Successfully Combining Weight Loss Exercises
Effective weight loss exercises - what are they? That's an interestingquestion, but the first questionwe should answeris what causes you to lose weight? The simple answer to this question is, you lose weight when you burn more calories than you take in. Easy right? Well... maybe not so easy in practice. I will be writing a diet article (i.e., the calorie "take in" side of this equation) later, but this article will address the "calorie burn" side. There are many effective exercises out there, but which ones are best and why?
Two Main Exercise Types
Aerobic and resistance training are bothimportant to your weight loss goals, and you will find great weight loss exercises in both types.
Aerobic Training: differsfrom resistance training in both intensity and length of muscle contraction. Aerobic training is usually done with light or no weights, so intensity is less, but it's performed over a relatively longer time period.
Main Way Calories Are Burned: aerobic training is good foryour weight loss program, mainly because of the amount of calories, in general, and fat, in particular, you can burn during the training. Runners call it "hitting" the wall, but this is the moment in your aerobic session when your body switches from burning carbohydrates/sugars/glycogen to burning fat. Unlike the other type of weight loss exercises, aerobics does not, however, increase your basal (resting) metabolic rate as much... stay tuned :-)
Example Exercises:
Distance Running
Cycling
Stair Stepper machine
Aerobics classes
Resistance Training: is a type of strength or weight training where each effort is performed against a specific opposing force generated by resistance (e.g., weight, body weight, or band).
Main Way Calories Are Burned: the goalpurpose of resistance training is to strengthen and grow skeletal muscles. How does this support weight loss? With more muscle mass, your body will naturallyburn more calories throughout the day, not just during the actual exercise like the weight loss exercises above!
Example Exercises:
Free Weights (Barbells, Dumbbells, etc.)
Resistance Bands
Weight Machines
So What Exercises Are Best For You?
The short answer is that this is a very personalquestion for you to answer, but here are some guiding principles. 1) You have to participate inboth types for complete fitness (This goal should come beforeweight loss!). 2) These should be exercises you love, and 3) You have to do them consistently (i.e., at least a few times per week)!
What Do I Do?
My weekly training planusually includes the following weight loss exercises:
Day 1 - Resistance Training: Free Weights for "Push Muscles" (Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps)
Day 2 - Aerobic Training: Yoga (Runner's Yoga)
Day 3 - Resistance Training: Free Weights for "Pull Muscles" (Back, Bicep)
Day 4 - Aerobic Training: Plyometrics
Day 5 - Resistance Training: Free Weights for Legs (Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Calves)
Day 6 - Yoga or Rest
Day 7 - Rest
No need to follow my routineverbatim, but this is an examle of how you can capture the weight loss benefits of both aerobic and resistance training.
Two Main Exercise Types
Aerobic and resistance training are bothimportant to your weight loss goals, and you will find great weight loss exercises in both types.
Aerobic Training: differsfrom resistance training in both intensity and length of muscle contraction. Aerobic training is usually done with light or no weights, so intensity is less, but it's performed over a relatively longer time period.
Main Way Calories Are Burned: aerobic training is good foryour weight loss program, mainly because of the amount of calories, in general, and fat, in particular, you can burn during the training. Runners call it "hitting" the wall, but this is the moment in your aerobic session when your body switches from burning carbohydrates/sugars/glycogen to burning fat. Unlike the other type of weight loss exercises, aerobics does not, however, increase your basal (resting) metabolic rate as much... stay tuned :-)
Example Exercises:
Distance Running
Cycling
Stair Stepper machine
Aerobics classes
Resistance Training: is a type of strength or weight training where each effort is performed against a specific opposing force generated by resistance (e.g., weight, body weight, or band).
Main Way Calories Are Burned: the goalpurpose of resistance training is to strengthen and grow skeletal muscles. How does this support weight loss? With more muscle mass, your body will naturallyburn more calories throughout the day, not just during the actual exercise like the weight loss exercises above!
Example Exercises:
Free Weights (Barbells, Dumbbells, etc.)
Resistance Bands
Weight Machines
So What Exercises Are Best For You?
The short answer is that this is a very personalquestion for you to answer, but here are some guiding principles. 1) You have to participate inboth types for complete fitness (This goal should come beforeweight loss!). 2) These should be exercises you love, and 3) You have to do them consistently (i.e., at least a few times per week)!
What Do I Do?
My weekly training planusually includes the following weight loss exercises:
Day 1 - Resistance Training: Free Weights for "Push Muscles" (Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps)
Day 2 - Aerobic Training: Yoga (Runner's Yoga)
Day 3 - Resistance Training: Free Weights for "Pull Muscles" (Back, Bicep)
Day 4 - Aerobic Training: Plyometrics
Day 5 - Resistance Training: Free Weights for Legs (Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Calves)
Day 6 - Yoga or Rest
Day 7 - Rest
No need to follow my routineverbatim, but this is an examle of how you can capture the weight loss benefits of both aerobic and resistance training.
Source...