Energy balance
Fatmax training (FMT) performed for 8-20 weeks significantly reduces body weight, fat mass, and waist circumference in obese individuals without altering fat-free mass.
To lose fat without losing muscle, train at your specific 'Fatmax' intensity (where your body burns the most fat) for 8-20 weeks, 3-5 times a week. This intensity is usually moderate (40-50% of your max oxygen uptake). Do not combine this with a strict diet, as the study showed fat loss occurred even without caloric restriction. This approach preserves muscle mass while reducing total and abdominal fat.
Results showed that the FMT reduced body weight (MD = −4.30 kg, p < 0.01, I2 = 0%), fat mass (MD = −4.03 kg, p < 0.01, I2 = 0%), and waist circumference (MD = −3.34 cm, p < 0.01). Fat-free mass remains unchanged (MD = 0.08 kg, p = 0.85)... We conclude that FMT at short and medium-term (eight to twenty weeks) reduces body weight and BF, increasing cardiovascular fitness in low physical fitness people with obesity.
Why this rating
Meta-analysis of 11 randomized clinical trials with low heterogeneity (I2=0%) and robust sensitivity analysis, though limited by lack of blinding in most studies.
Source
Chronic Effect of Fatmax Training on Body Weight, Fat Mass, and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Obese Subjects: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials
Isaac A. Chávez-Guevara et al. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 2020
DOI 10.3390/ijerph17217888
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