Fat Burning Secrets

Training for my first half marathon opened my eyes to some amazing fat burning secrets.

Watch someone train and you will notice two things. First, they have a progressive schedule they stick to. They run almost every day, they do one long run each week, and they always push themselves a little.

The second thing you will notice is that they drop fat at an alarming rate. Just as the proven schedule gives them confidence that they will be able to conquer what seems like an insurmountable distance, the science behind the schedule also gives their body the tools it needs to burn high volumes of stored fat to fuel their journey.

So how does this training turn someone into a fat burning machine?

Here are three fat burning secrets that explain the mystery:

1 Running everyday increases their ability to use more oxygen to burn more fat.

To torch stored fat, you want to train aerobically to give your body lots of oxygen. This is the key difference from high intensity training where no oxygen is present, lactic acid forms, and no fat is burned.

Fat Burning Secrets for Women

Body Fat Distribution

Women bear almost double the amount of body fat as men, primarily to help them carry and nourish babies. Fat is the major energy source needed for fetal development and protection. We have no control over where the fat cells decide to swell and shrink.

The fat cells in the lower body, where women tend to put on inches, are more prone to fat storage. The fat cells in the upper body, where men tend to carry extra weight, are more prone to releasing fat. Women who have dieted will notice that as they lose weight, body fat starts melting away from the upper body first, followed by the persevering lower body fat.

Yet the reverse is true when gaining weight. The fat cells in the hips, thighs, butt and abs will enlarge first. Woman who have yoyo dieted for years have an upper body that is disproportionately smaller than her lower body.