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HEALTHY LIFESTYLE SERIES
 2 Best Ways to Reduce Fat
Michael Stefano
Over the years you begin to realize that there's more than one way to achieve success, and learning how to lose weight is no exception.
Bill got into a running program, and Joe starved himself. Brenda started weight training, and Lois joined a Yoga class. Atkins, Southbeach, Picture Perfect; all diets, all different, and you'll hear both positive and negative about each one.
After working with hundreds of people, I present to you my 2 best (and simple) strategies to substantially reduce body-fat.
Diet: Keep a Food Diary
Regardless of what road you go down, when it comes to weight loss there's only one thing that really matters -- eating less. Sounds ridiculously simple, but most people don't get it. So, what's the BEST way to cut back? Before you can personally answer that question, you need to find out how many calories you consume in an average day.
Establish a food diary for one week without changing any of your current eating patterns. Add up all the calories for the entire week then divide by seven. This average daily caloric intake (DCI) needs to be substantially reduced in order for you to lose weight.
3500 calories is equivalent to one pound of body weight. If you can eat 3500 calories less that you currently consume, you'll drop one pound per week. Reduce DCI by 1000 calories a day (7000 per week) and lose two pounds. You get the idea.
My personalized workout program includes a handy food diary. To check it out, click the appropriate link: >firefighters | >non-firefighters
Exercise: Consistency and Duration
Maybe there aren't as many exercise programs as diets out there, but choices abound. For weight loss, what type of workout do you need? Should you take up a bodybuilder's weight training program if your goal is to shrink? The answer is an obvious no.
Okay, let's explore the other extreme. Should you run and run all day and endlessly burn calories? If you had the time and energy, that might not be a bad plan for pure weight loss. But as a typical adult American, you're probably short on both. Daily running or brisk walking for 20 to 30 minutes (or more if conditions allow) is a great way to burn a tremendous amount of calories, and should be part of every fat burning regimen.
You need to develop a mindset that you'll do something workout-wise just about every day. Consistency, with a program you like, is what gets the best results. If your goals are pure weight loss, you can turn down the intensity, and amplify the duration. Work as hard as you can, but only if it means you don't have to stop.
This mentality can be applied to both resistance training and cardio. For weight training, learn to do timed sets with low resistance, and work on increasing the length of each set.
Pace yourself on a set of squats for a minute or two and you'll get the idea of what this system can do for you. Pair squats with upper body work and go from one exercise to the other for 3 or 4 rounds of 1 to 2 minutes each. Put together 3 or more exercises in the same fashion. You're only limited by your ability and imagination.
This phenomenal way to train comes from the world of kettlebells, where sets are done for up to 10 minutes or more. As part of my recent appointment to the American Kettlebell Club as Fire / Rescue Advisor, my goal is to share this powerful system with my readership.
My custom workout plan is a great way to get started on this unique system. To check it out, click the appropriate link: >firefighters | >non-firefighters
Remember, exercising intensely can be dangerous. Check with your physician and get clearance before beginning any new program.
 MICHAEL STEFANO is the creator and author of the Firefighter's Workout (Harper Collins 2000). Mr. Stefano is a health and fitness writer, contributor to eDiets, eFitness, and Firehouse.Com. Michael's articles have appeared on AOL, MSN, and Yahoo! His workouts have been featured in magazine and newspapers from around the country, as well as in numerous network and cable TV segments. He also offers an online version of his custom program, via a comprehensive 22-point fitness profile.
Mike offers personalized workouts for firefighters, candidates, and civilians.
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