I believe that getting your body in the fat burning zone is a great way to burn more fat.

In this blog post, I’ll explain what the fat burning zone is, how it works and the best way to exercise to lose fat fast.

DOES THE FAT BURNING ZONE REALLY WORK? THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE FAT BURNING ZONE THEORY

When you work out, most people think that you need to give the workout all the energy you have and to work out as hard as you can. After all, this is what makes you burn the most calories!

However, the fat burning zone theory says that you shouldn’t push your body all the way to 100. Instead, you’ll burn the most fat when you working at 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate.

Basically, what this means, is that fat burning occurs when you limit the intensity of your workouts to a specific heart rate zone.

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HOW YOUR BODY BURNS FAT AND CARBS

In order to understand how the fat burning zone works, we need to understand how the body burns fat.

Our bodies are constantly turning carbohydrates and fat into energy that we can use. This energy is called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. 

The ratio that your body uses carbs versus fat is going to depend on several things, including your activity level.

In general, though, our bodies are going to do what’s most efficient. In most situations, they are using a combination of fat and carbohydrates stored in our body to make energy and help us function.

WHY DOES MY BODY USE FAT DURING LOW-INTENSITY WORKOUTS?

Your body needs oxygen to convert fat into ATP. When you’re doing low to moderate-intensity exercise, you’re able to breathe easier and your body gets more oxygen than when you’re pushing hard in a HIIT or other intense workout.

The most efficient thing your body can do during lower and moderate forms of exercise is to turn to your stored fat into energy.

So according to the fat burning theory, you should do long low-intensity exercises in order to use up fat storage and to burn enough calories in order to see weight loss.

WHEN YOUR BODY USES CARBS FOR ENERGY

When you start to push your body into really hard workouts, your body needs to be able to find energy quickly. But when you’re working out hard and you’re struggling to breathe, your body doesn’t have enough oxygen to burn fat.

So instead, it turns to glycogen (or your body’s stored carbs) in order to get energy fast.

When you do a high-intensity workout, your body burns through your glycogen stores and may eventually turn back to fat burning depending on the length of the workout, and your body’s amount of stored carbs.

But if you eat before doing a high-intensity workout (and especially if your diet is high in carbs), your body will most probably burn way more carbs than fat.

WHAT ARE THE HEART RATE TRAINING ZONES?

There’s a direct connection between your heart rate and the intensity of your training. The harder you train, the faster your heart rate gets.

Depending on how hard you train, your heart rate can be in 5 different training zones.

For example, if you’re power walking for an hour, your heart is not going to pump as hard as it does when you’re doing something more intense like sprinting.

Knowing which zone you’re in will help you understand how your body is making energy and whether you’re burning mainly fat or carbs.

If you want to keep track of heart rate training zones, you need to know your maximum heart rate (more details below) and what each zone means.

Here are the 5 heart rate training zones and each of them can be estimated based on your heart rate!

1. HEART RATE ZONE 1 – WARM-UP ZONE

In this zone, you’re working out at <60 percent of your maximum heart rate.

Your heart rate is in this zone when you’re just moving around without doing anything remotely challenging.

It’s like when you’re rewatching Friends and going to the fridge to grab a piece of cake. ;)

2. HEART RATE ZONE 2 (FAT BURNING ZONE)

Just above the warm-up zone is your fat-burning zone. In this zone, you’re working out at about 60-70 percent of your maximum heart rate.

This level is all about endurance. Your body will be able to use oxygen to convert fat to energy, and you’ll find that you’ll be able to exercise for a while in this zone.

You’ve totally got this!

You’ll most likely be in this zone during low-intensity cardio like going to long power walks.

I have a really detailed blog post on how to use low-intensity cardio to burn more fat and get lean so make sure to give it a read. :)

3. HEART RATE ZONE 3 (CARDIO ZONE)

We’re picking up the pace here!

In this zone, you’re working out at about 70-80 percent of your maximum heart rate.

You should be able to talk and be relatively comfortable. However, you might find yourself sweating and breathing harder during this stage.

So it’s challenging but still doable!

In this zone, you’ve also reached what’s called the cardio zone. You start to burn a lot of calories relatively quickly in this zone.

The calories you burn here split evenly between your fat stores and glycogen (carbs). However, the fitter you are, the more your body will be able to rely on fat for energy, and not carbs (this is known as the anaerobic threshold).

Although you may not burn more fat than carbs, you will still burn lots of calories overall. 

You’ll most likely get to the cardio zone when you’re jogging, swimming or cycling.

4. HEART RATE ZONE 4 (HIGH-INTENSITY ZONE)

Now we’re getting serious!

You’re working out at about 80 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate.

You’re struggling to breathe and may find that it is becoming difficult to hold a conversation.

Over time, working out in this zone should help you to push harder or go faster.

Here you’re definitely burning tons of calories and more carbs than fat.

Resistance training is considered to be a high-intensity activity. Also, resistance training raises your metabolism which means you’ll burn more calories while resting.

So, even though it may not help you burn more fat, it will definitely help with weight loss and increasing your fitness.

5. INTENSE HEART RATE ZONE (MAXIMUM-INTENSITY ZONE)

This zone feels like when your PT tells you to push through the last 30 seconds of your 3 rounds of HIIT!

In this zone, you’re working out at about 90 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate.

You’ll probably only be able to stand this zone for a few minutes. Your body’s respiratory and blood system will be working as hard as possible, and you’ll be panting and unable to talk.

Doing interval training in this zone (such as during a HIIT workout or sprinting) will make it easier for your body to burn both carbs and fat. You’ll also continue to burn calories after the workout is over, and your metabolism will temporarily increase.

If you’re new to exercising or haven’t done much high-intensity workouts, you might find that you can’t handle this intensity at all. So it’s important to listen to your body and take it easy.

HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR FAT BURNING ZONE

First, you’ll need to know your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate = 220 minus your age. So for example, if you are 25 years old, your maximum heart rate is 220 – 25 = 195 beats per minute (bpm).

To calculate your fat burning zone of 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate, follow these equations:

• Maximum heart rate x 0.6 (60%)
• Maximum heart rate x 0.7 (70%)

AN EXAMPLE

Here’s what this would be for a 25-year-old.

• Maximum heart rate = 220 – 25 = 195 beats per minute (bpm)
• 60% of your maximum heart rate is 195 x 0.6 = 117 bpm
• 70% of your maximum heart rate is 195 x 0.7 = 136.5 pm

So for a 25 year old person, the fat burning zone is when your heart rate is between 117 – 137 bpm.

If this is too technical for you, I recommend you try to just notice your body’s signs. In the fat burning zone, you should be able to talk and continue at the pace you’re going for at least an hour.

When I go for walks, I try to be in the fat burning zone as I’ve found this really helps to keep my legs slim.

I aim to walk at a medium-fast pace, and my heart rate is in the right zone. I don’t need to go full speed and feel really puffed out. 

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WHY YOU SHOULDN’T JUST STICK TO LOW-CARDIO WORKOUTS

Different types of workouts give your body different benefits. To help you see how they can do this, let’s imagine a few scenarios:

INTENSE WORKOUTS

Let’s imagine that after work, you decide to power through an intense HIIT workout or some resistance training.

This workout is intense, so your body needs a quick form of energy. Your body is struggling to use fat as an energy source because you’re breathing hard and aren’t getting enough oxygen to convert fat to energy.

But since you have eaten throughout the day, the carbs stored in your muscles are readily available, and your body doesn’t need oxygen to turn them into energy. You may eventually burn fat too, but the percentage of carbs burned will be higher than the percentage of fat.

This intense workout burns a ton of calories which is great for weight loss, helps boost your metabolism, and helps build some muscle that’s great for toning up.

LESS INTENSE WORKOUT

Now, let’s say it’s morning and you haven’t eaten yet. Your body is low on carbs and you decide to go for a power walk to start your day. This is called fasted cardio and it’s great for fat loss.

Your body isn’t being pushed too hard, so you’re getting plenty of oxygen. This, along with not having too many carbs in your body, means that your body starts to use fat for energy.

Fat is more abundant and is a great source of slow-burning energy which makes it perfect for the times like these.

Going for power walks and doing other low-intensity workouts is great for getting slim legs, it prevents burn out, and helps you recover from more intense workouts. :)

ACHIEVING THE BEST RESULTS!

Sticking to one form of exercise will prevent you from seeing the good results that the other forms can bring.

I believe the fat burning theory is based on scientific facts, but I still encourage you to do more than just low-intensity cardio. The best way to lose weight is to combine low and high-intensity cardio with resistance training. :)

This is why I designed my own workout program that combines fat burning exercises and resistance training. It’s designed to help you get lean and toned in just 8 weeks.

Here are some of the lovely girls who did my Lean Legs Program! :)

Love Rachael xx

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Cardio helps to slim down fat throughout your entire body, making you lean all over, including your stomach, abs, and love handles.

But that’s not all you need to know about cardio and belly fat loss.

Let’s find out more together!

HOW DOES CARDIO HELP BELLY FAT LOSS? 

Cardio burns lots and lots of calories, and eating fewer calories than you burn is what causes weight loss. Cardio workouts are some of the best exercises to do if you want to burn fat, because they often burn more calories than other types of exercises.

Remember, it is impossible to just tell your body where to lose weight. That’s mostly up to your genetics and the way your body is built. But luckily, cardio helps you lose fat from all over, and it will help with your stomach as well.

WHICH TYPE OF CARDIO IS BEST FOR LOSING BELLY FAT?

When people talk about cardio workouts, they are normally talking about either steady state cardio or high-intensity interval training. 

These two different types of cardio work your body in a different way.  

STEADY-STATE CARDIO

Steady-state cardio is an aerobic activity and is the only type of exercise that actually uses fat for energy.

Steady-state cardio is simply a cardio exercise that you maintain at a constant pace. So for example, running, walking or swimming at a constant pace for a relatively long period of time (i.e longer than 15-ish minutes).

Steady-state cardio can either be high intensity (such as running) or low intensity (such as walking). The best type of steady-state cardio workouts for your stomach are those that are high-intensity. So this includes exercises such as running, swimming or cycling. And I don’t just mean a leisurely jog; you need to be running at a speed that is difficult for you so you can power through those calories. 

Cycling can cause you to gain unwanted muscle in your legs though so just keep that in mind if you don’t want to grow your thighs.

HIIT CARDIO – INTERVAL TRAINING 

On the other hand, HIIT workouts are anaerobic activities. These workouts burn glucose for energy (not fat), and they help your heart get stronger (meaning you can work out for longer the next time!). With HIIT exercises, you push your body to go as hard as it can for a short amount of time, and then you give it a break with a slower pace (or a rest).

However, there’s a way to do HIIT that makes it a fat-burning activity and assists you in burning fat. Check out one of my favourite HIIT cardio workouts.

Here are just a few other reasons why HIIT can be so helpful with belly fat loss:

• It burns lots of calories after your workout (not just during).
• HIIT helps your body release hormones, which can help burn fat.
• It lowers your blood pressure, making you healthier overall.

Both steady-state and HIIT cardio workouts are great for burning stomach fat.

Honestly, I think the best type of cardio is one that you’ll stick to! Consistency really does matter when it comes to weight loss. However, try mixing it up. Both types can help you reach your goals!

HOW MUCH CARDIO SHOULD YOU DO TO LOSE BELLY FAT?

There’s no answer here that’s going to cover everybody! Your genetics, the way you store your fat, your body type, and your diet all play a huge role in this!

Most experts say that people should be getting 150 minutes (or 2.5 hrs) of cardio exercise per week to maintain or lose some fat, or just to keep healthy. This doesn’t mean super high intensity cardio, but any exercise that gets your heart rate up.

This might feel like a lot. However, there are easy ways to work incidental cardio into your schedule. Here are some ways that I like to make sure I’m staying active:

• Go for a walk after dinner to destress.
• Walk around whenever you are waiting (at the shops, airport, doctor’s appointments, etc)
• Take a bike ride or walk to the store/class/gym instead of a car.
• Take the stairs!
• Try making cardio a fun thing to do! Go for hikes or walks with your friends or dates.

RELATED BLOG POST: HOW TO DROP BODY FAT IN ONE WEEK

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO FOR FAT LOSS?

OTHER EXERCISES

I’ve talked a lot about cardio workouts, but I don’t want you to think that’s the only way to lose your belly fat and love handles.

If your midsection looks soft, I encourage you to do cardio but also to do some resistance exercises. This is the best way to achieve a model-like midsection!

Resistance exercises are important because the more muscle you have, the easier it will be to lose weight and to slim down your belly. I also love resistance workouts because you can do them from home. Although there’s nothing wrong with a gym, it is possible to slim down your stomach fat with at home workouts!

Also, yoga can be helpful to make your core stronger. Although your results might be slow with yoga, it can help your posture (making you look leaner and taller!) and help you improve in strength. This will help you perform the rest of your exercises better!

DIET AND LIFESTYLE 

Diet is so important. If you aren’t eating well, your workouts will never help you lose your belly fat. To get a slim and toned midsection, you MUST be eating a healthy diet. 

The rest of your lifestyle matters too. Here are a few things to pay attention to when it comes to belly fat:

• Are you sleeping enough? Try to get 7-9 hours of sleep. This helps regulate your hormones and your ability to lose weight.
• Are you stressed out all the time? Finding ways to relax is key. Being stressed increases cortisol levels and fat storage on your love handle area. High cortisol levels also make it harder to lose weight. So take some time to chill.
• Do you have an on-again, off again relationship with exercise or diet? To successfully slim your stomach down, you need to be consistent and patient!
• Men aren’t the only people who get beer bellies! I won’t tell you to never drink, but the drinking isn’t helping you slim down! Make sure you drink in moderation.

BODY TYPE

Discovering your body type will change the way you look at exercise, your body goals, and your diet! It will also help you figure out how much cardio you should be doing for the best results. You can take my free body type quiz which will tell you your body type and also give you lots of workout & diet tips! 

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I understand that losing belly fat is challenging! There’s a reason why so many of you ask me for help with this part of your body. Even though the midsection can be stubborn, it isn’t impossible to slim down. I speak from experience: I know that with proper exercising, a healthy diet, balanced hormones, and a healthy lifestyle, you can achieve a slim, toned figure.

What other questions do you have about losing belly fat? Ask your questions in the comments below! Also, if you’re curious about cardio, I’ve compiled some of the most popular questions from our amazing community. You can check them out on our Cardio Q&A blog!

The post Is Cardio Good for Losing Belly Fat? appeared first on Rachael Attard.

No matter what camp you’re in, both cardio and weight training can help you get that lean and toned body you want. But which one is better for your goals? And which one will help you drop body fat faster?

The answer isn’t as simple as you might think. First things first. Let’s take a look at just what counts as cardio.

WHAT IS CARDIO AND WHY YOU NEED IT?

Cardio, also referred to as endurance or aerobic training, is any exercise that gets your heart and lungs pumping at a steady rate for an extended period of time. So we’re talking exercises like jogging, swimming, cycling, dancing, power walking, etc.

Cardio exercises power through calories and help you burn more fat. This makes them ideal for people who want to lose weight and stay lean.

Weight loss (or maintaining a healthy weight) is just one of the reasons why cardio should be incorporated into your weekly workout schedule.

Cardio will also help strengthen your heart. It helps you breathe more efficiently. It can even reduce your risk of long-term health conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and even diabetes.

So whilst cardio training will help you look amazing on the outside, it will also keep you healthy and amazing on the inside as well!

Most studies suggest that just 30 minutes of cardio exercise every day is all you need to start seeing results. It doesn’t even have to leave you feeling sweaty and exhausted—though getting your sweat on can be a great way to reduce stress. And you can break that 30 minutes up as you need to, especially at first.

RELATED POST: WHICH IS BETTER FOR FAT LOSS – WALKING OR RUNNING?

So if cardio helps me burn through calories and keeps me lean why do I need resistance training, you might be wondering!

Let me explain!

WHAT IS STRENGTH TRAINING AND WHY SHOULD YOU INCLUDE IT IN YOUR ROUTINE?

Strength training, also referred to as resistance training, involves exercise that strengthens your muscles by working against the resistance of weight or force. Though it is sometimes referred to as ‘weights training’, I have intentionally avoided this label here. You don’t actually have to lift weights to perform ‘resistance training’.

Resistance training also includes working against the resistance of bands (for example; Pilates) or the resistance of your own bodyweight (for example; when performing the plank, or a sit-up).

So if you want to lose weight but also tone your muscle and avoid the so-called skinny fat look, I would recommend that you don’t skip resistance training.

I know that some women tend to stick to cardio and avoid resistance training in fear of bulking up (I used to be cardio only kind of girl), but there are ways to do it without getting too muscular.

HOW TO DO WEIGHTS WITHOUT BULKING UP

Even though this may be a bit controversial, I’m gonna say it anyway – a lot of women don’t go to the gym to build serious muscles. A lot of women, myself included, prefer a leaner look. And depending on your body type, lifting heavy weights could give you more muscle than you want.

That is why I encourage the use of light weights (with more reps and sets), bodyweight exercises or the use of resistance of bands or equipment, such as those used in Pilates. These types of resistance exercises give the strengthening and toning effect of lifting heavy weights, without the muscle bulking effect. Have a read of this blog post on how to do weights without getting bulky!

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CARDIO VS WEIGHTS – WHAT’S BETTER FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

WHAT BURNS MORE CALORIES – CARDIO OR WEIGHTS?

During your cardio workout, you will burn a lot of calories. If the debate was just about which style of exercise burns more calories during exercise, then high-intensity cardio wins over resistance training (assuming you are giving it 100%).

However, the question I really want to answer here is which type of exercise is better for overall weight loss. This is where it gets interesting.

Resistance training also burns calories during your workout, but it has an added benefit of an increased afterburn effect, where you will continue to burn calories after your workout as well.

So if endurance training is excellent for burning calories and helps keep you healthy on the inside, then why bother with resistance training? After all, resistance training will probably not burn quite as many calories whilst you are training.

WEIGHT TRAINING INCREASES YOUR BASAL METABOLIC RATE

The answer comes down to your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). This is how many calories your body burns just keeping your body functioning internally.

Most women’s BMR’s burn somewhere between 1200-1500 calories in a day. And most workouts will only burn around 300-500 calories. So your BMR makes a big difference as to how many calories you burn, how much you can eat (without gaining weight) and your body’s ability to lose weight.

By doing resistance training you are working to increase your lean muscle mass and raise your BMR, so that your body becomes more efficient at burning calories, even when you’re not exercising!

This is why resistance training is just as important if your goals are to burn fat and trim down!

But this isn’t the only reason you should incorporate some resistance training into your fitness plan.

Resistance training has numerous health benefits, such as:

• Supporting your ligaments and bones and reducing the risk of injury.
• Helps keep you strong and mobile, especially as you get older.
• Gives you subtle and feminine definition.
• Supports good posture.
• Reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
• The definition you can gain through resistance training helps prevent the appearance of cellulite.

RELATED POST: HOW TO FIX A DAMAGED METABOLISM

CARDIO VS WEIGHTS – WHICH BURNS MORE FAT

Strictly speaking, you burn more calories and more FAT when you do cardio exercises, especially low-intensity cardio.

To get energy, your body constantly burns both carbs and fat. Sometimes you’ll burn more fat and sometimes carbs. It all depends on what’s readily available and what type of activities you’re doing.

In order to turn fat into energy, your body needs a lot of oxygen that’s going to oxidize (burn) that fat. So when you’re resting and breathing normally, oxygen is readily available and you can burn fat at a slow and steady pace. For example, when you’re power walking, your body is in the so-called fat–burning zone and it can burn fat more efficiently than when you’re running or lifting weights.

When you do high-intensity workouts like running or resistance training and you’re struggling to breath normally, there’s not enough oxygen to burn the fat. So your body starts burning carbs first since it doesn’t need oxygen to do it. That’s why when you’re running or doing resistance training, your body burns carbs first and foremost.

However, high-intensity activities like running raise your fat-burning threshold and help you stay in the fat-burning zone for longer. The results – you’ll burn more fat.

So yeah, if you want to get maximum results, I would recommend that you combine low-intensity cardio with high-intensity activities like running and resistance training.

AND WHAT ABOUT HIIT?

I also consider HIIT to be a form of resistance training, but HIIT has the benefit of burning lots of calories (like cardio) and it also the after-burn effect. So it is very effective.

However, a lot of traditional HIIT training is very focused on your lower body and if you’re an Endomorph or a Mesomorph body type it could cause bulkiness.

That’s why I design my own HIIT routines that will help you get all the benefits of HIIT without adding unwanted leg muscle. :)

Check out some of my HIIT workouts that won’t cause bulkiness.

RELATED POST: HOW TO DO HIIT TO BURN MORE FAT

SUMMARY

To sum it all up, both cardio and resistance training are excellent ways to lose weight and burn fat! You can get great results doing cardio only, and you can get great results doing resistance training only. But I think you will get better results by combining the two.

Cardio training is more effective at burning calories during training and it burns more fat. But resistance training will increase your BMR and help make your body more efficient at burning fat long after you have stopped training. It is also better at toning your body up.

So if your fitness goals involve burning fat, trimming down and improving your overall health, then try to incorporate both cardio and resistance training into your weekly workout schedule. Together they will help improve your health and have you looking and feeling fantastic!

Remember, you don’t have to push it super hard or go super-fast.

Take your time. If you’re not used to doing cardio, start by going for a walk around the neighbourhood every afternoon. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and run in place during commercial breaks. 

As you build up your endurance, you can tackle longer and more intense cardio sessions. 

For weight training, you’ll need to carve out time every few days to get a good session in. That doesn’t mean you have to rush out and join a gym. Find a spot in your home or out in a park where you can move and run through a simple bodyweight exercise routine.

Or you can try out my Lean Legs program which is designed to give you maximum results!

Check out these AMAZING results from my Lean Legs Program:

START MY LEAN LEGS PROGRAM

I have developed my own well-balanced workout program that incorporates resistance training and cardio (both high and low intensity). The program is designed to give women the lean and toned look that they are after, and understand how to do resistance training without getting unwanted bulk.

Find out more about my program here and of course, if you have any questions, feel free to ask!xx

Love,

Rachael

BEFORE AND AFTER PIC OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBER

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I wasn’t always like this, so I just wanted to share some tips with you on how to learn to love running, and how you can get from a beginner who hates running, to someone who enjoys it!

1. Don’t Run Too Fast

This was my mistake at the start. I was running so fast that I could only keep it up for a really short time before I had to stop. Slow your pace down to a jog and you will be able to hold it for longer. If you need to stop and walk, that’s totally fine! Walk for a minute or two and then jog again, then keep repeating.

2. Run With A Friend

I don’t really like running with anyone else to be honest. I prefer just running to music and going at my own pace. But it can have its benefits.

When I was a beginner, I used to run with my sister. She was better than me and I always used to slow her down so I would tell her to just run ahead and leave me behind, and she did. But I always pushed myself a little bit harder to try and keep up with her and not let her get too far ahead.

Now I usually run with my fiancé who is a much better runner than me and I’m still the same – I try to keep up with him as best as I can, and I always run much harder when I’m running with him.

3. Accept That You Are A Beginner

Don’t try to go for a 10km run or an hour run. Just 15 minutes is enough to get your heart rate up and get the benefits. Walk for 5 minutes, jog / walk for 15 minutes, then walk for 5 minutes. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but that is a great start! Don’t get discouraged. Everyone started like this too :)

4. Track Your Progress

It’s great to know how far you run and how fast you are running, so that you can slowly improve. If you’re running on a treadmill, these things are easy to track. But if you are running outside, you can track your distance using a free app such as RunKeeper. Or you could just time your runs, and try to improve your time each time you go for a run. Just remember that small improvements are great, and increasing your time by just 1 minute each time, is a great achievement!

5. Listen To Music

This ALWAYS helps distract me from how out of breath I am and how unfit I feel! It makes the time go quicker and when the music is upbeat, I think it actually helps me run a bit faster. Running can sometimes be boring, but if you run outside with some music, it can be it a bit more fun :)

Just remember that it’s going to take time to increase your cardiovascular fitness and become a good runner. Don’t worry if you’re still feeling like a beginner after a month or two. Keep up with your running 2-3 times per week, try to improve each week, and you’ll be a good runner in no time! Good luck xx

The post #263 How To Learn To Love Running appeared first on Rachael Attard.

1. Going Too Hard Too Soon

Lots of women tell me that they’re going to start running 10kms every day to lose weight. This is just too much! You will hurt yourself if you try to do this. Or you’ll get exhausted and give up by going too hard too soon. Start out with 3-4 kms and then build up from there.

2. Neglecting Resistance Training

Resistance training is still important. If all you do is running and cardio, you will be slim but you won’t have any muscle tone. Both running and resistance training are important so make sure your workout program includes both. This is the style of resistance training that I like doing to tone up without bulking up.

3. Ignoring Potential Injuries

If you feel like there is something wrong, then don’t push it. Sometimes little niggles will go away in a few days with some rest. If not, it could be more serious and is worth checking out. But if it’s sore, try not to run on it and take the rest (as hard as that may be!).

4. Not Having The Right Shoes

I see SO many people running in Vans and Converse shoes! These aren’t supportive and you can end up with an injury, or just very sore feet. Make sure you have proper running shoes – it will make running more enjoyable, trust me!

5. Tracking Your Runs

With any exercise, if you just do it aimlessly week after week, it’s likely that you won’t get any better. Just like lifting weights and trying to improve each week, you should be trying to improve your runs. You can improve either your distance or speed (avoid trying to do both at the same time). But make sure you’re tracking these runs somehow to get the best results!

6. Not Stretching Afterwards

Your muscles might not feel super sore like they do after a weights session, but you still need to stretch! If I don’t stretch after a run, I get really tight quads the next day. I know stretching is the last thing you feel like, but even 5 minutes is enough. Stretch your quads, calves, hamstring, glutes and hip flexors. Bonus points if you can do some foam rolling! Have a read of my stretching blog post here.

7. Taking Rest Days And / Or Weeks

Running needs to be programmed properly. You can’t do it every day – you need to allow your body time to rest. I like to leave at least 36 to 48 hours between runs to give my body a little bit of time to recover. And if you’ve been doing lots of runs, make sure you give yourself a week off running every now and then. Have a read of my blog post on rest days here xx

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I was quite skinny and wasn’t toned. I was eating really healthy and exercising a lot, but couldn’t work out why I couldn’t get abs, even though I did LOTS of ab exercises.

GETTING BULKY

It wasn’t until I started doing resistance training that I finally understood. The abs seemed to come quite easily! I started out with the basic 3 sets of 12 reps, training different parts of my body on different days. After a few months, I was so lean and toned and was really happy with my body.

I started mixing up my program, lifting heavier, focusing on strength… Fast forward about a year and my body had become too muscular for my liking. I didn’t look bad, but I didn’t like how my crop tops no longer fit as my back was much broader. My legs were also really muscly and seemed to have more fat on them. I hated wearing jeans because they just felt so tight and uncomfortable, and I stopped wearing shorts to the gym.

I was really unhappy with the amount of muscle I’d built. I don’t really have many selfies of me when I got to this point, because I didn’t like taking them!

GETTING TONED WITHOUT GETTING BULKY

I tried a lot of different types of exercises to slim down but still stay toned. I did a lot of cardio, which helped slim down my legs. But unfortunately getting rid of too much muscle is hard and takes a long time.

I am still trying to reduce some of the muscle. But the problem with not doing any resistance training is that you end up skinny fat and I find it a lot harder to keep a toned stomach when I’m doing cardio only. But at the same time, I don’t want to do too much resistance training or the wrong type, because then I get bulky.

I was struggling with everything for a while, not knowing how to train. But what I’ve found is that you do need a combination of both cardio and lighter resistance training to stay lean and keep toned. Let me explain each one further.

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CARDIO

The cardio I am doing involves walking and running and occasionally boxing. They are my favourite because walking is really great for slimming down your legs and I try to do it every single day. It’s not too strenuous on your body, and for me, it doesn’t really feel like exercise – I really enjoy it!

Running is good for slimming down your legs too but also great for getting rid of excess fat on your whole body (especially stomach). Any high intensity exercise while help get rid of excess fat on your stomach. I only run for about 20-30 minutes and it is always on a flat surface. Running uphill and doing short sprints will build more muscle, and isn’t great if you’re trying to reduce the muscle in your legs.

Boxing is an amazing exercise, because it is a good combination of cardio and resistance. I always burn lots of calories and it really helps to tone up my upper body and core without building too much muscle (my arms always look leaner).

RESISTANCE TRAINING

The resistance training I am doing involves 2-3 lighter resistance sessions per week. These type of resistance sessions are similar to those from my Lean Legs Program 1. But other types of lighter resistance workouts such as exercises from the Victoria’s Secret workouts, reformer pilates, pilates, barre, etc are great too! Sometimes I also do 1 HIIT resistance session per week to help keep my stomach lean. Doing too much of this type of exercise can bulk you up, legs especially. But I try to keep it to body weight HIIT exercises only.

I no longer do any heavy resistance sessions because of the bulkiness that it causes my legs. Whilst I do love lifting heavy and I also love squats and leg days, my body just doesn’t seem to respond to this type of training the way it used to and I end up bigger than I would like.

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SUMMARY

So overall, you need a combination of both cardio and lighter resistance training. If you are a really naturally slim body type (ectomorph), you may not need the cardio. But most people will need cardio to keep slim and resistance training to keep body fat down (and of course to look toned).

From my experience, this is the program that works for me and gives me the body that I prefer:

• Running 2-3 times per week
• Walking every day
• Light resistance training twice per week
• HIIT resistance training once per week
• I will sometimes try to fit in a boxing session if I have access to a gym (this will replace the HIIT session)

Everyone’s bodies are different and will respond differently to exercise. This is just my own personal experience, and the changes that I have made to my workout program over the years. I know a lot of women have experienced similar issues, and it is the main reason that I designed my Lean Legs Program 1.

Love Rachael xx

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The post #216 How To Get A Lean And Toned Body – What I’ve Learnt appeared first on Rachael Attard.