Exercise Less and Lose More

What’s more frustrating than working out hard and gaining weight? Many people end up larger and heavier because they exercise so intensely that they are ravenous after the workout and wind up binging.

The good news is that there are three proven techniques you can use to boost your results and lose weight faster. These tricks will decrease the amount of time you spend in the gym and push your body to lose weight immediately after your workout.

1. Finish your entire workout in less than 40 minutes.

That’s right. Remove the rest periods and work out with a sense of urgency. A study from the College of New Jersey found that people who exercise harder during the first half of their workouts and ease up a bit in the second half burn up to 23% more fat than people who start out slowly. After you warm up, bump up your workout intensity and give it your all. People who train this way lose three times as much fat as those who do steady, moderate cardio.

2. Lift heavier weights for fewer reps.

Boost your metabolism long after your workout by training with heavy weights. As researchers at the Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education have learned, the heavier you lift, the greater the boost to your metabolic rate and the longer that boost will last. The outcome? Increased fat loss. Pick up heavier weights and you’ll see fast results (this goes for women, too). Once you become physically fit, keep it up. The more active you are, the better your body is at burning fat.

3. Eat clean protein before you exercise.

If you need to eat before your workout, stay away from carb-heavy cereal and bread; these foods only cause your body to burn off your previous meal instead of stored fat. Instead, grab a clean protein shake (low-carb, low-fat and lactose free) or egg whites. If you follow this diet, your workouts will be legitimate fat-burning sessions.