BACK IT UP trainer tip #2 3.7.17

It's Trainer Tip Tuesday and this week I am talking about the back! Pictured are 3 of my challengers and their back transformations. I get questions often about targeting back fat and rolls but on the other side of the coin I get questions about how to sculpt a strong back. To touch on the first topic of target or spot burning fat...YOU CAN'T. Fat burns proportionally from all over the body and has to do mainly with eating at a caloric deficit. Strength training also encourages fat burn because muscle boosts the metabolism which means you burn more calories all day, even when at rest! It burns calories at a higher rate the days following a strength workout as the muscles recover and repair. Muscle essentially makes your body a fat burning machine. To sculpt a strong back, you need to perform a variety of strength exercises that work the entire rear chain of the upper body, learn proper posture and form and how to utilize the muscles of the back and core to aid in lifting. Some examples are lat pull downs, pull-ups, and rows. But there are also many exercise you can do at home with bodyweight and equipment like resistance bands and dumbbells. (See my back mini-workout below.) There are many variations of these exercises as well as numerous others to add to your back program. But remember to see those muscles poppin', you need to lower your overall body fat percentage. These women put the time, effort and energy into changing their bodies with a healthy lifestyle and a solid fitness routine. Their journeys are each unique; they are each at different points in their journey and have very different goals, but what they have in common is the desire to change. Miracles DON'T happen. You make change happen. Don't look for quick fixes or magic potions if you want lasting success,that's never the answer.