HOW TO BUILD MUSCLE AND REDUCE FAT WHILE SUPPORTING HEALTHY HORMONES AND METABOLISM

#1: Prioritize Strength Training 

Strength training increases lean muscle mass, which in turn raises your metabolic rate which increases the amount of calories you are able to burn daily. Muscle is the first line of defense against body fat. Our strength training method utilized throughout our programs focuses on multi-joint exercises, short rest periods, and short bouts of intense work periods to increase the production of growth hormone, our FAT BURNING hormone. Specific to strength training (anaerobic work), we are more concerned with creating a metabolic disturbance than burning large amounts of calories during each workout. The built NOT broke mindset. 

#2: Don’t Overcomplicate Nutrition

Finding a nutrition protocol that works well for you takes time, but don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be. Prioritize protein, fruits and veggies, good fats, and complex carbs when applicable. Also as Sweat Den member, you also have access to a 50 page nutrition guide (Options). 

#3: Focus on Reducing  Inflammation/Stress 

Reducing inflammation is one of the most important underlying themes for fat loss. If it was just about eating less, and moving more, everyone would have the body of their dreams. 

• Avoid processed foods and limit eating out as much as possible, eat real food with quality ingredients.

• Improve your sleep quality. This circles back to hormone health but if you are constantly exhausted, fat loss will be hard to achieve. In addition, lack of sleep makes people feel more hungry, make poor food choices, and lowers total daily activity. 

• Meditation and breathwork support mental clarity, reduced stress, elevated mood, increased energy, and overall balance of the nervous system. 

Stress is a growing problem, especially when compared to early generations. Using the above protocols can help reduce stress and in turn lower unwanted cortisol and adrenaline spikes which have a negative effect on fat loss. 

#4: Increase your Non Exercise Activity (daily movement) 

During exercise, your body will either burn fat, carbohydrates, or creatine. The determining factor of which energy system is being utilized is based on intensity and duration of said exercise. Increase your Zone 2 training (walking) to burn more fat. Regarding aerobic work, at lower intensities, your body will burn more stored fat for energy. At higher intensities, your body will burn more carbohydrates for energy. If your nutrition is optimized, walking is great tool to improve body composition, maintain muscle mass, and improve hormone health & metabolism. Increasing our NEAT is a crucial component of fat loss. 

#5: Fuel and Nourish your body 

This quote comes from Jon Baylors book: “The Calorie Myth”. “Eating less does not create the need to burn body fat. Instead, it creates the need for the body to slow down. Contrary to popular opinion, the body hangs on to body fat. Instead, it burns muscle tissue, and that worsens the underlying cause of obesity. Only as a last resort, if the body has no other option, it may also burn a bit of body fat.” 

Focusing on fueling your body with nourishing, high quality foods should be the priority. Focusing on calorie restriction or being in a calorie deficit is not the path to sustainable/healthy fat loss. Slashing calorie’s does much more harm than good in the long run. As we continue to see so many “experts” profess that a “calorie deficit” or “calories in/calories out” is all that matters, then why do so many people struggle with sustainable fat loss? Sure, eating less, and moving more is logical but this idea has been taken completely out of context. 

With a bit of effort, focus, and consistency utilizing the above principles will have a dramatic impact when it comes to seeing sustainable, long term, fat loss results.