• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

  • Fitness
  • Workouts
    • Best Shoulder Workouts
    • Best Chest Workouts
    • Best Leg Workouts
    • Best Leg Exercises
    • Best Biceps Exercises
    • Best Kettlebell Exercises
    • Best Back Workouts
    • Best HIIT Workouts
    • Best Triceps Exercises
    • Best Arm Workouts
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Pre-Workouts
      • Best Whey Protein
    • Equipment
      • Best Home Gym Machines
    • Certifications
      • ISSA Review
  • News
  • Exercise Guides
    • Legs
      • Back Squat
      • Bulgarian Split Squat
      • Goblet Squat
      • Zercher Squat
      • Standing Calf Raise
      • Hack Squat
    • Chest
      • Bench Press
      • Dumbbell Bench Press
      • Close-Grip Bench Press
      • Incline Bench Press
    • Shoulders
      • Overhead Dumbbell Press
      • Lateral Raise
    • Arms
      • Chin-Up
      • Weighted Pull-Up
      • Triceps Pushdown
    • Back
      • Deadlift
      • Trap Bar Deadlift
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Inverted Row
      • Bent-Over Barbell Row
      • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
      • Pendlay Row
Fitness

The Fat Loss “Secret”- You’re Just Not Working Hard Enough

Time and time again, people are looking for a quick fix when it comes to fitness, but sometimes the simplest solutions are also the hardest.

Tom Kelso

Written by Tom Kelso Last updated on March 15, 2015

I’m tired of it. People come to me seeking some magical advice in terms of an exercise machine or routine that will transform their body. Many do it either in preparation for a wedding or to gain the confidence to head to the beach or water park.

I admire their desire to improve their physiques. After all, who wants to look like a fat ass?

My answer to these people is pretty much the same regardless of who is seeking the magic potion. On the surface, it’s about:

  1. Shoring up your diet (probably 80% of the battle)
  2. Performing muscle-stimulating, high-effort exercise

That means we can eliminate these tactics:

  • 45-minute treadmill walks while watching the fraudulent Dr. Oz show.
  • Minimal calorie-burning yoga, Pilates, or PiYo classes. Come on, you can do better than that for the amount of time spent exuding effort.
  • Sad to say, but any of those abdominal-only classes touting names like Belly-Blaster, All Abs, Thirty-Minute Abs, or Ab Express.
  • Any group exercise class that is more mentally fun than physically challenging. Seriously, if you’re simply having fun and not busting your ass, then you are wasting your time if you’re in pursuit of a lean body.

“If your training is disappointing and getting you nowhere, maybe it’s time to start truly working hard.“

I know, I’ve promulgated this advice many times before, and I’m sure you’re tired of hearing it. But people still ask me the same questions and if your body still sucks, obviously you’ve not heeded my recommendations. It’s time to strap it on and actually take serious action.

It’s (Almost) All About Your Intake

Regarding calorie intake, if your diet stinks, do this:

  • Cut back your total daily calorie intake. If you’re consuming 3,500 calories, reduce it to 3,000. Hey, it’s a start. To know exactly how many calories you need to lose fat based on your body, age, and activity level, this tool will get you close.
  • Eliminate processed food. I know it’s tough because that stuff is everywhere. Sorry to say, but this includes prepared microwavable and boxed foods, instant heat or boil packs, and other similar products.
  • Replace soda, energy drinks, and fruit drinks with plain water. Add some lemon or lime juice to give it some flavor if you hate plain water.
  • Take fresh vegetables and fruit to work as a between-meal snack. Celery sticks, carrot sticks, cauliflower, grapes, an apple, a peach, strawberries, or whatever you can put in a container or sealed bag.
  • If you’re a grain-carb fanatic, try whole-grain items.

Whatever options from the above you select, make sure you don’t over-consume them. Remember, it’s not just food quality. Total calorie intake also factors in to gaining or losing weight, along with the total number of calories expended each day.

Push Your Workouts to the Limit

Regarding sensible workouts, think high-effort as opposed to the easier-effort, longer-duration options such as the dreaded fifty-minute walk on the treadmill. Go for those kick-ass, high-effort intervals. And to Hell with whatever number of calories you purportedly burned when you plug your body weight into the console.

Want to mount a treadmill or elliptical machine?

  • Go all-out for 12:00.
  • Do hard intervals for 1:00 and back off (but keep moving) for :30.
  • Do 5:00 all-out followed by a mental break for 1:00 easy, then repeat three additional times.

“[I]f your body still sucks, obviously you’ve not heeded my recommendations. It’s time to strap it on and actually take serious action.”

Considering going for “a jog”? Try these instead:

  • Make your run more effective by going hard for 1:00, then back your pace down to a jog for 1:00. Repeat this hard 1:00 and easier 1:00 for 15 to 30 repetitions. It’s more difficult, but why are you out there to begin with?
  • Perform burpees, mountain climbers, bodyweight squats, push ups, pull ups, or any abdominal exercise for a specified number of repetitions and repeat that sequence for a number of rounds until your heart rate is thumping faster than a NASCAR qualifying race. Get after it like there is no tomorrow. Grow a pair.
  • Resistance (strength) train. Work all muscle groups. A multi-joint leg, hamstring, abdominal, chest press, row, overhead press, and a pulldown will work.

muscle mass, muscle, mass, lifting

Muscle Mass Is Key

  • The more muscle you possess, the more calories you will burn even when idle.
  • Manufacturing more muscle – whether you’re male or female – requires addition calories. So, if you over-eat but strength train hard, there is a better chance those additional calories will go toward building muscle and not fat storage.
  • High-intensity strength training is the total package. Muscle growth stimulation and optimal calorie burning, combined with proper dietary intake, will facilitate optimal fat burning and muscle growth, or at least preservation. Remember, muscle gives you “shape” and “tone.” Too much fat only hides muscles.
  • Too much aerobic work is counterproductive to becoming lean and building that muscle shape. How many long-distance runners do you know who look buff? I know a gal who does cardio daily for at least an hour. She is thin, soft, and unshapely. I also know a gal who busts her butt (literally) in the weight room and does minimal conventional aerobic work. She’s shapely, toned, and has a rock-hard tush.

I know you’ve heard it time and again from me, but this information is worth repeating. If your training is disappointing and getting you nowhere, maybe it’s time to start truly working hard. Yeah, it’s going to produce more temporary discomfort, but it’s training, people. If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way to do it.

Check out these related articles:

  • The 3 Pillars of Fat Loss
  • You Can Out-Exercise a Diet and Lose Fat
  • A Step-By-Step Approach to Successful Fat Loss
  • What’s New On Breaking Muscle Today

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

Tom Kelso

About Tom Kelso

Tom Kelso is currently an Exercise Physiologist with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. He also trains clients through Pinnacle Personal & Performance Training in Chesterfield, Missouri.

For 23 years he was in the collegiate strength and conditioning profession, serving as the Head Coach for Strength and Conditioning at Saint Louis University (2004-2008), the University of Illinois at Chicago (2001-2004), Southeast Missouri State University (1991-2001), and the University of Florida (1988-1990). He got his start in the strength and conditioning field as an Assistant Strength Coach at Florida in 1984 where he was also a weight training instructor for the Department of Physical Education from 1985 to 1988.

In 2006, Tom was named Master Strength and Conditioning Coach by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association for his years of service in the field. In 1999, he was named NSCA Ohio Valley Conference Strength and Conditioning Professional of the year. In 2001, he received an honorary certification from the International Association of Resistance Trainers (I.A.R.T.).

Tom possesses C.S.C.S. and S.C.C.C. certifications with the NSCA and CSCCA, respectively. Additionally, he is certified by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board in basic instructor development and as a specialist instructor by the Missouri Department of Public Safety. In 2012, he became certified by the IBNFC as a Certified Nutrition Coach.

Tom has worked with athletes at the Olympic and professional levels, presented at various clinics/seminars, and worked several athletic-related camps. He is a strong advocate of safe, practical, and time-efficient training and has published a collection of periodical articles, book chapters, complete books, and user-friendly downloads promoting such.

Tom received a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Iowa in 1981(It's great to be a Hawkeye!) and a Master's Degree in Physical Education from Western Illinois University in 1984. He was a member of the Track and Field team at Iowa and served as a Graduate Assistant Track & Field Coach while at Western Illinois.

View All Articles

Recommended Articles

liftheavylifthard2
Lift Stuff: Add Mass to Your Body and Years to Your Life
The RAIL System: Shoulder Mobility for the Bench Press
movereallyquickly
The Fast Way to Long Health: Move Really Quickly
tablet-square
Will Online Programming Make or Break Your Training?

Primary Sidebar

Latest Articles

Ryan Terry Diagrams His Ambitious 1,874-Calorie Mass-Building Protein Shake

Andrew Jacked’s Trainer Thinks His “Best” Will Come at 2023 Arnold Classic

Bodybuilder Logan Franklin “Cried For 3 Days” After Withdrawing From 2022 Olympia, Outlines 2023 Return

How to Do the Reverse Biceps Curl for Complete Arm Development

Latest Reviews

ISSA Personal Trainer Certification Review

ISSA Personal Trainer Certification Review

Best Whey Proteins for Packing on Muscle, Shredding Down, Meal Replacement, and More

Best Pre-Workouts for Building Muscle, Running, Taste, and More

Best Home Gym Machines

Best Home Gym Machines

woman lifting barbell

Be the smartest person in your gym

The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I WANT IN!

Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely, high-quality information on exercise, fitness, health, and nutrition. Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers, aficionados, fitness professionals, and business owners. We seek to inform, educate and advocate for this community.

  • Reviews
  • Healthy Eating
  • Workouts
  • Fitness
  • News

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed

© 2023 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About