Exercising For Weight Loss

Weight Loss through exercise can be somewhat confusing as cardio equipment in the gym recommend built in fat burning programs at around 60 – 70% of your maximum heart rate. 60 to 70% is a fairly low intensity...it’s probably just a brisk walk for most people. This recommendation is based on the premise that at lower intensities the majority of the calories burned are from fat stores rather than carbohydrates. It is true that as the intensity increases a lower proportion of the fuel for exercise is supplied by fat, but the important factor to take into consideration here is the total # of calories expended. So, a vigorous workout may burn a lower percentage of calories from fat but the total amount of fat burned will be greater that working out for the same length of time at a lower intensity. As your fitness level starts to improve through regular exercise, your ability to achieve and maintain higher intensities will also improve and therefore your capacity to burn fat during exercise will increase. Studies have shown there are a number of physiological adaptations as a result of new-cardio, or higher intensity cardio, exercises that help with weight loss. Some of these adaptations are: - Oxygen supply increases with regular exercise helping to burn fat more efficientlyrn- Greater release of fat stores: an enhanced sensitivity to epinephrine results in the breakdown of fat storesrn- Increase in fat entering the muscles: the amount of fat entering the muscles to fuel movement will increasern- Mitochondria increase in size and number: mitochondria is where fat burning takes placernThe combination of these points supports the earlier statement that regular exercise helps us to become better at using up our fat stores. An exercise for weight loss program will depend on 2 things: rn1) Frequencyrn2) DurationrnUltimately the goal is to burn as many calories as possible. Exercising more often and for longer periods will help to tip that energy balance equation in your favor by creating a bigger calorie deficit. While most people correlate weight loss exercise to cardio options such as cycling, or running it is also important to add regular resistance exercises as they result long term calorie expenditure in the form of increase muscle mass. The more muscle you have the higher your resting metabolic rate. So you’ll burn more calories even when you’re sleeping. The best exercise prescription is to combine intense cardio and resistance training with the proper frequency. This is also the best way to maintain your weight loss. To prove the value of resistance training it’s important to know that 2 pounds of additional muscle is equal to an additional 100 calories used per day. A resistance training program can reasonably add 0.8 to 1 pound of muscle per week. Over 12 weeks that would be 12 pounds of muscle gained, and this will not look bulky as it would be spread over the entire body and all muscle groups. 12 pounds of muscle equates to using an additional 600 calories per day while doing your regular everyday activities. That is the equivalent to burning 1 pound of fat every 6 days. The important thing to remember is you get out of exercise what you put in, so resistance training, like cardio, needs to be intense and progressive. The selected weight should produce a momentary muscular fatigue between 12 and 15 repetitions and then increased once it becomes too easy. Maintainable weight loss is not quick, and easy but rather a process that will transform not only your body but your health as well. People invest in things when they see value in it. If you see the value in changing your body, your health, and your life then make the commitment to invest your time and energy in leading an active and healthy lifestyle.