes from the study:
“When we took dietary fat away from the FASKOL mice, their livers quickly filled with fat,” (2)
“Their ‘old’ fat stores mobilized to the liver, but their livers could not initiate fat burning, and the fat just accumulated. We concluded that to regulate fat burning, the liver needs ‘new’ fat.” (2)
“On a normal diet they were OK… We went to a very extreme low-fat diet, and these animals paradoxically accumulated an extremely large amount of fat in their livers.” (2)
Quotes from Wired News Regarding this Study:
“Diets too low in fat may be responsible for stubborn bulges on bellies, thighs and butts, according to a new study.” (3)
2. Chakravarthy MV, Pan Z, Zhu Y, Tordjman K, Schneider JG, Coleman T, Turk, J, Semenkovich, CF. “New” hepatic fat activates PPAR-alpha to maintain glucose, lipid and cholesterol homeostasis, Cell Metabolism; vol. 1, pp. 309-322, May. 2005. www.cellmetabolism.org
3. Philipkoski, Kristen (2005, October 05). Eat Fat to Lose Fat. Wired. Retrieved August 25th, 2007, from http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/news/2005/05/67473
Myth #3: Don’t I need to eat at least 5-6 meals a day to keep my metabolism burning “hot?”
Yummy Fitness’ response to this myth:
No, you do not need to obsess about eating small meals throughout the day. Sure this can help if you like to snack and enjoy doing this, but for others eating this many times a day means smaller meals, and more preparation time. If you don’t want to make so many meals, you don’t have to.
Studies have found that meal frequency does not matter in regards to weight loss. This means that you could have 7 meals a day, or 1, it does not matter, and it’s your choice. Please look below for a summary of this study published by the British Journal of Nutrition:
Quotes from the study:
“Finally, with the exception of a single study, there is no evidence that weight loss on hypoenergetic regimens is altered by meal frequency.” (4)
“More importantly, studies using whole-body calorimetry and doubly-labelled water to assess total 24h energy expenditure find no difference between nibbling and gorging.” (4)
4. France Bellislea, Regina McDevitta, Andrew M. Prenticea. (1997). Meal frequency and energy balance. British Journal of Nutrition. 77: S57-S70.
Myth #4: Don’t I need to exercise in order to lose weight? I thought that diet alone just wouldn’t work to lose weight.
Yummy Fitness’ response to this myth:
Once again, good news! A study done by the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism in 2007, shows that exercise is in fact not necessary to lose weight effectively.
Personally, I do recommend exercise, I think exercise has great health benefits, and I get a big energy boost when I exercise regularly. But the truth is, if you don’t want to, or can’t exercise, you don’t have to, and you can still lose weight. Please look below for a summary of this study published by the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism:
Quotes from the study:
*Note: CR means “calorie restricted,” and CR+EX means “calorie restricted plus exercise.” (5)
“The calculated energy deficit across the intervention was not different between CR and CR+EX.” (5)
Quotes from the Encrocine Society regarding this study:
“New research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism reveals that dieting alone is equally effective at reducing weight and fat as a combination of diet and exercise—as long as the calories consumed and burned equal out.” (6)
5. Leanne M. Redman, Leonie K. Heilbronn, Corby K. Martin, Anthony Alfonso, Steven R. Smith, Eric Ravussin.(2007) Effect of Calorie Restriction with or without Exercise on Body Composition and Fat Distribution. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 92, No. 3 865-872.
6. Endrocrine Society (2007, January 25). Fewer Calories or More Exercise: the Effect on Body Composition is Identical. Retrieved August 25th, 2007, from http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/526694/
So there you have it… The truth.
If you’re tried fad diet after fad diet, weight loss shakes and fat loss plans, and have still been unable to lose weight, it’s most likely NOT YOUR FAULT. Truth is, there are many real reasons why it has been so difficult and why fad diets haven’t worked for you – why your many efforts have been doomed from the beginning.
It’s just bad info being thrown out by unethical marketers and people just trying to make a buck.
Keep in mind, I do agree that some of these “fad” diets can work to help people lose weight. But the real question is: “Do they work over the long run? And can you really be expected to stick with such restrictive diets?”
Wouldn’t it be better to find a balance in your life that actually let you have a treat here and there to keep you sane?
Wouldn’t it be great to not have to worry all the time and feel guilty when you “cheated?”
I think it would, and I know you can.
Now you know you can too.
Again, please let me know your thoughts on this article. I’d really like to know what you think, even if you disagree with me on this one.
Just go down below and submit your comment, I’d really appreciate it.
