I definitely do not recommend trying to use squats as your main weapon to meet your goal of weight loss.
Let me explain…
Weight loss should never be your main goal. Weight loss means fat loss AND muscle loss. You never want to lose muscle but you can lose weight faster if you lose both muscle and fat at the same time.
Yes, read that again: You can lose weight faster if you lose your precious muscle and body fat at the same time. People are praised when they lose body weight very fast, but this is NOT what you want.
Muscle loss is NOT what you want.
Squats Help You Focus On Fat Loss and Not Weight Loss
Instead, you need to focus on fat loss. Squats will definitely help with fat loss BUT this is not the number one priority if you're doing squats regularly.
The main goal when doing squats is to get stronger. Please make sure you read that again: The #1 goal when doing squats is to get stronger. Don't worry about burning calories. Focus on increasing your strength a little each workout and performing better each workout.
When you focus on getting stronger on squats, everything else will fall into place for you much better versus focusing squats on weight loss.
Squats will help you to lose weight without a doubt. Squats will help you to lose the right kind of body weight, which is body fat. But please, don't expect to lose overall body weight faster because you are doing squats. Most likely, weight loss will slow because squats help you hold onto muscle.
Don't worry as this is what you want. You want to improve your health and your appearance. Squats is one of the main weight lifting exercises that will help you to do so.
Don't Fall Into the Trap of Using Squats to Burn More Calories
If you try to use squats to help you lose weight directly, you'll fall into the dreaded traps that so many people fall into with these worthless workout programs.
You'll see so-called fitness experts with workout videos telling you to do a few sets of body weight squats here and there while trying to wear you down and burn as many calories as possible during this “expert” workout video.
Don't fall into that trap.
Use weight lifting to focus on building muscle and strength. You don't use squats to try to wear yourself out as much as possible during a workout just so you can burn more calories to lose weight.
Focus on Getting Better at Squats Which Means Getting Stronger
Instead, focus each workout on getting as strong as possible. If you are a man or a woman, you MUST focus on getting stronger. Yes women, other women have lied to you over the years and have tried to get you to follow their videos where they tone and burn. This is wrong. I promise you that.
An example… which is better?
#1: 10 sets of body weight squats at 10 reps with little to no rest
#2: 3 sets of squats at 5 reps each with increasing weight of 185, 190, 195 pounds
In example #1, you continue to repeat this same workout with the same amount of weight and same amount of reps for many workouts in an attempt to burn calories. You aren't making any real progress in terms of strength AND you definitely aren't building ANY muscle.
In example #2, you continue increasing the weight each workout and resting between sets so you get maximum strength levels for each set of squats. You don't fatigue yourself in an attempt to burn maximum calories. You are definitely building muscle.
Sometimes, as you get really strong, you might have trouble increasing the weight. There are strategies I have designed into the WLC System Workout Programs for that. You will be able to increase the weight often for your squats!
Focus on Squats to Lose Weight and You Will Lose
When you focus your squats to lose weight, you will fail.
When you focus your squats to build strength, you will be successful. You need to learn proper squat technique before you focus on getting very strong, though.
You will look much better much faster when you use squats to build muscle and strength. When you use squats to lose weight, you won't be as happy!
Take my advice here today and focus squats on building muscle and strength.
Trust me…
The weight loss in the right way will come for you. You will lose only body fat and build muscle along the way. Focusing on weight loss leads to the “skinny fat” look. Focusing on strength and muscle leads to the look you've always wanted.
Squats are one of the best, if not THE best, overall weight lifting exercises. Use them the right way and you will be rewarded!
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