Weight Train and Turn Fat into Muscle
by Anthony Ellis
To accelerate your fat loss and increase your muscle mass, you need to train with weights.
The benefits of weight training are so positive that I cannot understand why everyone is not doing it. For example, it helps to increase your muscle mass. This is essential because muscle burns more calories than fat, so the more muscle mass you have the faster your metabolism.
Weight training also tones up your existing muscle, giving you a more shapely silhouette. With the right exercises, it can broaden your shoulders, trim your waist, lift and tighten your butt, tone your thighs and broaden your chest. As an added bonus, weight training also helps to strengthen your bones and tendons, which is essential for helping to prevent injury as we age.
Use Free Weights Not Machines
Not only did I have to change my diet, but I had to learn the correct way to weight train for muscle mass as well. In the past, I was using mostly machines, and had no reason to use free weights. This was a mistake.
The only way to gain muscle mass quickly is to use free weights. Most machines are a waste of time and they give you a false sense of strength. Pro bodybuilders and Olympic athletes do not use machines - they use free weights almost exclusively!
Don't Over train
I also had to stop training so often. Some people still believe that the more training means more muscle and increased fat loss. Not true. It doesn't work that way. Working out too often does not allow your muscles the necessary time to recuperate. Not only will you not gain any muscle, but you will be setting yourself up for chronic injuries from over training.
Improper diet and over training are two reasons why most people never get beyond an average physique. I see people at the gym who workout 5-6 days per week for 2 hours or more each day - but they always look the same.
For my program, I worked out 3 times per week, working my upper body twice per week and legs once. I kept my workout between 45 to 75 minutes and concentrated on exercises that worked large muscle groups like bench press, squats, dead lifts, pull-ups and dips.
I used heavy weight (weight that was challenging for me), and low reps. I rested 2 minutes between sets and increased the weight after each set. My body adapted quickly to specific workouts so I had to change my parameters (sets, reps, tempo, exercises) frequently (usually every 4-6 weeks).
About the Author
See the amazing before and after pictures of Anthony Ellis at
http://chetday.com/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?aellis