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Voted in 2008 as the NSCA National Personal Trainer of the Year, Ben Greenfield is recognized as one of the top fitness, triathlon and nutrition experts in the nation, and has authored multiple books and DVDs on exercise and nutrition. Via his company, Pacific Elite Fitness, he coaches and trains individuals for weight loss, lean muscle gain, holistic wellness, and sports performance. Ben holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Idaho in sports science and exercise physiology.

Home Get-Fit Guy The Best Workout for Fat Loss

The Best Workout for Fat Loss

June 3, 2010
General Fitness | Cardio | Weight Loss

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by Ben Greenfield

I’m often asked, "What is the best workout for fat loss?" Because every body is different, there is no perfect, "one-size-fits-all" exercise routine that results in maximum fat loss. But there are five characteristics of every successful fat loss program:

1. Convenient. This means that you can do it anywhere, without being forced to spend two hours at a gym, or access special equipment or expensive gadgets. All you need is your body, and perhaps an elastic band!

2. Full Body. Every muscle in your body needs to be targeted for a maximum metabolic boost, so combine upper and lower body.

3. Heart Rate Stimulating. For maximum cardiovascular stimulation, the workout should require that you move from exercise to exercise with minimal rest.

4. No Heavy Weights. To maximize fat loss, you need to be able to do more than 8 repetitions of an exercise.

5. Consistent. You should be able to do the workout 2-4 times each week, without having to rest for several days due to excessive soreness.

Here is a video of one of my favorite fat loss workouts that contains all the characteristics listed above:

Enjoy the workout, and be sure to subscribe to my newsletter for even more great fitness information and videos!

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Luke
2/21/2012 5:16:33 PM

I'm 18, weigh 194 and am only 5'7" and nearly all my fat is in my chest and stomache. I have a really slow metabolism and can't relly seem to lose any weight and become more lean. I was wondering if you have any suggestions on boosting my metabolism and loosing any excess body fat.

Ben
1/20/2012 11:56:27 AM

@ken - go to pubmed and do search for "testosterone body composition"

Ken
1/19/2012 10:56:21 PM

Thank you for reiterating useful information. Like many people, I am bombarded with fad fitness and nutrition tidbits that run contrary to what I had formally learned in college. If you listen to them enough times, you might start to believe them although I try very hard to substantiate everything with research.

I'd like to know if you happen to know of any research that can show that lower testosterone in middle age men contribute to more fat in their bodies.

Thank you.

Davia
10/12/2011 9:59:12 PM

Gregg, I can't speak for everyone, and every body is different, but exercise is how I lost weight. Changing my diet did nothing for me. It wasn't until I started doing cardio and strength training that the pounds came off. Exercise raises your metabolism and energy levels because your body doesn't know when it will need to spend that energy again, so it keeps you "ready to go." Plus, muscle burns more calories than fat, so the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn during exercise and at rest. If there's one piece of advice I could give people trying to lose fat, it would be to get off the treadmill and start doing plyometrics and weight training.

Gregg
6/23/2011 9:21:30 PM

Exercise is great. So many benefits for health. But not for losing weight. It's all about diet. Control the insulin. Read Gary Taubes "Why We Get Fat." It will teach you everything you need to know.

Ben Greenfield
5/22/2011 9:59:51 AM

@Tori- this is NOT medical advice, but I'd highly recommend you go to an endocrinologist or physician and ask them how you can be tested for polycystic ovarian syndrome. I have seen this happen over a dozen times in a case like yours...google "PCOS weight gain".

feiona
5/21/2011 1:38:51 AM

Ok, I am 24 year old female who is always 100lb underweight, but in the last two year put on 50lbs. Now i am 30lbs over weight. I join the gym, but have no clue,how to lose the weight. I have try ads about 5 set of 20, Treadmill (which i walk on) about 30- 45 mins and the Elliptical about 30mins... i am at the gym for at least 4-5 day a week and I watch what I eat. But have only lost like 2lbs for 3 weeks... So any advice on what i am doing worng and how to lose this weight...please!!!.

Patrick
5/20/2011 2:26:40 PM

Hey tori,

2 hours is too much!! 1 hour is plenty, and please stop the treadmill!! google multijoint exercises and up the intensity (your heart should pound and you should be sweating), this is the way to fat loss. Use light weights with these exercises, you want to build lean muscle!! measure yourself in body fat % not pounds. Remember weight loss is more calorie out the in. Watch what you eat/drink, no juice minimal REFINED carbs. Most importantly consider what you are doing not a diet but a change in behavior. this will keep the weight off long term. now go do it!!

Tori S
5/6/2011 7:14:47 AM

So, I am an 18 year old female, am 5'7", and weigh 174lbs with 28% BMI. That is 39lbs over the average weight of my height and age. In the past 2 weeks I have gone to LA Fitness and 5 times, staying there for about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours. Since I am basically inexperienced when it comes to working out, I usually stick to what I know, which is the treadmill for about 30 minutes, going from walking uphill, to jogging at a less steep incline to running flat. Then move to the elliptical for 20 and then the arm, leg, chest, and ab machines for 10-15 minutes each. But in 2 weeks I have only lost 3lbs. Any advice as to what I can do to lose all this excess flab?

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