It’s a new year.  January calls many back to a workout routine for the first time in months.  On average only one in three Americans exercise regularly, but this month that number annually increases.¹ So to help you this year, remember this:  When you exercise may have as much to do with your results and reaching your goals as much as anything else.

Fact: Exercising first thing in the morning gives optimal benefit!

There are two huge benefits of exercising first thing in the morning:

1. It gets done!  Obstacles get in the way as the day goes on, and many put off exercise for other responsibilities.

2. The benefits of exercising before your first meal of the day are numerous.

According to a recent study published in the Journal of Physiology, working out on an empty stomach puts your body at a huge advantage. The report concluded that participants who exercised in a fasting state, or with no food, helped them burn fat and become more resistant to weight gain.  Other participants of the study did not see the same results.  In fact, those who ate a carbohydrate rich breakfast and exercised later actually gained weight instead of becoming weight loss resistant.²

One of the explanations for how this fat burning process occurs involves your nerve system.  More specifically, your sympathetic nerve system controls all fat burning.  The sympathetic nerve system is activated by exercise and lack of food. Additionally, it’s been shown that working out this way will improve the secretion of good hormones – just like our Maximized Living type of exercise is designed to already do.

A small percentage of people may experience negative symptoms including dizziness, nausea, or fatigue from working out on an empty stomach. When starting this routine, it may be necessary to eat something small before a workout.

Along with exercising first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, the right type of exercise is just as important.  Start exercising smarter, not longer.  Maximized Living doctors are trained in cutting edge information on the right type of exercise – pure surge training, also known as burst training.  Not only is it the right type of exercise to lose weight, it also takes literally minutes to do.

Exercising and the right type of exercise routine is only one piece of the puzzle when losing weight.  Register for the upcoming Maximized Living Makeover on January 15th in your area to learn more about this type of exercise.  You can also go to your Maxinized Living doctor’s website and watch about Surge Training.

Source: Maximized Living Blog

There are three types of exercise:

• Strength/Resistance Training
• Cardio/Aerobic Training
• Flexibility/Stability

Strength/Resistance Training

The primary hormone response invoked by strength and resistance training is elevated levels of Human Growth Hormone. This hormone is essential for fat mobilization. It also signals fat burning enzymes and aids in muscle mass development. HGH levels are raised most during sleep, in direct proportion to exercise intensity during your workout.

Strength training will improve your glucose tolerance and increase insulin receptor sensitivity. This will help your body become a fat burner, rather than a sugar burner. This type of exercise also creates a bigger metabolic after burn than aerobic training, while also increasing fat free muscle, bone density and metabolism.

Cardio/Aerobic Training

There are many benefits associated with cardio and aerobic training, but also many negatives. Cardio training will lower your resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, keep your brain young by increasing circulation to the brain and aids in detoxification by stimulating the lymphatic system.

But long distance cardio training decreases testosterone levels, decreases the immune system post exercise, and raises stress hormone levels (cortisol). Increased levels of cortisol stimulate the appetite, will increase fat storing and slow down or inhibit exercise recovery.

So how do we get the benefits without the negatives? Burst train to burn fat.

What is Surge Training?

Surge training involves exercising at 90%-100% of your maximum effort for 30-60 seconds in order to burn your body’s stored sugar (glycogen), followed by 30-60 seconds of low impact for recovery. This causes your body to burn fat for the next 36 hours to replace your body’s vital energy (glycogen) stores.

You only need to do 4-6 sets of 30-60 second bursts 3 times a week to see marked changes and improvements. More is not always better–make sure you have days of rest.