Losing weight without sacrificing muscle mass is possible thanks to this technique validated by a professional coach.
What if it was possible to lose weight without losing muscle? All without endless cardio, and without the need to constantly push your limits. That’s what a plan put forward by Joe Holder, a celebrity coach who looks after model Bella Hadid, suggests. In an interview given to the British media Women’s Health, the professional asks us to question the fashionable but harmful methods, in particular those which rely solely on intensive cardio. “We is becoming more and more aware that our body should be subjected to efforts of varying intensities: weak, moderate and sustained. Each intensity level generates specific bodily adaptations, but all complement and reinforce each other when correctly balanced“, he explains. It is on this mentality that his approach is based.
To lose fat, without saying goodbye to muscle, and really change your silhouette, Joe Holder therefore suggests training six times a week but at different intensities. It may seem demanding, but you will quickly understand that these are movements to incorporate into daily life. For his method which he calls “3-2-1”, we practice three sessions at low intensity. “This corresponds to a type of continuous movement, and a regular pace that can be maintained for long periods of time, such as brisk walking, cycling, jogging or hiking.“, continues the expert. So, going for a walk after a meal or going to work by bike fall into this category. By walking or cycling at a leisurely pace, you teach your cells to produce energy much more easily. Result: your body becomes a fat-burning machine, your heart tires less during exercise, and you recover twice as quickly after a big session.
In addition to these three sessions, there are two medium-intensity workouts, which are “hard but without giving everything”. Finally, the sixth session of the week should be (you guessed it) very intense, short but explosive. On the program? Sprinting or circuits. The 3-2-1 formula remains flexible and can be modulated according to your objectives and your physical condition.
This method allows you to vary the intensities, and not fall into one of the two extremes: confine yourself to quiet walking without ever rushing, or exhaust yourself doing ultra-violent sessions every day. Doing intensive workouts without letting the body breathe stresses the body excessively. Gold, “strength gains, muscle development, hormonal balance and fat loss all depend on the body’s ability to recover and readjust over time“, assures Joe Holder. Finding the right balance is therefore crucial to success. Just as much as diet, obviously.
