Best Exercise For Fat Loss?

Copyright (c) 2009 Caroline Radway

One exercise will not ensure you burn fat. You need to have a multi-pronged approach to hit the fat from all angles! There are some amazing exercises out there that will help you, though, so long as you also follow a few key principles.

1. You will only lose fat if you consume fewer calories than you burn! No ifs, no buts: it's true. However, you may struggle to lose fat even if you are eating fewer calories if those calories come from junk foods with no nutritional value, as our body uses our fat stores to store toxins. If you fill your body with toxins they have to go somewhere. Junk foods also affect our hormones, that can promote fat gain on the same level of calories that would see fat being lost if the food was unprocessed and natural.

So you must keep an eye on calories, but also make sure you are eating 5-10 portions (if not more!) of vegetables a day, plus fruit and lean proteins. You need adequate good fats (nuts, seeds, fish oils). Carbs cause most people who struggle with their weight a problem so these should be limited and certainly as natural as possible. Eat clean and you will feel better and more energised, ready for step 2:

2. Perform full body, multi-joint, compound exercises that hit every muscle in the body. This includes squats, deadlifts, rows, presses. You need to challenge your body and workout intensely in order to burn the most calories both during the session and afterwards - this kind of exercise means you burn fat for up to 48 hours after training so has a far greater fat burning effect than your typical long, steady cardio.

3. Perform interval training, working to your maximum ability for a short period of time, then recovering. This has the same effect as above, increasing your fat burning after you have finished exercising, as well as increasing your fitness levels more quickly.

Kettlebells are the perfect solution to the second two parts of the equation, as you can get a strength and cardio workout in with one piece of equipment. You can easily store them at home and you only need a small amount of space, so they are perfect for making sure you actually do the exercise - no workout is going to be effective if you don't do it, and kettlebells are the ultimate 'excuse buster' for that reason!

Fat Blaster Number 1 - The Turkish Get Up

From a lying position, hold a kettlebell at arms length directly above your shoulder, keeping the arm locked straight. Keep the kettlebell directly above the shoulder at all times, and keep your gaze on the kettlebell as you manoeuvre your body from the lying position all the way up to standing. Then you reverse the movement and return yourself back to the ground.

Fat Blaster Number 2 - The Swing

You swing the kettlebell between your legs and up to about chest height, using the power of your hips and legs. The explosive hip drive works your entire body in the same way as plyometrics, or jumping, without the impact. You get your heart rate right up and work all the major muscle groups, burning fat fast!

There are plenty more, of course, and in many ways, the best exercise you can do for fat loss is one you are not doing now! Our bodies are very good at adapting, so we need to keep shocking the system with new movements and challenges. Luckily kettlebells offer almost infinite variety, which is why they are my workout tool of choice.