The reasons why we buy hybrid vehicles are the same reasons why we don’t want our body to behave like one. For the majority of the population, losing fat and getting leaner is a primary goal. To do this, your body must be a machine that likes to burn a lot of energy to fuel its “motor” (muscles). The more muscle you have, the more fuel and energy burned. If your body chemistry is not working in your favor then your metabolism might be slow and not burning energy at an optimal rate making it very difficult to lose fat and maintain a lean body composition. If your body chemistry is working in your favor then your body burns energy like a big fast sports car burns fuel which translates to more fat loss. Here are some training and nutritional choices that affect your body chemistry:

“Hybrid Car” (Slow metabolism, impaired body chemistry for fat loss)

Long duration medium pace exercise otherwise known by most people as “cardio” such as an extended amount of time on cardio machine, swimming, or jogging

Eating a diet consisting of processed foods containing high amounts of sugars and poor fatty acids and low amounts of protein and healthy fatty acids

Not utilizing resistance training to build muscle

Eating progressively lower calories

Muscle Car (High metabolism, improved body chemistry for fat loss)

High intensity exercise circuits, complexes, or intervals otherwise known as conditioning (essentially “cardio” with a training component that promotes fat loss and a higher metabolism)

Eating a diet consisting of whole foods with high amounts of protein and healthy fatty acids, and the proper amount of carbohydrates to match your insulin sensitivity and level of activity

Prioritizing resistance training, getting stronger and building muscle

Eating progressively more calories

Eating less calories and simply moving more through “cardio” does nothing but continuously slow down the metabolism making it harder and harder to lose fat. If you keep restricting and lose weight in the form of muscle, this will further damage body chemistry and metabolism leading to a progressively higher body fat percentage.