Health and Fitness

Fat Burning Special: 10 Ways To Workout For Rapid Results!

gym based fat burning

1. My fave body fat burning workout style!

"Fat Burning Workouts"A high-volume fat burning workout such as Charles Poliquin’s German Body Comp (GBC). If your goal is truly to build lean muscle and boost fat burning then this is a unique weight training system designed to manipulate your hormones and your metabolism by alternating a lower body exercise with an upper body exercise, and using short rest times. For example:

  • A1: Barbell squats, 4010 tempo (4 seconds down, 0 second pause, 1 second up, 0 second pause), 8-10 reps, 3-4 sets, 30 seconds rest
  • A2: Dumbell incline press, 3010, 10-12 reps, 3-4 sets, 60 seconds rest

A typical GBC program would take around 45 minutes and leave you absolutely wiped on the floor. The workouts I use as part of the giveaways of my Woman Incredible Transformation Events, as well as in the upcoming (yes, it’s still coming!) members section are primarily GBC based; right through to the advanced stuff.

2. Engage in a martial arts workout

Boost your metabolism with some kickboxing, boxing, muay thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – when done with a good instructor these are some of the absolute BEST cardio substitutes and fat burning workouts you can engage in. Not to mention you might gain some practical skills!

3. Cut back on the cardio exercise and the group fitness workouts

The typical gym-based cardio and group fitness workout, unless you are brand-spanking-new to exercise, is not the fat loss solution you wish it was. Stop wasting your time with it! If you want to know more about the rules of cardio, check here.

4. Try strongman training: one of the ultimate workouts for weight loss

Down at Result Based Training, where my office is in South Melbourne, there is an awesome strongman exercise area. Strongman training involves crazy-fun stuff like flipping truck tires, smashing ropes to the floor, pushing, chopping or pulling sleds piled up with stupid amounts of weight, and basically just charging around moving heavy stuff. It’s an awesome way to mix up your training.

5. Muscle it up!

A lesson I’ve had driven home to me lately by Maximus Mark is that a) I’m doing my own head in focusing so intensely on fat loss ALL the time, and b) doing purely fat loss training is not the answer! To burn more body fat you need to have a decent amount of muscle. One of Mark’s rules is to only focus on one thing at a time, and sometimes you need to spend a couple months on strength and lean muscle growth before coming back to fat loss. I’m talking about lifting very heavy weights, usually for small amounts of reps, and with longer rest periods.

fat burning outside the gym

6. Lose weight with incidental exercise.

You know all those studies where the ‘fidgeters’ lose an average of an extra 2-3kg per year? That’s really true! I’m not saying you need to hop all over the place like an anxious bunny every day, but a little extra movement is ideal for most of us. Walk a little more, get off your butt a little more, don’t be afraid to dance when no one is looking – all that good stuff. Aim to be an everyday active person, not just a gal who sits still all day and then hits the gym for the requisite 45-60 minutes.

7. It’s not all about ‘exercise’! Play more!

Remember how easy it was to stay skinny as a young kid? And it’s not as though you were strictly avoiding carbs or even the occasional junk food back then, yeah? Sure, childhood metabolism might be part of it but you do have to wonder whether it’s the chicken or the egg so to speak. If you have kids then get them and you off your butts and get moving. Frisbee, chasy, or just silly games in the part for half an hour are all great additions to your regular workout routine, not to mention a very easy way to burn some excess calories.

8. Build energy before you burn it.

Sometimes it pays to give your body a break from all the pure weight loss stuff. Most of the exercise you do is probably ‘catabolic’, meaning it breaks muscle down and is geared toward faster fat burning. It’s really important to include some energy building exercise (anabolic) as well. A yoga or meditation class once a week will do the trick.

9. Throw in some old school outdoor fitness work

You know I’m not talking about pounding the pavement, don’t you? I’m talking about the kind of stuff that really pushes you into hard-core fat burning mode. Like running up a massive hill multiple times, stair climbing, trekking, sand sprints. Why not add one of these old school fitness sessions every fortnight or so? You’ll love the variety as well!

10. Get competitive

Sometimes revving up your metabolism and becoming a fat burning machine is not about what you’re doing, but how you’re doing it. How often do you catch yourself day dreaming in the gym, or walking away from your workout knowing that the only thing you really burnt was time? Why not set a challenge with a friend or colleague. It could be anything fitness related: a lifting challenge, a body fat challenge, a lean muscle gain challenge. You get the idea. Adding a little competition to your same-old routine is (in my opinion) one of the best ways to accelerate your results.

8 responses to “Fat Burning Special: 10 Ways To Workout For Rapid Results!”

  1. I have to say that I couldn’t agree with you more especially with point number 7 I call it live your life don’t just sit around waiting for it. And doesn’t mean you have to be a gym rat, go out for a walk on trail, bike ride, walk to the store instead of drive. I believe that we just need to make it simple just start moving more. Loved this post.

    • Kat says:

      Thanks Cindy! I think we also forget how much fun it can be to engage in spontaneous outdoor exercise rather than purely structured movement!

  2. Joanna says:

    Hi just wondering about your thoughts on Crossfitt? I was thinking of trying it out i think the one near us does a lot of olympic lifting etc but not sure about the rest of it have you ever been to a crossfit gym?

  3. Kat says:

    I think it has its place as it definitely leaves you shattered, but it is also high risk. Olympic moves are not designed to be taught to the instructor OR the participant so rapidly, should usually not be done in high reps or circuit style, or with minimal rest times. It’s kind of a haphazard approach to fat loss, but of course it can work for a period of time as can anything you’re not used to. And a lot of people seem to love it 🙂 for myself I prefer a more structured approach to weight training, although I admit I do throw in the odd circuit from time to time as well!

  4. Tanya says:

    Great post Kat. Loved the comment about not focusing on fat loss all of the time, so true! I do better if I just train because I love it not because I want to lose fat.

  5. Elisse says:

    Thanks for this post Kat- I get so wrapped up in what is the ‘best’ way to train to burn fat.. that I just stick to the same old cardio routine. I’ve finally changed in up and have started a GBC programme. Very different for me- was so bizarre not to be puffing, that I thought i hadnt done enough.. ended up not being able to walk for 2 days after! Now a week in and loving it, already feel results or atleast different. Will keep on reading your posts, find them very inspirational.