1. Train using the most “bang for your buck,”
multi-joint lifts like squats, deadlifts, bench press, chin-ups, and
Olympic lifts as we do at our bootcamp in north vancouver called The Maker's Body Boot Camp.
2. Use very short rest periods (10 to 60 seconds) to trigger the greatest growth hormone response (another strategy we implement at boot camp). See point below why increasing growth hormone is so important for fat loss.
2. Use very short rest periods (10 to 60 seconds) to trigger the greatest growth hormone response (another strategy we implement at boot camp). See point below why increasing growth hormone is so important for fat loss.
3. Vary the tempo of lifting phases and rest periods to provide new stimulus for the body to adapt.
4. To get lean fast, use a rep range between 8 to 12 reps over multiple sets/cycles with a load that limits you to between 8 to 12 reps maximum.
5. Train to create an anabolic response. Increasing growth hormone is the priority because of its significant lipolytic (fat burning) effects.
6. Perform circuit training with little rest between sets for maximal growth hormone response.
7. For gradual fat loss over a longer period, include strength cycles that favor testosterone release with heavier loads (up to 95 percent 1RM), slightly longer rest (2 to 3 minutes), and lots of sets.
8. Work harder. If you’re not getting results, you’re not working hard enough. I knew you would love that one ;)
9. Give priority to training the anaerobic energy system over the aerobic system when strength training and conditioning. This is the metabolic conditioning workouts we do in our north vancouver boot camp where we combine strength, cardio and core training all in one workout for the ultimate 3-in-1 workout.
10. Do high-intensity sprint intervals for conditioning, i.e. Peak 8 sprints. Peak 8 sprints are where you go all-out for 30 seconds either on a stationary bike, elliptical machine, rower, treadmill or outdoors on a hill and then rest 90 seconds, then repeat. Start with two sprints and add one sprint per week until you reach 8. I encourage clients to perform these on off boot camp days.
11. Be as active as possible in daily life. Move more: Take regular brisk walks during the day, always take the stairs, park far away in any parking lot, or do your own yard work.
12. Do relaxing physical activity instead of sitting in front of a screen: stretching, foam rolling, martial arts, or walking.
13. Eliminate all processed foods from your diet—don’t eat them ever.
14. Eliminate all trans-fats from your diet such as margarine and shortening—they MUST be removed from the diet.
15. Don’t avoid fat. Research shows that people with diets with 30 to 50 percent coming from smart fats have higher androgens (fat burning hormones) and lower body fat. Yes you read that right: fats are good to help you lose fat :). See list below.
Good Fats (only use these in your diet)
Fish Oil/Krill Oil
Avocadoes
Extra-virgin olive oil (excellent oil but DO NOT use for cooking, use it raw on salads and after a meal is cooked)
Virgin coconut oil (also use for cooking and frying)
Butter (also use for cooking and frying, preferably organic and raw if you can find it)
Nuts (and nut butters) and seeds (except peanuts)
Egg yolks (from organic, free-range, omega-3 eggs)
Cream (preferably from organic, grass-fed sources)
Bad Fats (avoid all these in your diet)
All vegetable oils (corn, canola, safflower, sunflower, soy, etc.)
All trans fat
16. Eat smart fat, favoring the omega-3 fats that come from fish, krill oil and wild meats.
17. Take fish oil to boost omega-3 fat intake and ensure your omega-3 to omega-6 fat intake is balanced.
18. Eat a diet with high-quality protein—organic meats will provide the largest “bang for your buck” protein. For high-quality, undenatured whey protein made from grass-fed cows without hormones, antibiotics or pesticides use Isagenix supplements such as: IsaPro (vanilla protein powder), IsaLean Shakes and/or Bars (meal replacement shakes and bars) and IsaLean Pro (meal replacement shake similar to the IsaLean Shake but with more protein).
Good Proteins (only use these in your diet)
Beef (ground or steak)
Bison (Buffalo)
Cheese (cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, etc.)
Deer/Venison
Egg (fresh organic, free-range, omega-3, DO NOT use processed, dried egg powders)
Beef Jerky (read the label as some contain high carbs and preservatives such as nitrites and nitrates)
Pork Tenderloin
Fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, shrimp, tuna, halibut, cod, sea bass, flounder, lobster, crab)
Protein Powder (preferably from a source where the cows have been grass-fed and where no pesticides, herbicides or hormones have been used as in Isagenix IsaPro)
Chicken Breast or Thigh
Turkey Breast or Thigh
Yogurt (preferably organic and non-homogenized)
Tofu (important: must be from fermented soybeans)
19. Be consistent each and every week. Don't do the "flash in the pan" approach to weight loss. Find the right program and be committed and stick with it.
20. Have someone coach/monitor you and your progress. Just like in sports, business, school, etc. we have coaches, mentors and teachers to help us along in reaching our goals, its the same with weight loss and your health and fitness goals.
21. Eliminate wheat and avoid grains in favor of vegetables. See list below.
Good Starches/Carbs (only use these in your diet)
White rice
Quinoa
Tubers: white and sweet potatoes, yams
Starches/Carbs to Avoid (avoid all these in your diet)
All grains including wheat and wheat based products (i.e. bread, wheat flour, pastries, pies, biscuits, pasta, etc.), oats, spelt, kamut, granola, etc.
Beans and legumes
22. Raise resting metabolic rate (the amount of calories the body burns at rest) by eating a higher protein diet with 15 to 25 percent of the diet coming from high-quality protein.
23. Eliminate all high-glycemic carbs and eat only low-glycemic vegetables and berries.
24. Eat an antioxidant-rich diet to prevent inflammation, which leads to fat gain. Try kale, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, berries, pomegranates, and cherries.
25. Non-green veggies that help you lose fat are colored peppers, eggplant, garlic, onions, mushrooms, hearts of palm, spaghetti squash, and water chestnuts.
26. Drink a lot of water (at LEAST 3 liters a day) to stay hydrated and help detox the body. Recommended water to drink is Kangen Water (8.5-9.5 pH). This is the water we use at boot camp. This water is ionized, alkalized and high in antioxidants for optimal health and wellness. If you would like a free 2 week supply to try it out to see the difference it makes in your body compared to regular acidic, chlorinated tap, filtered or bottled water, don't hesitate to let me know but please do let me know first, don't just take it. Important note: Cancer and disease thrive in an acidic environment so drinking high-quality Kangen alkalized water will optimize your health and help your body become more alkaline and an unsuitable environment for disease. For more info email me or call me at 604.626.2342.
27. Avoid alcohol, juice, soda, and sports drinks. Stick to water, tea, and coffee.
28. For a radical approach, eliminate all alcohol. If alcohol can’t be eliminated, Sardinian and Spanish red wines are the best worst option.
29. Try acupuncture—studies have shown it can aid in treating obesity.
30. Make sure your vitamin D level is over 40 ng/ml. Take vitamin D if not. Recommended dose is 8000 IU per day.
31. Take a probiotic (Genestra Brand's HMF Intensive or Forte) to improve your gut health and your overall health for that matter. Also, add fermented foods to your diet as it's key for digestive and gut health. Have 2-3 servings per day. Ex. kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut (unpasteurized), kvass, kombucha tea, kimchi, miso, natto, tempeh, pickles, olives, etc. (these are important for improved digestion, gut health and a strong immune system). Start small (1-2 tsp. per day) and increase in amount as well as number of times per day over a few days/weeks as the good probiotic bacteria in fermented food will be killing off the pathegenic bacteria and yeasts but we want to do it slowly as if you kill them too fast you can experience the "die off" effect where you will feel worse as the bad bacteria and yeasts release toxins into your bloodstream when they die.
32. Make sure your magnesium level is up to par. Scientists suggest 500 mg of magnesium a day.
33. Take a liquid zinc test to see if you can taste zinc. If not, you are deficient and should take zinc to speed fat loss.
34. Don’t buy cheap, poor quality supplements because they will do more harm than good if they are tainted with heavy metals or pollutants. For high-quality supplements free of artifical sweeteners, stimulants, etc. choose Isagenix. For more info click here: Isagenix.
35. Take B vitamins, especially if you eat a high-protein diet or take BCAAs because the extra amino acids take away from the pool of available B vitamins needed for detox.
36. Drink coffee or take caffeine before workouts to increase fat burning and work capacity—research shows we will self-select heavier loads if we take caffeine before training.
37. Drink organic green tea to elevate fat burning and aid in detoxifying the body.
38. Take carnitine to help the body use fat for fuel and increase time to exhaustion when training hard.
39. Take the amino acid taurine because it lowers the stress hormone cortisol and helps the body digest fat.
40. Take R-form alpha lipoic acid because it supports detox and recovery from training.
41. Use the herb fenugreek with meals to improve insulin sensitivity and energy use.
43. Limit fructose (especially high fructose corn syrup) in the diet because it gets in the way of losing belly fat.
44. Never eat fructose before workouts because it blunts fat burning and lowers metabolic rate.
45. Avoid milk before workouts because it is very “insulinotropic,” meaning it causes persistently high insulin levels that make you burn less energy.
46. Don’t drink caffeine after workouts because it may raise cortisol at the point where you need to clear it for the best fat-burning and recovery effect.
47. Eat high-quality protein for breakfast. Avoid cereal and all processed foods.
48. Eliminate all sugar from your diet. It’s way more trouble than it’s worth if you want to lose fat.
49. Make an effort to get enough sleep. An early-to-bed, early-to-rise sleep pattern has been shown to improve body composition.
50. Know that you have complete control over what you put in your mouth. No one ever ate anything by accident.
Below is the interview with Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. Please listen to it and if you can, I HIGHLY recommend implementing what she teaches.
4. To get lean fast, use a rep range between 8 to 12 reps over multiple sets/cycles with a load that limits you to between 8 to 12 reps maximum.
5. Train to create an anabolic response. Increasing growth hormone is the priority because of its significant lipolytic (fat burning) effects.
6. Perform circuit training with little rest between sets for maximal growth hormone response.
7. For gradual fat loss over a longer period, include strength cycles that favor testosterone release with heavier loads (up to 95 percent 1RM), slightly longer rest (2 to 3 minutes), and lots of sets.
8. Work harder. If you’re not getting results, you’re not working hard enough. I knew you would love that one ;)
9. Give priority to training the anaerobic energy system over the aerobic system when strength training and conditioning. This is the metabolic conditioning workouts we do in our north vancouver boot camp where we combine strength, cardio and core training all in one workout for the ultimate 3-in-1 workout.
10. Do high-intensity sprint intervals for conditioning, i.e. Peak 8 sprints. Peak 8 sprints are where you go all-out for 30 seconds either on a stationary bike, elliptical machine, rower, treadmill or outdoors on a hill and then rest 90 seconds, then repeat. Start with two sprints and add one sprint per week until you reach 8. I encourage clients to perform these on off boot camp days.
11. Be as active as possible in daily life. Move more: Take regular brisk walks during the day, always take the stairs, park far away in any parking lot, or do your own yard work.
12. Do relaxing physical activity instead of sitting in front of a screen: stretching, foam rolling, martial arts, or walking.
13. Eliminate all processed foods from your diet—don’t eat them ever.
14. Eliminate all trans-fats from your diet such as margarine and shortening—they MUST be removed from the diet.
15. Don’t avoid fat. Research shows that people with diets with 30 to 50 percent coming from smart fats have higher androgens (fat burning hormones) and lower body fat. Yes you read that right: fats are good to help you lose fat :). See list below.
Good Fats (only use these in your diet)
Fish Oil/Krill Oil
Avocadoes
Extra-virgin olive oil (excellent oil but DO NOT use for cooking, use it raw on salads and after a meal is cooked)
Virgin coconut oil (also use for cooking and frying)
Butter (also use for cooking and frying, preferably organic and raw if you can find it)
Nuts (and nut butters) and seeds (except peanuts)
Egg yolks (from organic, free-range, omega-3 eggs)
Cream (preferably from organic, grass-fed sources)
Bad Fats (avoid all these in your diet)
All vegetable oils (corn, canola, safflower, sunflower, soy, etc.)
All trans fat
16. Eat smart fat, favoring the omega-3 fats that come from fish, krill oil and wild meats.
17. Take fish oil to boost omega-3 fat intake and ensure your omega-3 to omega-6 fat intake is balanced.
18. Eat a diet with high-quality protein—organic meats will provide the largest “bang for your buck” protein. For high-quality, undenatured whey protein made from grass-fed cows without hormones, antibiotics or pesticides use Isagenix supplements such as: IsaPro (vanilla protein powder), IsaLean Shakes and/or Bars (meal replacement shakes and bars) and IsaLean Pro (meal replacement shake similar to the IsaLean Shake but with more protein).
Good Proteins (only use these in your diet)
Beef (ground or steak)
Bison (Buffalo)
Cheese (cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, etc.)
Deer/Venison
Egg (fresh organic, free-range, omega-3, DO NOT use processed, dried egg powders)
Beef Jerky (read the label as some contain high carbs and preservatives such as nitrites and nitrates)
Pork Tenderloin
Fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, shrimp, tuna, halibut, cod, sea bass, flounder, lobster, crab)
Protein Powder (preferably from a source where the cows have been grass-fed and where no pesticides, herbicides or hormones have been used as in Isagenix IsaPro)
Chicken Breast or Thigh
Turkey Breast or Thigh
Yogurt (preferably organic and non-homogenized)
Tofu (important: must be from fermented soybeans)
19. Be consistent each and every week. Don't do the "flash in the pan" approach to weight loss. Find the right program and be committed and stick with it.
20. Have someone coach/monitor you and your progress. Just like in sports, business, school, etc. we have coaches, mentors and teachers to help us along in reaching our goals, its the same with weight loss and your health and fitness goals.
21. Eliminate wheat and avoid grains in favor of vegetables. See list below.
Good Starches/Carbs (only use these in your diet)
White rice
Quinoa
Tubers: white and sweet potatoes, yams
Starches/Carbs to Avoid (avoid all these in your diet)
All grains including wheat and wheat based products (i.e. bread, wheat flour, pastries, pies, biscuits, pasta, etc.), oats, spelt, kamut, granola, etc.
Beans and legumes
22. Raise resting metabolic rate (the amount of calories the body burns at rest) by eating a higher protein diet with 15 to 25 percent of the diet coming from high-quality protein.
23. Eliminate all high-glycemic carbs and eat only low-glycemic vegetables and berries.
24. Eat an antioxidant-rich diet to prevent inflammation, which leads to fat gain. Try kale, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, berries, pomegranates, and cherries.
25. Non-green veggies that help you lose fat are colored peppers, eggplant, garlic, onions, mushrooms, hearts of palm, spaghetti squash, and water chestnuts.
26. Drink a lot of water (at LEAST 3 liters a day) to stay hydrated and help detox the body. Recommended water to drink is Kangen Water (8.5-9.5 pH). This is the water we use at boot camp. This water is ionized, alkalized and high in antioxidants for optimal health and wellness. If you would like a free 2 week supply to try it out to see the difference it makes in your body compared to regular acidic, chlorinated tap, filtered or bottled water, don't hesitate to let me know but please do let me know first, don't just take it. Important note: Cancer and disease thrive in an acidic environment so drinking high-quality Kangen alkalized water will optimize your health and help your body become more alkaline and an unsuitable environment for disease. For more info email me or call me at 604.626.2342.
27. Avoid alcohol, juice, soda, and sports drinks. Stick to water, tea, and coffee.
28. For a radical approach, eliminate all alcohol. If alcohol can’t be eliminated, Sardinian and Spanish red wines are the best worst option.
29. Try acupuncture—studies have shown it can aid in treating obesity.
30. Make sure your vitamin D level is over 40 ng/ml. Take vitamin D if not. Recommended dose is 8000 IU per day.
31. Take a probiotic (Genestra Brand's HMF Intensive or Forte) to improve your gut health and your overall health for that matter. Also, add fermented foods to your diet as it's key for digestive and gut health. Have 2-3 servings per day. Ex. kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut (unpasteurized), kvass, kombucha tea, kimchi, miso, natto, tempeh, pickles, olives, etc. (these are important for improved digestion, gut health and a strong immune system). Start small (1-2 tsp. per day) and increase in amount as well as number of times per day over a few days/weeks as the good probiotic bacteria in fermented food will be killing off the pathegenic bacteria and yeasts but we want to do it slowly as if you kill them too fast you can experience the "die off" effect where you will feel worse as the bad bacteria and yeasts release toxins into your bloodstream when they die.
32. Make sure your magnesium level is up to par. Scientists suggest 500 mg of magnesium a day.
33. Take a liquid zinc test to see if you can taste zinc. If not, you are deficient and should take zinc to speed fat loss.
34. Don’t buy cheap, poor quality supplements because they will do more harm than good if they are tainted with heavy metals or pollutants. For high-quality supplements free of artifical sweeteners, stimulants, etc. choose Isagenix. For more info click here: Isagenix.
35. Take B vitamins, especially if you eat a high-protein diet or take BCAAs because the extra amino acids take away from the pool of available B vitamins needed for detox.
36. Drink coffee or take caffeine before workouts to increase fat burning and work capacity—research shows we will self-select heavier loads if we take caffeine before training.
37. Drink organic green tea to elevate fat burning and aid in detoxifying the body.
38. Take carnitine to help the body use fat for fuel and increase time to exhaustion when training hard.
39. Take the amino acid taurine because it lowers the stress hormone cortisol and helps the body digest fat.
40. Take R-form alpha lipoic acid because it supports detox and recovery from training.
41. Use the herb fenugreek with meals to improve insulin sensitivity and energy use.
43. Limit fructose (especially high fructose corn syrup) in the diet because it gets in the way of losing belly fat.
44. Never eat fructose before workouts because it blunts fat burning and lowers metabolic rate.
45. Avoid milk before workouts because it is very “insulinotropic,” meaning it causes persistently high insulin levels that make you burn less energy.
46. Don’t drink caffeine after workouts because it may raise cortisol at the point where you need to clear it for the best fat-burning and recovery effect.
47. Eat high-quality protein for breakfast. Avoid cereal and all processed foods.
48. Eliminate all sugar from your diet. It’s way more trouble than it’s worth if you want to lose fat.
49. Make an effort to get enough sleep. An early-to-bed, early-to-rise sleep pattern has been shown to improve body composition.
50. Know that you have complete control over what you put in your mouth. No one ever ate anything by accident.
Below is the interview with Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. Please listen to it and if you can, I HIGHLY recommend implementing what she teaches.
I hope that helped.
Tyron
PS. Thanks to fellow fitness professional below for what was shared in this blog.
Charles Poliquin is one of the most accomplished strength coaches in the world. He has designed workouts for Olympic medalists in 17 different sports, world record holders in 10 different sports, and professional athletes in the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, and UK Premier League. He has lectured or consulted for a variety of high-profile organizations such as the US Secret Service, Walt Disney Corporation and the World Swimming Congress. More info about him and the info shared in this blog post visit his website at http://www.charlespoliquin.com/Blog/tabid/130/EntryId/1174/Fifty-Fat-Loss-Tips.aspx.
