Burning more calories or targeting more specific muscles?

[eireanngobrach]

Hello everyone. I have lost 44 lbs since I started ATkins 4 months ago and have a developed a healthy ( maybe, maybe not) addiction to the gym. Currently I do about 1 hour on the elliptical machine and another 45 min of lifting a day and results have been great. I do have a question though that some of you may have the answer to. When I use the elliptical, I usually use it on the weightloss setting, which is 4 intervals of low resistance pedaling at a fast rate and 3 intervals of high resistance pedaling, which I try hard to keep at the same rate ( ~170 rpm). I usually end up burning 720 calories in my 1 hour session. I was totally bored with this one day and decided to try the gluteal workout. I definitely felt it in my butt and thighs, but I bured only like 590 calories for my 1 hour session. So, if I want to lose the most weight and shape up my butt ( which is my larget part), do you think I should aim for more calories burned? Or target specific areas and burn less calories? I have discussed with some friends and they feel that as 600 calories is the same as 700 calories and that if I want to tone up my butt fast I should stay with the gluteal workout. What do you think?

[Iapetus999]

Re: Burning more calories or targeting more specific muscles?

Variation is good...in fact I think you should instead try different exercises altogether like the Treadmill, cycle, rowing, stairs etc.
If you are willing to go outside there is running, hiking, biking, blading, or organized sports.
Your body gets "used" to something if you do it all the time and burns fewer calories. To maximize your burn you should mix it up. Also you can do some days long and slow(easy) and other days short but fast(hard).

One thing I found particularly good for weight loss is HIIT. (google it or search this site). I only did it once a week but it seems I'd lose a pound every time I did it.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Burning more calories or targeting more specific muscles?

weight lose can't be done in just specific spots but you can tone the muscles in specific areas by exercising them. So why don't you do both tone thast area and keep getting a toital cal burn HIIT is a great fat buring weight loss program and it is adaptable to any aerobic exercise you want to use. you do 1 min in your fat burning heart rate then 1 min full out then back to 1 min in your fat burning zone recovering so you are burning fat and not sugar then another min all out. you can start easy and work your way up to harder levels on the machines as you get in better shape or you can just do it walking, running,skating. or biking down the road if that is what you do.