NEED HELP WITH BURNING FAT?

💪🏼About Muscle Retention
-
A common concern people have is that they will lose muscle during their fat loss phase. But if you take on a logical approach, it is definitely possible to maintain and, in some cases, gain muscle [1]. The three main variables that will influence your ability to maintain muscle during a fat loss phase are your calorie intake, protein intake, and strength training. 
-
If you severely restrict your calorie intake, the risk of muscle loss increases due to the upregulation of catabolic processes, like increased muscle protein breakdown [2]. For this reason, aiming for a moderate fat loss approach makes sense. Having a calorie deficit of around 15-25% is a good range for most people. Also, multiple studies show a higher protein intake benefits muscle retention [3, 4]. A protein range of ~0.7-1g/lb. (1.6-2.2g/kg) bodyweight works well for most people.
-
Lastly, your body won’t hold onto muscle tissue that is not used regularly. It sees this as unnecessary extra tissue, which costs energy to preserve. So, to maintain muscle, you will need to train muscle with weights [5]. This doesn't mean cardio is useless though. As mentioned in the 2nd slide of this post, doing some cardio has (health) benefits. Check the slides of this post for more details on each key muscle maintenance variable!
-
References (PMID):
1. 28630601
2. 24092765
3. 18469287
4. 19927027
5. 10487375 ...

🔊 About Creatine
-
Creatine monohydrate is one of the few supplements that have good scientific backing. Decades of research show creatine helps enhance muscle and strength gains. Swipe left to learn all about creatine [1].
-
First, what is Creatine? Creatine is a compound used in human energy production. The energy currency of the body is known as ATP, during high-intensity exercise, we use creatine to resynthesize ATP and provide fuel for training. So when you have elevated muscle creatine stores, you can sustain high-intensity exercise for longer.
-
The main benefits of creatine are improved performance and muscle development. Because creatine plays a central role in energy production, research shows that supplementing with creatine improves your strength performance [2]. And if you are able to perform better in training, the results you get out of your training also improve.
-
Another cool benefit creatine has is related to brain function. In a 2018 review of 6 studies, it was found that creatine supplementation slightly enhances cognitive abilities, like improved memory [3]. Just like a muscle, the brain uses creatine to resynthesize ATP. So creatine supplementation may help with enhancing brain energy metabolism.
-
About how to use creatine, for most people, taking 3-5g of creatine monohydrate per day is sufficient. It's possible to have a loading phase for 1-week to accelerate the pace at which your muscles are saturated with creatine. But over time, you get the same benefits when taking 3-5g of creatine daily [4].
-
Lastly, about the safety of creatine, a 2017 position stand by the International Society of Sports Nutrition concludes that creatine in recommended doses is safe for healthy people [1]. Numerous research reviews support this [5, 6]. And this makes sense. Creatine is a naturally occurring compound that your body also produces on its own. With supplementation, we just help the body saturate muscle creatine stores.
-
📚 See the last slide for references!
🎵 Music by @iamryanlittle ...

🔑About Squat Depth
-
Reaching good squat depth can be a struggle. Maybe your back rounds when you try to squat deeper or perhaps you can't get in a deep squat position yet. In today's post, I will share 3 tips that will help you improve squatting depth. We know from research that full range of motion squats increase muscle growth more than partial squats, so this can also help improves results, swipe left for more.
-
First of all, it's worth emphasizing that there is no 1 universal best way to squat. You may have heard that the top of your knee should be at or below the hip crease. While this is a fine guideline for most people, proper squatting depth can look different per individual due to differences in biomechanics. So try not to compare your squatting depth with that of someone else, we all squat a bit differently.
-
Now, the first tip to improve your squatting depth is warming up properly. If you go into a squat without a warm-up, you'll likely feel quite tight. We know from research that dynamic stretches help improve range of motion without negatively impacting performance [1]. So after incorporate 2 lower body dominant dynamic stretches, followed by 2-3 warm-up sets in which you build up your squatting weight.
-
The next tip is having a slightly wider squat stance to reduce ankle mobility demands. Immobile ankles is a common reason that people are not able to squat deeper. Research supports that when you maintain a wider squat stance, your ankles need to stretch less and you can squat deeper [2]. Other options here are elevating your heels and doing ankle mobility drills to mobilize your ankles before a squat.
-
Lastly, it's worth experimenting with more simple squat variations like Goblet Squats and Box Squats if you don't feel comfortable with the back squat yet. With a Goblet Squat, the weight is in front of you, which often helps you more easily reach depth. With the box squat, you have a clear external object as a reference point to how deep you should squat.
-
References (PMID):
1. 21373870
2. 29997725 ...

🍲 I am often asked what the "best diet" is for burning fat. There is no 1 size-fits-all answer because we are all exposed to different psychosocial factors.
-
We eat food to fuel physical activity and life. But in this day and age, it's not realistic to look at food solely as "fuel" for the body. Food is also part of most cultures and people's social life [1]. To put it in technical terms, we eat food for physiological and psychosocial reasons [2, 3].
-
This is why a diet that on paper is "optimal" for producing fat loss may not be the best diet for you. If you can't stick to a certain nutrition approach because of your lifestyle, you won't be able achieve the benefits. How well you can stick to your diet is one of the best predictors of fat loss success [4].
-
So consider psychosocial factors (like time availability, stress, social life, career etc.) when designing a fat loss diet that puts you in a calorie deficit. There is no 1 "best approach" here. A nutrition approach that's sustainable for someone that works 9-5 may be impractical for someone working night shifts.
-
But as long as you have the key principles in place, like having a calorie deficit, consuming enough protein, and exercising regularly, you will always make progress. Regardless of the specific tactics you use to get there.
-
📚 References (PMID):
1. 22472944
2. 23408456
3. 23408456
4. 28696389 ...

🎬 New YouTube video about "How To Train The Side Deltoids" is now live! I discuss 4 simple tips that will help you elevate your Side Delts development. Visit the link in my bio or go to YouTube.com/iWannaBurnFat to check the new video.
-
In the rest of today's post, I will discuss 2 of the 4 tips covered in my new video.
-
🔊 Developing the side deltoids is a common training goal. In today's post, I will give you 2 simple tips to help you more effectively train your side deltoids.
-
First of all, when you perform a side delt raise, aim to slightly lean forward. When you stand completely upright, the resistance runs more in line with the front muscle fibers of your shoulders. Leaning forward a bit and raising your arms slightly in front of your body in a scapular plane ensures that the side deltoid muscle fibers directly oppose gravity and get challenged better.
-
Secondly, if you find it tough to control your technique during side raises, or perhaps your feel your traps working more than the side delts, experiment with doing Chest-Supported Side Raises. With a chest-supported side raise, you are locked into position, which prevents you from using hip momentum to lift the weight up.
-
For a complete guide on effective side deltoid training, I suggest you visit the link in my bio to check my new YouTube video on this topic.
-
🎵 Background music by @iamryanlittle ...

🔊 Barbell Rows Form
-
The barbell row is one of the most effective exercises for training your back. In today's post, I will discuss 4 barbell rows tips.
-
The first tip is about how far you lean forward with a barbell row. It's common for people to stand mostly upright during rows. But to get the full benefits of a row you want to lean forward until your upper body is almost parallel to the floor. The main function of your lats is shoulder extension. When you lean forward more, your shoulder can extend more.
-
Next, you want to maintain a neutral spine during rows. When your chest caves in, the row will place more stress on the shoulder. If you overly flex your spine, this can result in low-back discomfort. So aim to lower your upper body down while keeping a neutral spine. This results in a more stable position to pull from.
-
The angle of your elbows matters when it comes to which muscles a row trains. The upper back gets trained more when you have a wide grip and the elbows point outward. The lats get stimulated more when you pull your elbows in more, like with underhand-grip rows or even something like T-Bar Rows.
-
If you experience low-back discomfort or struggle to get into the low position of a row, you can try Seal Rows or Chest-Supported Dumbbell Rows. These are both exercises in which you have a chest-support, so it's easier to stay in the right position. You can also use Inverted Rows as an alternative if you train at home.
-
🎵 Background music by @iamryanlittle ...