Fat burning misconceptions and how to be effective

What are Fat burning exercises, and how do they differ from other types of exercises?

 When people think about fat-burning exercises, they usually mean which exercises use the most energy that allow the body to convert body fat (adipose tissue and visceral fat) into energy. This doesn’t happen directly, via gluconeogenesis, the triglyceride molecules that are stored in body fat tissue are broken down into fatty acids, which enter the Kreb cycle, and combine with oxygen in the aerobic system to create ATP. It is the ATP that the mitochondria in your muscle cells use. This is one of three key energy systems that your body can use.

This is also the one that most people can sustain for the longer durations needed to assist weight management as more energy is needed over the time period, therefore it is more likely that your body will seek to convert body fat to use.

Other exercises may be used to target other outcomes such as strength, endurance, muscle growth, power, etc.

Tips to help an athlete design a workout with the goal of burning fat.

As an athlete, things can become a bit more complicated as you will need to balance body fat reduction to the specific adaptions needed for your sport.

However, the basic principles stay the same. For your body to use body fat for energy, you need to be in a caloric deficit, at the time energy is needed. Otherwise, your body will seek to convert the energy from the food you’ve provided it.

When thinking about fat loss, going directly to fat burning may not be the most efficient or effective answer, and combining it with building muscle may result in significantly better results.

With on average only 5% of a person's total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) being used through Exercise Activity Thermogenesis and 95% being used by Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT 15%) aka fidgeting and general movement throughout the day, the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF 10%) as in digestion, especially of protein, along with their Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR 70%) just existing, living and breathing, building muscle is more metabolically demanding than body fat. It is estimated that muscle tissue contributes approximately 20% of demands vs 5% for fat tissue.

Therefore designing a workout that includes resistance training / weight training and cardio helps improve the potential for losing body fat. Try where possible to keep the training sessions separate by as many hours as possible. This will improve the chances of muscle growth as blood-carrying nutrients is sent to the areas being exercised for fuel and repair. The 2 to 3 hour period directly after completing a weight training session will also see a heightened demand for energy due to these processes. Whereas cardio will only use energy while you are performing the session. For example, if you are working on your chest, then immediately afterwards go to perform cardio such as cycle, the blood flow that was going to your chest to fuel your workout, will now be sent to your legs where fuel is needed, reducing the potential for muscle growth in your chest.

In addition to incorporating fat-burning exercises into a workout, what else can athletes do to help lose fat?

Start by ensuring their diet supports their goal. This is the single most misunderstood thing that I find with those starting out, or even being performing for some time, including some qualified coaches and trainers. While it is widely accepted that “you can’t out exercise a bad diet” and that “a six pack is made in the kitchen”, when it comes to execution, this basic concept is completely missed.

Here are some of the best gym exercises to burn fat.

Cardio is the best method for using the most energy in a session directly.

Though as mentioned above building muscle really assists in this, as bigger muscles are more metabolically demanding and weight training has a continued elevated demand for the period post workout. Incorporate progressive overload exercises where you keep increasing the weight until you reach failure followed by metabolic stress exercises where you keep increasing the reps until you reach failure to make the most out of your session.

While many people prefer upper body work, don’t skimp on leg day. Your legs and core have some of the biggest muscles in your body and get used all the time (think back to NEAT as mentioned above) so can have a great residual effect. 

Here are some of the best cardio exercises to burn fat

Low-Intensity Steady State (LISS) - Any cardio machine such as a cross-trainer, rowing machine or cycling or body weight movement or CV activity such as running, swimming or cycling, could also be brisk walking. While you are still performing a vigorous activity, you should be maintaining a heart rate in the weight management zone of roughly 75% of your maximum heart rate, which will feel like you’re on the verge of becoming uncomfortable. Short of breath, speaking in small sentences. This is a great way of managing weight, strengthening your cardiovascular system and improving endurance.

Walking/hiking is probably one of the most underrated exercises, yet it stimulates most of the 650+ muscles in your body and is accessible to most people wherever and whenever they are. Working on how you walk to ensure you have correct alignment in your gait, you are comfortable and maintaining correct posture also improves your ability to continue to benefit from this exercise, mile after glorious mile, or step after step towards your 10,000+ per day.

Here are some of the best strength training exercises to burn fat.

Compound movements that use multiple muscle groups mean you will be demanding more energy for the same period of time you spend exercising, plus incorporating the biggest muscles in your body from your legs and core is great. So include things like deadlifts, weighted lunges (with a barbell or dumbbells), bench presses, squats, bent-over rows, etc.

Other fat-burning exercises that are recommended:

While not directly fat-burning exercises, I would certainly recommend including stretching and flexibility training as part of your routine. Incorporating things like developmental stretching can help with improving muscle size over time, pre-workout dynamic stretching and warm can help prevent injury, and post-workout stretching in can ease the delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) felt after a great session in the gym.

Is there a specific exercise that burns the most fat?

For most people running uses the most energy for the same time period compared to other exercises. However, this will need to be weighed up against the impact and damage inflicted, plus the adaptations made during the time, which may reverse some of the muscle growth you may have made.  For many people I work with I recommend cycling, hiking, rowing, etc. to help find a balance.

Conclusion:

In summary, fat-burning exercises focus on maximizing energy use, leading the body to convert stored fat into fuel. Sustaining aerobic activities for longer periods can aid in weight management by promoting fat conversion. While exercises targeting strength, endurance, and muscle growth are essential, athletes must balance these goals with fat reduction through a caloric deficit and personalized training plans. Building muscle significantly contributes to higher metabolic demands, enhancing fat-burning potential. A combination of resistance training, cardio, and a supportive diet is crucial. Effective fat-burning exercises include progressive overload and compound movements, along with underrated yet impactful activities like walking and hiking. Additionally, incorporating flexibility training can prevent injuries and aid muscle recovery. Running is a highly efficient fat-burning exercise, but alternatives like cycling and rowing may offer better overall benefits.