Many people who are looking to lose fat don’t normally think about body building as much as they think about aerobic activities like running or riding a bike. They generally assume that bodybuilding workouts are only designed for those who are looking to get incredibly huge muscles and get slathered with oil and start posing on stage. This is a common misconception and as it turns out, the activity of bodybuilding may be your best and most effective tool for burning significant amounts of fat.

The reason that bodybuilding is so effective at burning fat is because of the extreme amount of calories burned during the exercises themselves. When lifting heavy weights and doing so in a workout but is performed both consistently and to speed, the body will be burning hundreds and hundreds of calories per hour and can often be as effective at burning calories as a strenuous run on the treadmill.

One of the reasons why bodybuilding can be so effective at burning calories and in turn burning fat is because of the large muscle groups that can be worked when one is bodybuilding. Let’s take the squat for instance. The squat is probably the most powerful exercise you can do for your body for both building muscle and losing fat. When you perform a squat, you are activating almost every muscle group in your body. You are certainly targeting the lower body but this includes huge muscles such as your thighs, your lower back, and you’re gluteus maximus. As these huge muscle groups are put into action, they use up large amounts of calories in order to perform the work required of them.

Now, as bodybuilders put on muscle as they become advanced in their efforts, they begin to burn fat automatically even when they are not working out. This is because muscle itself speeds up the metabolism and will burn fat just simply by its existence on your body. When you are building muscle, you are actually building little “fat burning ovens” all over your entire body that will help to speed up your metabolism and burn fat on a regular basis. So don’t just look at the increased muscle you will develop, but instead think about the decrease in fat your body will experience.

Finally, let’s look at the diet of a bodybuilder to uncover one more reason why bodybuilding can be your answer to burning fat. Bodybuilders need significant amounts of protein in order to maintain their muscle mass and build new muscle as well. This is true whether or not you are trying to compete for Mr. Olympia or are just trying to maintain or build muscle for a particular sport that you are involved in. Body building is not necessarily about building huge muscles all the time, but maximizing the muscle you do have so that it is the most effective it can be for your body type. No matter what your goals, you want to increase your intake of protein to make sure that new muscle can be built and that the muscles you do have recover properly after strenuous workouts. Because bodybuilders often have diets that are heavy in protein and low in carbohydrates, this can result in their body beginning to burn existing stores of fat for fuel as their diets often lack the carbohydrates needed to fuel their intense workouts. As the body burns fat for fuel, your muscles will look more defined and your body fat percentage will significantly decrease.

So if the usual diets and fat burning workouts have not been working for you, you might want to give bodybuilding a try and see just how well picking up a few weights can do to burn fat off your body.

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Tired of Looking at the Inside of Gym Walls? I know I am.

Let’s face it, gyms aren’t pretty and they aren’t really designed to be. They are filled with rows and rows of exercise equipment and any wall space that doesn’t feature a full length mirror is usually covered by a poster of a muscled up bodybuilder or an advertisement for one of the personal trainers that reside there. The floor, while functional with its thick padded surface, doesn’t exactly provide the same ambience as a finely woven Berber carpet.

Well, at least you have the music to help you feel more comfortable. That is if you like whatever type of music happens to be blaring out of the speakers at the time. There is always the TV though. If you are lucky enough to get a machine that has a TV you can control, you’ll have the ability to watch whatever you want as long as you place the bacteria infested earphones into your ears. Perhaps I sound a bit disgruntled and I apologize as that is not my point. The fact is, sometimes I just have to take my work out outside as the confining walls of the gym can drive just about anybody crazy after a while.

So, what is so great about working out outside? What is so great is that the possibilities are endless. The only thing that determines what you’ll see and what you’ll experience when working out outside is the areas in which you’re willing to go to perform your workout.

If you’re looking for a more calm and serene atmosphere, simply take a jog around the past they can be found at your local lake. Benches found along the pathway will provide you additional structures for you to use if you want to perform incline push-ups or plyometrics.

If you’re looking for a more varied and intense surrounding, simply make your way into the city to complete your fitness regimen. Running up and down stairs amidst the hustle and bustle of a downtown environment will not only provide you with a great cardiovascular workout but it will ensure that the scenery you encounter is ever-changing. Cityscapes, with their varied concrete jungle type structures provide a plethora of workout opportunities to anyone who has a good imagination and a sense of adventure.

Whether or not you have kids, going to the local playground can be one of the most satisfying work out alternatives to the local gym scene. Fair you can perform an incredible variety of exercises using the jungle gym just as the kids do including pull-ups on the monkey bars, plyometric jumps on the landing platforms, and even dips between the bars of the equipment itself.

So if you are tired of looking at the inside walls of your gym, simply step outside and take a look around. Workout opportunities are everywhere and stepping out into the fresh air can reinvigorate your excitement for working out and training our regular basis.

How you can avoid the prying eyes of the “Gym Fly’s.” A Women’s Guide to enjoying time at the Gym.

We have all seen them. I call them Gym fly’s. The guys that hang around the gym and do more talking than working out. They have the latest workout clothes, and are sipping on their carbohydrate and protein loaded fitness drink while they work their jaws. They LOOK the part, but in reality, they are simply LOOKING. Their target? Women.

From my experience, most women are at the gym to do one thing: workout. They are not interested in meeting guys and they are not impressed by how much weight you can throw overhead or how cool your arms look in your wife beater. The problem is, gym fly’s don’t get this. They often hover around these ladies ready to offer their “advice” to the “helpless woman.” Well ladies, listen up. Here are a few tips to help you keep these BUGS away from you and help you concentrate on getting a serious workout!

1. Knowledge is power…use it! – Many guys love to go up to women to give them advice on their lifting technique or workout in general. First of all, if ANYONE is going to put themselves out there in this way, you MUST be tactful…most of these guys AREN’T. Secondly, the fact is, a lot of their advice is often flat out WRONG. Women, if you do your homework and brush up on both your workout knowledge and technique, you will put THEM in their place. Trust me, they will leave you alone.

2. When in doubt, bring a friend – Working out with a partner will not only help keep your workouts focused and safe, it will also help keep the unwanted gym fly’s at bay. People who are together are less likely to be bothered when working out

3. Crank up the music – I like to listen to music when I workout personally. Rather than dealing with whatever is pumped through the speakers at the gym, I like to pop in the ear buds of my iPod. If you are there to concentrate on getting in shape, not socializing, then listening to music or audio books via earphones will surely let others know you mean business. Anyone who decides to interrupt you had better have a good reason as the simple fact that you will have to stop and pull out your earphones will deter many from even bothering.

4. Don’t go to the gym – Wait a second, don’t go to the gym? Yes, I said it. See, the mere fact that there are so many distractions at gyms makes working out at a gym not an option for a growing contingent of fitness buffs. This is not to say DON’T WORKOUT, but instead, workout outside of gyms at a boot camp style class. Obviously, you won’t have to deal with the aforementioned gymflys, nor any of the other interruptions and distractions that keep you from what you really want to do…get in shape! Outdoor workouts are a great alternative and if you take some time to learn a little about all the ways you can get in shape just using your own bodyweight, you may decide to stay away from the gym altogether.

We all want to believe there is a quicker way to get in shape. Something that will act like a magic CURE ALL that will make us lose fat, get lean, and look amazing. If you disagree, then just check out the TV any night after 9pm. The airwaves are filled with new products, potions, and pills all promising us that we will look like a super model in 4 weeks or LESS. Give me a break!

Look, you CAN get in shape in a reasonable amount of time. You CAN lose weight and feel great using some of the products you see advertised, but there is no real shortcut. No matter WHAT you do or try, you will have to work at it to achieve the results you want. I mean, if just losing WEIGHT is what you are after, then stop eating. Now, a starving, emaciated body may not be what you are REALLY after, but if you are simply looking at the scale numbers, what do you care? The way to lose fat and keep muscle tone is the same now as it was hundreds of years ago. Old School fat loss is the way to go.

What do we mean by old school fat loss? Well, how about HARD WORK? Lifting heavy object, running long distances, using your entire body during an exercise versus just one arm are all examples of old school exercises. Back before we had $2000 home gyms, men and women were still able to get in shape. Back in the early days, working out was more of a man’s game, and you may have seen pictures of some of these strongmen yourself. They oftentimes had huge handlebar mustaches and chiseled ripped physiques. No steroids, no ab crunchers, just hardcore, old school workouts. These guys were STRONG and had amazing bodies. They often employed power lifting techniques such as the clean and press and snatch, not to mention the squat. One old school tool they employed to get into incredible shape was the kettlebell.

A kettlebell looks like a bowling ball with a handle and originated in Russia in the 1600’s. Some of those old school strongmen can be send hoisting one overhead in some of those famous black and white photos. Kettlebells are amazing tools for fat loss in that they require your entire muscular system to be recruited to complete many of the lifts. This whole body approach to exercise ensures you will burn more calories quickly and in turn, burn more fat as well. Nowadays, people are so interested in trying to perfect one body part at a time that they often neglect to do workouts that incorporate their entire body. The Strongmen of yesteryear understood how developing the strength and muscles of your ENTIRE body was much more efficient and practical than just focusing on just your bicep for instance. The more muscles you recruit, the more work you do, the more in shape you get in a MUCH quicker time.

So, if you are looking to really shed some fat, look at the workouts that were done hundreds of years ago. Kettlebells, barbells, power lifts, all designed to make one stronger, and leaner. Forget late night TV, look to an age gone by for your answers. Old school fat loss still wins every time!