Let’s Get Started Burning Fat By Building Muscle!
It’s crazy how common exercise myths are sabotaging your fat loss efforts! It’s kind of like a hidden secret..well not really but if you are not seeing results..you think that’s normal. THE TRUTH is that if you are not seeing results, you are doing something terribly wrong.
The great mind boggle continues for most people. They either want to lose weight (which really means burn fat) or they want to build muscle. The problem is when they think they need two separate workout plans to achieve those goals. IT’S A MISTAKE!
The amount of fat lost off your body is dependant on the amount of calories going in versus the amount of calories going out through exercise or diet changes. Now the amount of calories your body burns on a daily basis is dependant on the speed of your metabolism. STAY WITH ME ON THIS!
The speed of your metabolism is largely dependant on frequent feedings and the amount of muscle on your frame. WHY? Because muscle is very hard to maintain for your body. It takes a lot of calories to maintain muscle because it is alive and working unlike fat that just sits there.
How much muscle do you need for this? Not much, but you want to at least maintain what you have in order to keep that fat burning metabolism revved up!
So what kind of program do you use if you want to build EXTRA muscle instead of burn fat? THE EXACT SAME ONE YOU USE TO BURN FAT. The only difference is that now you pay extra attention to your protein levels and always make sure that you make progressive increases in the amount of weight you lift and slow down the tempo by increasing rest periods.
See whats going on? You need to stimulate the muscle no matter what! It doesn’t matter if you want to lose weight or build muscle, your program should always include resistance training. The amount of muscle you want to build is up to you and you decide if you want to be huge or remain toned and shapely by how hard and heavy you hit that iron.
The other factor to determine if your program is more weight loss orientated or muscle gain slanted is the cardio. The more cardio you do, the more calories you burn and this in turn makes less calories available for things like fat storage and muscle building.
Now if you were wanting to lose a lot of fat, you would hit the cardio AND the weights hard to create a DOUBLE weight loss whammy. If building muscle was your bag, then you would keep the cardio moderate (three times a week) and spend more time resting, eating and lifting heavy. Small changes, big difference in results.
So should you be training to lose weight or build muscle? Both! Fat loss and muscle gain work hand in hand in the beginning and then you decide which area to excel in.
In this video below, I’ll introduce myself a little, demonstrate a few of my favorite exercises for you and tell you what I’m selling, and answer a few reader questions….and pull a rabbit out of my hat! All in under ten minutes!
K.. so I wont pull a rabbit out of a hat….
Motivation will also play a HUGE roll in your training efforts. Both for bodybuilding and fat loss (are they not the same thing? Pretty much!) But we will get into that later…
EATING FOR RESULTS:
Now it doesnt matter if you want to build muscle or burn fat…there is still a common theme. You are still eating to maximize or retain your muscle while always trying to reduce or maintain a low bodyfat percentage. The common themes are 6 small meals a day and each meal will include some fat, protein and complex carbohydrate. The fancy stuff comes in when you are getting ready for a competition or a photoshoot.
If you want to gain muscle, you make sure that your intake of calories slightly exceeds your output. If you want to burn the maximum amount of fat, then you want to output more calories then you are taking in. That is the simple “shotgun” approach and is where you want to START correcting your eating patterns.
HERE IS A SIMPLE 5 MINUTE MUSCLE BUILDING, FAT BURNING….SNACK:
Cardio To Lose Fat (mostly 
… ’cause I put my surfer dance in there too…
When you order Ray’s ‘Build Muscle And Burn Fat’ Home Study Course today, you get a double bonus from Nick Nilsson and Dr. John Berardi.
Main Topics Covered: build muscle,burn fat,fat loss
This is a real endorsement of Ray and his dedication, methods and determination to change the world one body and person at a time.
I found Ray online in about Jan 2008 – I scouted his website and links and liked what I saw … I had already got to the weight loss (5’2″ 160 lbs) on my own, buying dvd after dvd trying to find what I liked and wanted to do. Don’t get me wrong – I really enjoyed everything I tried and was happy to give up everything I could’nt possibly learn (can you say hip hop).
So at – true – 50 – I booked Ray for an in-home session because I’d just bought a girlie Bowflex and wanted him to show me how to use it. Foget that !! Ray took me through my own workout and coached me into turning that into a real workout!! I’m still at it and want to visit his gym soon.
Ray has an amazing ability to read people and stay real himself. Just a hint – don’t say anything like “I’m afraid I’ll drop it if I have a heavier weight”. The only comfort you’ll get from him is “Well then, don’t drop it”. I think of him every time I do heavier weights on sit ups.
Love reading your blogs, Ray! See you soon!
Hey MaryAnn! Thanks so much for taking the time to pop by and write that
It’s funny sometimes when people remind me of things I say… I think “Did I really say that?” It gets me in trouble…. sometimes lol 
Yes… yes… you really did (with a smile)
… and I thought about it and, yeah, you were right. Haven’t dropped a weight yet!
Cheers!
Visitor gym hours?
Hey Maryann. It’s a private gym so it’s by appointment only. If you want to book a session just give me a ring and I’ll see if there are spots open.
I have got a mild fracture in my shin. I dont want to put on all the weight I have lost. Whats the best exercise. Should I buy a stationary bike?
Upper body circuit training will do the trick.
Great tips! Everybody seems to forget this, thinking they need a different routine for different goals. It’s like driving a different type of car based on where you want to go!
All you really want is the most efficient car for the job. Same with your workouts.
Thanks for pointing this out!
Pingback: Beginners Workout Part 1
Ray, I do isometric routines at home to work my ab areas. I mainly do a combination of side and regular “plank” positions and hold them for about 30 seconds. After about 3 or 4 circuits I find that I lose the ability to focus on the area and other muscles in the body start to take over and I feel like I’m no longer building the strength of my core. Any thoughts on how to get past this “wall” or just keep working at it to increase the reps? Thanks.
The funny thing is that even endurance athletes worry about fat – surprising to most people. But the recommended diet for pro athletes is only 10% protein with more grains, vegetables and fruits. Is this applicable for the average person who works out on a daily basis but is not a pro athlete?
Hi Ray! I’ve been looking at some of the links on your website, and it seems that you might be able to help me. I am a 22 yo- african american female (idk if this makes a difference or not-so i’m including just in case). Currently I weigh around 171 +/- a few pounds. A the beginning of January, it was in the 190s. My measurements are 38-31-42.5; the fullest part of my ribcage is 35. For the past couple of weeks, my weight has been fluctuating b/t 169 & 175. My calorie intake is between 1200-1500 (1200 most days of the week). I really want my numbers on the scale to go down, however, I also want to be toned. Considering I still want to tone my ENTIRE body more, the only area that I’m really displeased with right now is my arms.
Everyone is telling me to focus more on cardio, don’t bother with weights. However, I know I need a balance of both to achieve my goals, BUT i really need the numbers on the scale to go down
. I am clueless. What do you suggest? Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks and sorry so long!!
lol sorry to keep bothering you, but i forgot one of the most important parts. I’ve been exercising 3-5 times a week. 3X when i’m really busy with school (grad school=not a lot of free time lol), but I aim for 5X most weeks. I’ve been doing about an hour of cardio each time I go (ellipticals and treadmills mainly) with high intensities. Thanks again!