Most of us want to lose weight and get fit. Starting an
exercise program or joining a gym always seems like a great first step but if you have ever spent any time at a gym you will notice that not everybody there makes progress on his or her
fitness goals. It is not being at the gym that helps you to get fit but it is how
hard you
work at fitness that makes the difference.
You are going to have to break a sweat in order to see any real results from an exercise program. You will need to get your
heart rate into the training zone and make sure that it stays there for a time. There have been some studies in the past that have shown that exercising for longer periods of time at a lower intensity will actually burn more fat than
carbohydrates. However good that
sounds unfortunately it does not translate to
fat loss.
Burning fat as you exercise is important but not nearly as important as just burning calories. For example if you are doing a
cardio workout and you keep your heart rate at the lower ranges for 60 minutes you may burn 350 calories but if you do that same 60 minute workout and add in some
high intensity interval training or HIIT, you will burn closer to 750 to 1000 calories. So which one will help you lose the most weight?
High intensity interval training is extremely
effective for fat loss. The idea is to get your heart rate into the target heart training zone and then for 30 to 60 second intervals work really hard and raise your heart rate to the higher ends of the zone and then let it come back down to the lower
ends and repeat a few times. If you do high intensity interval training you can even cut your workout time by half or more and still burn more calories and have more success.
In order to determine your target heart rate training zone, take your age and subtract it from 220, then take that number and multiply it by 60% and 80%. This gives you a target heart-training zone. In order to see the best results you will need to keep your heart rate in that zone while you
are doing your workout.
Another important aspect to losing weight and maximizing your fat loss at the gym is to lift weights. The fact is that in order to burn the most calories by just
living everyday you must have more
muscle. Muscle is biologically active and it helps your body to burn more calories just by being there. Fat is basically an inactive substance and it does not help your body burn any calories at all.
Exercise is important but you won't see any results from an exercise program unless you also have a good
diet. Abs are built in the kitchen, not at the gym. Making sure that you consume a healthy and nutritious diet is undoubtedly the most important aspect of any fitness program. You will never
see results unless you follow a healthy diet, no matter how much you exercise.
If you want to maximize your fat loss the most important fundamentals should be to incorporate some HIIT into your cardio routine, start a good
weight-training program and improve your diet. If you do all of these basic things you will see results quite quickly.
Would you say you work out hard when you go to the gym? What do you do to maximize your weight loss results?
Mr. Bananahealth-and-fitness-buzz.blogspot
Comments (10)
I think I'm pretty fit though, and I have never gone to a gym before to work out. Lots of running and just doing workouts at home are just enough for me. Of course, the short distance people will get a lot more thicker muscles on their thighs while the long distance runners would get lean ones. A good arm work out is when you break your leg/foot. I got really strong with just that.
i work out a lot, sometimes 5-7 times per week, 2 hours a day, it's been keeping me in shape for some time now and i've lost a total of 40 pounds and have kept it off for 3 years now. i like working out especially high intensity workouts because not only does it keep me active, it relieves my stress a lot. i work in a heavily stressful industry so after a long day at the office, i go to the gym and work out...definitely try it out.
I'm quite fit, I go to the gym 5-6 days a week and do cardio, weights and yoga/pilates/body balance. I think that's quite well and good but diet plays a bigger factor.
It might also be good to know that anything beyond 90 minutes of cardio and cardio more than 3 times of week hasn't statistically been shown to improve your overall cardiovascular system (or lower your risk of heart disease). Your body has a limit, and if you do around 60 minutes of cardio at a time and 2-3 days a week, you'll get the most for your heart out of your workout.
Everything beyond that will just burn calories, like the article mentioned. :)
This is a really good post. (:
I plan on going to the gym starting this week, maintaining a steady routine. I'll definitely keep these tips in mind.
i maximize my weight loss results by writing down everything I eat and being extremely vigilant. I also make sure to fit a workout in to every day, no matter what. Even if I am very busy, I still try to run around the block, or do some push-ups or an ab routine. Every little bit counts.
I lift weights. I do one body part a day, five days a week. I also walk on the treadmill everyday for fourty minutes.
Exercise is very good in losing weight. I like it because it's natural.Joining a team who wants to loss weight is an easier way to loss weight. hcg is a good way.
To maximize my weight loss a few years ago, I lifted weights and focused on good form instead of lots of weight and strength growth. This helps keep the exercise consistent which seems to be where a lot of people fail.
good post..