4 Habits for a Better Fat Burning Workout

Training is so much more than just piecing together movements to create a workout. 

1. Improve Sleep and Our Nightly Routine:

Although sleep can be an afterthought for most people, it is one of the most beneficial things we can do for our body. Not only is quantity important, but getting into a deep sleep is actually what allows our body to recover and make the proper hormones to keep hunger in check AND push harder in training. 

TACTICS: Cold, dark room; get off electronics 60 min before bed time



Creating a calm and relaxing atmosphere begins before your head hits the pillow. 30-60 minutes before bed it would benefit you to start winding down, shutting off your screens and relaxing before bed. If you need to eat something pre bedtime, keep the carbohydrates low and feel free to have a normal sized portion of protein and fat. 

If you have difficulty relaxing, my recommendation is for you to look into a supplement such as magnesium which will help calm your body and mind before bedtime. I find it best to have one serving 30 minutes before you intend on going to bed.

I also utilize a sleep tracking tool called WHOOP which allows me to see everything from 

• The time I spend in bed versus the amount of sleep actually achieved
• The number of disturbances throughout my sleep cycles
• The amount of time spent in the 3 phase of the sleep cycle
• The way my body has recovered and it’s ready to perform the next day. 
• As well as utilizing the haptic alarm to wake peacefully and bedtime reminders to start my bedtime routine.

Get one free month of WHOOP when you use this link.

2. Hydration

While everyone’s water needs are different based on age, gender and weight, it’s fair to say getting in at least 100 oz in a day is an optimal amount. Ideally, 16-20 oz of water before you train will help keep your muscles fluid and get you ready for movement and proper muscle function.

TACTICS: Space your water out during the day and try not to drink more than you need to before bed time so you don’t disrupt sleep. 

If you are not accustomed to drinking this much water, begin by tracking how much you actually drink and try to add 8-10oz per day until you reach 100oz of water in a day. 

You may choose to carry around a half gallon or drink a smaller bottle every hour. Whatever your preference is, it helps to start your day with a larger glass of water (yes before your coffee), to get your body’s fluid working right away. 

Consistency in water intake will lead to proper hydration, more focus and better energy which will ultimately assist you in having a better performance in your training hour each day. 

3. Proper Fuel



You wouldn’t take a long road trip without filling up the tank with gas, so why head into a workout when you're on “E?” 

Everyone knows going into a workout feeling hungry, and depleted doesn’t lead to a successful workout most of the time, especially if we are trying to have more intensity in our training. 

So while you don’t absolutely need food in your system right before you train, most people respond better to having at least a small amount of food on their stomach. 

Best practice is to try and eat 1-2 hours before your workout starts to give your food time to digest and give your usable energy.

TACTICS: If your training is going to be heavy lifting or at least taxing to your whole body, shoot for a quicker digesting carb source like rice or berries right before you train.

Carbs are friends not foes! Before any other type of food, carbohydrates are what the body is looking to use for energy. Pre workout carbohydrates, primarily high glycemic carbohydrates will assist in a quick digesting energy where you can use that fuel immediately for your training session. Some of my favorites are, but not limited to sourdough bread, honey, banana, apples, or berries).

4. Warm-Up

If you have time to workout, you have time to warm up.

This should go without saying but we all too often rush through a few half assed stretches and movements before we jump right into some heart pounding 30+ minute workout. I’m guilty of it too, but a proper warm up usually has a component to increase blood flow. 

Keep it simple. Walk on a treadmill, row or bike as well as dynamic components such as Hip CARS for lower body or inch-worms for upper body. 

The dynamic movement can be anything from a regressed version of the movements inside your workout all the way to some targeted core and mobility work that will help you to get in the proper positions during the workout. 

5 minutes of blood flow + 10 minutes of dynamic should be enough to get you ready to go!

TACTICS: For those that are capable of it, a quick full body warm up is 3 rounds of 1:00 cardio, 10 no push up burpees, 10 banded squats and 10 light dumbbell presses right and left side will prime your body for better performance during training.

As you can see, working out is more than just putting on your shoes and hitting the gym! It takes using the rest of your day as a chance to give yourself the best opportunity to perform and walk away satisfied with your training session on a daily basis. If you have any questions or need help with some coaching for yourself, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at justin@hiddensummitgorup.com or find me on Instagram @farmertofitter