Weight Loss Exercise


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.