One of the key ingredients in the battle of obesity is
proper weight loss exercise. Many people do not see the distinction between
regular exercise and weight loss exercise. The most obvious difference is that
exercise during a diet needs to be at a greater intensity than does exercise during
periods of weight maintenance. Another important difference between exercise
for weight loss and regular exercise is the mixture of cardiovascular exercise
and strength building. This article will discuss both, as well as how they are
essential to reaching one's weight loss goals.
Losing weight can be simplified down to an equation; you
must burn more calories than you consume. Once this is realized, it is clear
that the intensity of exercise during a weight loss campaign must be great
enough to burn off all daily consumed calories as well as the calories that are
stored in the form of body fat. No matter what diet one chooses when the goal
is to lose weight, exercise must accompany it in order to lose the weight
effectively.
While regular exercise might consist of a slow-paced jog
around the block or a half-hour on the treadmill, proper weight loss exercise
needs to be at a pace that is fast enough to raise the heartbeat high above its
natural resting rate. Once this is achieved, the body will first burn off all
readily available energy sources, namely those that have been recently
consumed. Once there is no more fuel available, the body will begin to convert
its fat stores into usable energy which results in weight loss. The key to
getting the body to do this is by exercising at an intensity that will burn off
all recently consumed calories as quickly as possible.
The second aspect of weight loss exercise that differs from
regular exercise is the incorporation of proper strength training into one's exercise
regimen. Two of the most effective methods for strength training are by lifting
free-weights or in resistance training.
Both of these encourage muscle growth by challenging one's
muscles to grow in order to adapt to the consistent exertion experienced during
regular training sessions. Muscle burns calories much faster and in greater
quantity than regular body tissues so by increasing one's muscle mass they are
effectively increasing their capacity to burn more energy.
This not only aids weight loss in the present by helping to
burn more fat, but it also aids in the future by increasing the efficiency of
one's metabolism and capacity for consuming calories without weight gain.
By having more muscle, one can eat more food and not gain
weight because their extra muscle mass will consume those extra calories. Of
course, the aesthetic benefits of increasing one's muscle mass are also
inherently beneficial and need not be explained.
Losing weight by coupling a proper diet with proper weight
loss exercise is the simplest strategy in the fight against obesity. By
exercising at a high-intensity and also including strength training into one's
exercise plans, dieters give themselves the best chance possible for realizing
their weight loss goals.
