Operation Bikini and Boardshorts: Shred Fat and Get Fit With Your Jump Rope
- 2shares
- Facebook2
- Twitter0
- Google+0
- Pinterest0
- Share
In this article, we’re going to be covering a few things, including:
- How and why fat builds up
- How to eat for lower body fat
- Training jump rope to cut body fat
- General healthy body tips
Contents
How and why fat builds up
Let’s start with some basics on fat, including what it is, as well as how and why it builds up in our bodies. Fat is stored energy, and while it’s good to have some fat to help fuel exercise and your daily life, having too much fat is bad for your health. Why? Because fat which builds up around your body can have a negative impact on your posture, leading to injuries and pain, and all of that excess fat puts pressure on your internal organs and blood vessels. So, getting rid of excess fat is a great idea regardless of how you want to look in a bikini or board shorts.
That said, how does fat actually form? When you eat food, it gets converted into energy for your body to use. Eat too much food, and the excess is stored as fat. Some foods are easier to turn into fat than others because of their composition and how calorie-dense they are. The protein in chicken, for example, is an efficient source of fuel which is unlikely to be turned into fat if you eat it in moderation. The sugar in a bar of chocolate, however, is more prone to turning into fat, rather than being used to fuel or repair your body.
What you eat, directly affects how much body fat you carry around.
How to eat for lower body fat
There are tons of articles out there on eating for lower body fat, so we’ll cut to just a few of the most essential tips for lower body fat using nutrition. This is a key point, by the way, because body composition is as much about nutrition as it is about exercise.
Eat more protein — Chicken, eggs, beef, fish, whatever you want.
Eat fewer simple carbohydrates — White bread and pasta are out, complex carbs in the form of sweet potatoes and whole grain pasta are in.
Choose natural fats — Avoid hydrogenated fat, which is synthetic and terrible for you.
Manage your calories — Calories in vs. calories out is the simplest way to manage body fat.
Training jump rope to cut body fat
We’ve outlined a few of our favourite jump rope workouts below which you can try right now, and we highly recommend checking out our brand new infographic for a full 30-day plan using your Velites jump rope (Right sidebar).
A few key pointers:
Train intensity and endurance for maximum fat burning — Just like with lifting, the more intense your training, the more intense the after burn. Training in short bursts as well as long endurance type workouts is the best way to attack fat in and out of the gym.
Combine jump rope with lifting — For exactly the same reason as above, combining your jump rope workouts with lifting will help to supercharge your fat burning abilities.
Work up a sweat — Working up a sweat will help your body to burn extra fat, so don’t be afraid to get hot and sweaty.
Some of our favourite jump rope workouts:
Cameron (Hero WOD)
50 walking lunge steps
25 chest-to-bar pull-ups
50 box jumps, 24-in. box
25 triple-unders
50 back extensions
25 ring dips
50 knees-to-elbows
25 wall-ball “2-fer-1s”, 20-lb. ball
50 sit-ups
15-ft. rope climbs, 5 ascents
Score: time it took you to complete the workout.
CrossFit Linchpin Test 11
7 squat snatch (185/135 lbs)
11 muscle-ups
100 double-unders
11 muscle-ups
7 squat snatch (185/135 lbs)
Score: time it took you to complete the workout.
Triple 3
For Time
3,000 Meter Row
300 Double-Unders
3 mile Run
Score: time it took you to complete the workout.Open WOD 11.1
10 minute AMRAP
30 double-unders
15 power snatch
Score: Rounds and reps.
Annie
50-40-30-20-10
Double-unders
Sit-ups
Score: time it took you to complete the workout.
Charlie
For time
100 burpee pull-ups
100 double-unders
Score: time it took you to complete the workout.
Those are just a few of our favourites, so be sure to check out the full 30-day training plan by downloading our free infographic .
Training and nutrition are two main factors in controlling your body fat and getting the kind of physique and performance that you want. You won’t optimise one without the other, and to that end, here are a few reminders to round this thing off, which should help you on your way to less body fat:
Train holistically — Get out of breath, get hot and sweaty, and lift weights.
Mix it up — Train heavy and light on different days, and combine them when you can.
Eat well — Don’t starve yourself, or your body will hold onto fat. Eat well, but eat good food.
More protein — Lean meats and eggs.
Fewer carbohydrates — Cut out refined sugar and white bread and pasta, in favour of complex carbs.
Stay committed — You won’t lose all of that excess fat overnight, but with effort and dedication, it’ll go. Stick with it, and enjoy yourself.
Picture: Pinterest
- 2shares
- Facebook2
- Twitter0
- Google+0
- Pinterest0
- Share