Under normal circumstances, most people will find that they will lose fat not muscle unless they are a frequent marathon runner for example.

There are two effective approaches to weight loss, Intermittent Fasting and Cutting Out Carbs.

Intermittent fasting involves fasting for short periods of time. When you do this right, your body will produce more HGH (which is the fat burning and muscle building hormone) AND your metabolism will not slow down.  You will also be consuming less calories. When a body consumes less calories it burns fat.  The advantages to using this method are that it's economical, you can still eat the foods you like, and you can adjust it to fit your needs.

Eliminating carbs from your diet simply means staying from all foods high in carbohydrates. More specifically, cutting out processed carbs like breads, pastas, sugars, rice and fruit juices. This significantly lowers your insulin levels. The extra calories you consume are placed in the fat cells by the insulin which is a major factor in weight gain.  Once you eliminate carbohydrates that have been processed from your diet, you allow the body to use the fat to get the energy it needs.  You'll find that your weight will begin to drop quickly as your excess fat stores are being depleted.

Many people worry, however, that if they use this method of weight loss, they'll begin to lose muscle also. Let me assure you that this will not happen and here is why.

Muscles have the capacity of using both glycogen which comes from carbohydrates, and ketones which derive from fats, as sources of energy.

When someone does weight training resistance exercises, they use intense amounts of energy in short intervals of time. Other exercises that are limited and intense such as short sprints work the same way.  Because the energy derived from fat is sufficient for these types of exercises, this helps you lose fat not muscle.

The only time when it becomes a real concern is if you’re a high endurance/performance athlete. When you do long drawn out aerobic activities, like marathon running, you absolutely need the glycogen from carbs.

When you eliminate the carbohydrates that come from processed foods, you free yourself to get the healthy type of carbs that come from fresh vegetables and fruits. Natural sources of carbs will give your body more than enough glycogen for you to function normally.

When you cut out carbs, you need to increase your intake of fats because fats will be your main sources of energy. For those individuals who make processed carbohydrates a major part of their diets, fat consumption should be limited so as not to store too much fat.

Both methods of losing fat will not make you lose muscle. Remember to be consistent with your dietary changes whether fasting sporadically or eliminating carbs and engage in exercises such as HIIT or resistance training and you'll notice an increase in fat loss but not muscle loss. This is the best way to lose fat not muscle.

Tags: endurance performance, short periods, intermittent fasting, Cancer, lose fat and not muscle

Getting a toned body won't be possible without weight training, that's a fact that everyone knows. But due to lack of knowledge and bombardment of advertising, most people think that weight training equal to expensive gym membership, fitness machines, supplements, and trainer; in addition, they also think of it as countless hours of nonstop workout.

Well, not only all of that will blow your motivation away, it will also emptying your wallet and less likely to give you any significant result other than total exhaustion. If you've tried some of them, I'm sure you'll agree with me that they're not the answer which you're looking for.

It doesn't matter if you're male or female, the real way to attain toned and muscular body are healthy eating, interval training, and strength training. You can do all of those at your home and it will only takes three days per week.

Common problem that I found is women are tend to affraid of strength training. Becoming bulky and getting more muscle than they want are their primary concern. The fact is women don't posses enough testosterone to get bulky, especially just from simple weight training without any supplements. Basically, it is just a myth and no one should worry about that.

Another issue that I noticed here is people tend to train particular spot that they want to shape too much, especially belly/tummy, chest, and arm. You won't get any result that way; read on how to do it right at get rid of arm fat.

Okay, here’s example of a day exercise program. You should do it three times per week and complement it with interval training.

Warm Up

• Bodyweight Squat: 10 reps
• Plank: 20 seconds
• Pushup or Kneeling Pushup: 6 reps

Strength Training

First cycle:

• 8 reps of Bodyweight Steps-ups
• 8 reps of Stick-up
• Rest 30 seconds
• Repeat this cycle 2 more times

Second cycle:

• 8 reps of Split Squat with Front Foot Elevated
• 8 reps of Kneeling Close-grip Push-up
• Rest 30 seconds
• Repeat this cycle 2 more times

Third cycle:

• 20 reps of Bicycle Crunch
• 8 reps of 1-leg Hip Extension
• Rest 30 seconds
• Repeat this cycle 2 more times

Interval Training

This type of training will have better result than standard low intensity cardio where your body will keep up/adjust itself and you’ll have to keep adding the duration. Interval training will confuse your body so it can’t adjust itself to the exercise, thus you’ll have steady and fast fat loss in shorter time. Here’s how to do it:

• Pick an exercise and warm up for 5 minutes, progressing from light to more intense exercise. Example: if you choose running, jog lightly to sprint.
• Exercise at hard pace for one minute (at a subjective 7/10 level of effort).
• Exercise at slow pace for two minutes (at a subjective 3/10 level of effort); this is called ‘active rest’.
• Keep alternating between the hard pace and the slow pace exercise for four times.
• Finish it with five minutes slow pace for cool down.

The Rules

• Do the strength training three days per week.
• Do the interval three days per week. Just do it after the strength training session, but if you really don't have time, simply do it at another free day. Just make sure you have a day of full rest.
• Learn and apply healthy eating behavior is a must; use a proper nutrition guidelines so you know what you're doing.
• If you are over 30, have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or other limitation, consult your doctor before starting any exercise or nutrition program.

The exercise menu above is a part of Turbulence Training, a program that designed for both male and female who aim to gain their top body shape with the right exercise and nutrition intake. I really recommend that you find out more about this program and how it can help you attain a toned body at a review of Turbulence Training.

Note that this program may not suitable for middle aged people; if you are at that age and interested in attain toned and muscular body, check how to make it possible at Fit Over 40 review.

Tags: how to get a toned body, muscular body, high cholesterol, interval training, Fitness Tips, diet, weight training, strength training