Squats = fat burners

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lisaw19855
lisaw19855 Posts: 165 Member
edited January 2015 in Fitness and Exercise
I keep hearing people mentioning how squats are great at burning fat. I seem to lose weight faster on weeks where I do lots of squats.

I do 10-15 mins on the stationary bike.
2 or 3 reps of 25 squats, 25 biceps curls, triceps curls, side bends and 10 crunches (because I'm crap and my boobs get in the way) with 1.5kg dumbbells.
another 5-10 minutes on the bike.

I am slowly increasing the number of squats I can do as I build strength and stamina but will look at increasing the weights I use because my job involves lifting way more than that regularly so 1.5kg feels lighter than it should. I try to do this 3-4 times a week as well as riding and a physical job.

I am only looking to burn fat and retain LBM at the moment. So are squats really the fat burning tool that everyone keeps claiming?

Also if I increase my weights to 3kg do I need to reduce the squats etc I do to adjust to the new weight?

Replies

  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    If you want to help burn fat, and retain LBM look at compound exercises, those that use more than one muscle group, like squats, deadlifts, lunges, rowing, presses. Curls are one of the last resistance training exercises you should be doing.
  • lisaw19855
    lisaw19855 Posts: 165 Member
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    So I'm on the right track with squats, I can't afford a gym membership but I can do lunges at home and presses. Anything that will help my bingo wings too?
  • zipa78
    zipa78 Posts: 354 Member
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    Toss out those dumbbells. Unless you are recovering from total body paralysis or are 120 years old, they will do nothing for you.

    For a proper home workout I'd recommend a book on bodyweight training ("Convict Conditioning", "You are your own gym" and the likes), a pullup bar and a kettlebell or two. I can't see your stats, but an 8 kg (20 lbs?) bell is usually recommended for beginning women.

    If you wan't to spruce things up, a set of resistance bands and a pair of adjustable dumbbells that go up to around 15 kg should see you through pretty much everything except heavy squats and deadlifts.
  • lisaw19855
    lisaw19855 Posts: 165 Member
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    I don't want to end up hench :o I thought about working up to 5kg lol but you may have a point, the buckets of water I carry are probably pretty heavy so I may be under estimating my strength.
  • kjm3579
    kjm3579 Posts: 3,975 Member
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    Take a look at StrongLifts 5x5 -- you need to progressively increase the weight you are using in your exercises
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    Add some weight to your squats and add more compound exercises. If you can't get to a gym try a body weight programme such as You Are Your Own Gym.

    Lifting will not make you hench. See these for inspiration:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/903628/one-year-of-barbells-and-ice-cream-my-story-so-far-pics

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • T_X_L
    T_X_L Posts: 140 Member
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    lisaw19855 wrote: »
    I don't want to end up hench :o I thought about working up to 5kg lol but you may have a point, the buckets of water I carry are probably pretty heavy so I may be under estimating my strength.

    I work out with a gal who throws around weights that would kill most guys, and most women would kill to look like her. The truth is that women don't have the hormones to get "hench", hell most guys don't without help. And the female bodybuilders you see go through all sorts of stuff to look like that ON THE DAY THEY COMPETE. So long story short check out resources like this: http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/nrol-for-women

  • Of_Monsters_and_Meat
    Of_Monsters_and_Meat Posts: 1,022 Member
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    Yes, squats are just about the best exercise you can do. Source: my wife's backside.

    You should be trying to move up to 20 KG weights. That way you can use barbell.
  • AmandaHugginkiss
    AmandaHugginkiss Posts: 486 Member
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    I'm under 60 kg, and I squat more than my bodyweight on the barbell. It certainly hasn't made me hench. It has seriously slowed my aging from the neck down, though.

    Women don't get bulky just because they think they're going to get bulky. The bulk on a woman is fat, not muscle. Lift something heavy, eat fewer calories. If you don't want to hulk up, avoid gamma radiation, not heavy weights. If you want an at-home workout, improvise with heavy books in a backpack and climb stairs.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    A calorie deficit is what burns fat. Good strength training persuades your body to retain LBM.

    Get the diet right and the training right and you'll lose fat and retain lbm.

    You won't get hench. That's not going to happen without eating at a consistent calorie surplus and years of the right training. You're not doing anything like any of that!
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    At the resistance loads you are doing, your squats are as much cardio as strength. Squats are not "fat burners" per se--it's just another form of activity. More squats=more actvity=more calories burned. You could just as easily do a few more minutes on the bike too. Just putting that in perspective--not saying anything negative about your choices.
  • lisaw19855
    lisaw19855 Posts: 165 Member
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    Azdak wrote: »
    At the resistance loads you are doing, your squats are as much cardio as strength. Squats are not "fat burners" per se--it's just another form of activity. More squats=more actvity=more calories burned. You could just as easily do a few more minutes on the bike too. Just putting that in perspective--not saying anything negative about your choices.

    I'm just trying to the best with what I've equipment and space I've got, so you suggest heavier weights?
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    lisaw19855 wrote: »
    Azdak wrote: »
    At the resistance loads you are doing, your squats are as much cardio as strength. Squats are not "fat burners" per se--it's just another form of activity. More squats=more actvity=more calories burned. You could just as easily do a few more minutes on the bike too. Just putting that in perspective--not saying anything negative about your choices.

    I'm just trying to the best with what I've equipment and space I've got, so you suggest heavier weights?
    Yes. Your purse probably weighs more than your weights. (Mine certainly does).

    Growing muscle is HARD for women. It doesn't happen accidentally, and it only does happen under specific circumstances.

  • lisaw19855
    lisaw19855 Posts: 165 Member
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    2 X 5kg dumbells just arrived in the post, time to up my game x
  • angelarene626
    angelarene626 Posts: 32 Member
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    Squats aren't anymore of a fat burner than any other exercise you do with the right intensity, frequency, etc...You must workout out all the muscle groups to see a change all around. But I must say I absolutely love squats and what they have done for my formerly flat butt and my thighs....I agree with everyone else....up the amount of weight you lift gradually to see greater results
  • crafty30
    crafty30 Posts: 132 Member
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    lisaw19855 wrote: »
    2 X 5kg dumbells just arrived in the post, time to up my game x

  • Marxytron
    Marxytron Posts: 40
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    Most people dont know too that squats build ur core/abs... Thats is why some people that power lift/ squat/deadlift have defined abs even though they dont workout their abs. Compound exercises are better than isolation ones
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
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    Packerjohn wrote: »
    If you want to help burn fat, and retain LBM look at compound exercises, those that use more than one muscle group, like squats, deadlifts, lunges, rowing, presses. Curls are one of the last resistance training exercises you should be doing.

    Great Tip

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