The Fat Burn Revolution (13 page)

To reach this point you’ll need to use a weight that is relatively heavy for you. If the stated number of repetitions for an exercise is, for example, 10, you should be at the point where
you’re really struggling by the time you reach your tenth rep, if not before. It’s better to only do eight or nine and reach failure at that point than to comfortably bang out 10 with a
weight that doesn’t present a challenge.

You won’t get it right every time, but try to use weights that will take you to around the point of failure at the stated number of reps – and no more.

The human body responds really well to this type of training and if it is new to you, you can expect to make a lot of improvements in your fitness and strength over the course of the
programme.

Once you can complete the stated number of reps for any of the exercises it is time to increase the weight or perform a more advanced version of the move. This is a much better approach than
adding on extra reps. Occasionally you might misjudge the weight you need and find you don’t get much of a challenge from the stated number of reps. If that happens you could add in a few
extra, but this should not be a regular occurrence. Record what happened in your journal and ensure you pick the right weight next time so you can get maximum benefits from your session.

As mentioned in
Chapter 3
, the word ‘metabolic’ is used a lot in describing the programme because of the ‘afterburn’ effect you benefit from with this
type of training – that is, your body continues to use up more fat long after the session. This programme is not about working in your ‘comfort zone’. You may well have witnessed
all those people who spend hours in the gym doing tons of repetitions with weights or long sessions on cardio machines yet still can’t shake off body fat. Maybe you know that feeling of
frustration very well already. This programme is different: we go harder, not longer – because that’s what makes fat burning and fitness gains happen.

N
ow you know what you’re in for, let’s talk about putting the Fat Burn Revolution exercise plan into action. Forward planning is one of
the most powerful weapons you have in your war on excess body fat, so use it well. I recommend scheduling all of your training sessions for the week ahead every Sunday. You can use your journal for
this, but I recommend you also enter them in your main/professional daily diary or planner. You have to get into the mindset of thinking of your workouts as important appointments that are set in
stone. Unless something really important comes up, you should not miss or move them. For example, a friend coming over to visit or an invitation to post-work drinks should not be enough to make you
waiver, but taking someone to hospital is excusable! Keep reminding yourself that you are going for maximum results during the programme. In less than three months’ time (if you’re
following the standard 12-week schedule), when you’ve finished the programme, you can start being a bit more flexible if that feels right for you. But at least until then, while you establish
and embed your new routine, you need to give exercise a very high place in your list of priorities.

The Fat Burn Revolution is suitable for people with a wide range of fitness levels, but whatever level you’re at you should start from Phase I of the programme and work through to Phase
III. Give yourself at least four weeks on each phase before moving on to the next. Even if you already do some of the exercises that are included in Phase I regularly, if you follow the programme
properly, the workouts will not be easy because you will be using weights that take you to the point of failure in the Metabolic sessions and working at your maximum threshold in the Body Blaster
circuit and the Furnace interval sessions. Wherever your limits are, you will be pushing them.

You can schedule the sessions to suit your lifestyle, but I will suggest which workouts to do on which days at the start of the next three chapters. I recommend at least one rest day per week or
at least two if you’re new to regular exercise. Feel free to take additional rest days if you feel unwell or find the schedule is leaving you over-tired. Do not perform the same workout on
two consecutive days as this will inhibit recovery. (If you are using the correct weights this would be a highly uncomfortable thing to do anyway!)

Sometimes exercises which you find challenging might make you feel malcoordinated or weak – this will make it all the more satisfying when you find yourself
getting stronger.

Rest days should not be completely sedentary. Keep those metabolic fires burning by including light activity in your day, aiming to complete at least half an hour of continuous, low-intensity
exercise. Again, this can be anything that gets you moving (e.g. walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, gentle yoga or Pilates, gardening, housework, shopping, etc.).

what if I miss a planned session?

You missed a workout? Shame on you, you’ve undone all your good work, so you might as well just forget the whole thing and go eat a big sugar pie – just kidding!

Of course, the opposite is true. One missed session won’t really set you back and is nothing to worry about all, so long as it doesn’t become a habit. If you catch yourself thinking
of using a missed session as an excuse to miss further workouts, that’s when you need to sit down and have a rational word with yourself!

The thing to do is get back to the programme the following day, ideally starting with the session you missed. But if this makes rescheduling difficult you could just leave out that session
entirely and resolve to push extra hard in that workout next week. You can probably get away with doing that once per four-week phase, but try not to exceed that or it may affect your progress,
especially in the case of the Metabolic, Belly Shred and Plyo Blaze workouts. You only get the chance to do each workout four times at most: miss one of those sessions and you’ve missed 25%
of that aspect of the training. I don’t recommend trying to catch up by doing more than one session per day, it is much better to put all of your energy into a single workout.

what if I miss several sessions?

If you veer off course for several days or more it’s even more important not to get down on yourself. It may be tough to get back on course if you feel you’ve lost
momentum, but do it anyway and you’ll soon be very glad you did. It may mean it will take a little longer to get to where you want to be, but just think of it as a bend in the road. If
you’ve missed a week or less, I recommend picking up the programme where you left off. If you’ve missed a longer period you may need to restart earlier in the programme so you can
remind yourself of the moves and regain lost fitness, but you should find it returns very quickly.

On days when you do miss exercise, it is especially important to keep your diet clean. This will help avoid your results going in the wrong direction and make it easier to get back on track with
the workouts. It will also help you stay in the correct mindset.

If you have any more questions you’d like to get answered before starting The Fat Burn Revolution visit my website
juliabuckley.co.uk
and I’ll point you in the right direction.

Got all the info you need? Then get ready to change your body and change your life.

Part II: the time for
action
has arrived