myBODY&CO

Sometimes at the gym, you’ll see someone who is constantly on the treadmill, or the elliptical, or the bicycle, or the stair-stepper. They’ll do about an hour of non-stop cardio. And usually they are at the gym doing the same routine 3 to 4 times a week. The only problem with this, is that most of the time these people are not losing any weight. So what is happening there, when these poor people are exercising an hour for 4 times a week!!!!

Another example, is of people who jog for an hour, 5 times per week. And the same thing happens to these people – they are not well-built (in the sense that they do not have much muscle tone), but instead have rolls of fat around their waist-line.

Also, maybe you have noticed that postman or postwoman who is walking so much in a day, and yet is still overweight.

So what is going on here, when we are led to believe that for weight loss all you need is a regular aerobic routine. Why isn’t it working for these people?

Well, doing the proper kind of exercise will definitely lead to weight loss. However, the exercise has to be monitored and controlled, and there has to be a plan in place.

First of all the cardio has to be varied, so that the body doesn’t get used to the same routine. You need to ‘shock’ the body, so that the exercise will be effective. So, it’s good to vary the equipment, but also it is good to vary the intensity of your exercise. For example, you can choose a routine of interval training, where you are alternating running for say 30 minutes and jogging for 3 minutes, or jogging for 1 minute and walking for 3 minutes.

In addition, while doing your cardio routine, it is essential to work out at the correct intensity (this is calculated by taking into account the purpose of your aerobic exercise, and your heart rate range in which to exercise).

Apart from your cardio exercise, it is imperative to integrate resistance training (lifting weights). You don’t need to build a huge muscle mass, but at least you need to maintain your muscle mass so as not to lose lean muscle tissue while losing weight. Each pound of lean muscle tissue burns between 7 – 14 calories, while a pound of fat burns 2 calories. In addition, weight training significantly increases your average daily metabolic rate – which is the perfect foundation for losing that fat.

Hence, if you are determined to lose that fat or for just weight maintenance, I would recommend a combination of cardio exercise (which would be customized to your needs and properly monitored) together with resistance training. Now this doesn’t have to take up all your time. A carefully planned and effective routine (which includes aerobic exercise, resistance training, stretching and nutrition) will take about 1 hour, 3 times a week. It can be done at the gym, but also in the privacy of your home. In addition, with a carefully laid out customized plan, you are able to see dramatic results in just 12 weeks.

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To Your Health

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