Triathlon for Weightloss?

author : acbadger

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Do you want to jump-start your New Year’s weight-loss resolution?? Then here is what it's time to do…TRAIN FOR A TRIATHLON!! Part I of a monthly series.

Part #1: Integrating Triathlon into one’s workout regimen.

Cross-Training and its weight loss effects, include not only the physical rewards of cross-training/training for a triathlon, but the mental rewards too.

January 2007 is finally here and do we have a weight loss program for you!! Do you want to jump-start your New Year’s weight-loss resolution?? Then here is what it's time to do…TRAIN FOR A TRIATHLON!!

Did you think those were the four words you thought you were going to hear?? Probably not. You were probably expecting to hear me say…"Watch what you eat!" or "Start counting your calories!" How about these four words; "A Daily Caloric Deficit!" Well, some of those words, you will see in later months again…but for now, I am going to focus on just how TRAINING FOR A TRIATHLON will help you lose weight.

If you’ve read my articles in the past, I’m sure you’ve heard me say time and time again...muscles have memory!! The human body is a miraculously smart entity! Our bodies are so amazing that they can adapt to any environment you subject it to…including the gym.

The best way to lose weight and gain lean muscle mass is to CROSS-TRAIN (i.e. train for a triathlon). You should spend your time in the gym effectively. Do you currently exercise and go to the gym everyday, jump on your favorite treadmill everyday, putting the treadmill on a 5% grade at 3.5 mph for 30 minutes everyday…STOP!!!! While you are not hurting yourself…you are not getting the most out of your workouts! You need to shock your body every time you hit the gym.

Instead, try lifting two days a week for about 30 to 45 minutes (did you know the more muscle mass you have on your body, the more calories you burn even at rest??), swim two days a week, bike one or two days a week and walk/jog/run for 3 days a week. Shake it up and you’ll be shocked at the results.

If you have already been training, even try shaking up your swimming, running and biking workouts. Try swimming distance/endurance one day and sprints the next. What about biking on a flat one day and taking it the hills the following day. Or…try doing sprinting intervals while you are out for a jog (jog for 4 minutes, run/sprint for 1 minute for 4 cycles = 20 minutes). Tossing intervals into your fitness regimen is another GREAT way to lose weight. Intervals play a bit with your HR [make sure you have a heart rate (HR) monitor] and can also help boost your metabolism and burn fat!!

Oh, and I know what all of you ladies are thinking…lifting weight is going to make you ‘bulk up.’ NOT TRUE! That is a big Exercise Urban Legend!!! The reason men bulk up when they lift is because they have TESTOSTERONE! Women have more estrogen…so unless you are going to start taking testosterone supplements…let’s start pumping that iron girls!!

So, our first month of the New Year, we are going to start lifting weight and cross-training (now’s your time to find a triathlon to train for) by adding swimming, biking and running to your exercise program and you’ll begin to watch the pounds just melt away!!

Example: Exercise Workout Schedule

See Choosing a Triathlon Training Program to properly determine what distance you can train for given your background and available time.

View a list of training plans to get started today!

Next month our focus will be Target Heart Rates (fat burning vs. carbohydrate burning). We’ll detail more interval workouts and write out a weight training program for you which will lean you out and burn LOTS of calories!!!

Now, get out there and find a Tri! Good Luck! You’re weight loss goals are about to be met!!!!

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date: January 3, 2007