What Is The Best Weight Loss Exercise

What Kind of Exercise Should I Do?

There are many types of activities available to you. Obviously whatever you choose, you should enjoy. But some exercises offer greater benefits than others do.

Aerobic Conditioning

Aerobic activity is one type of activity that helps your heart work harder and become more efficient over the long run. The primary goal of an aerobic activity is to increase the heart and breathing rates (still to safe levels) for an extended period of time. To gain the maximum benefits from an aerobic activity, these activities should be completed a minimum of three times per week. They should be repeated for a length of time of approximately twenty to thirty minutes, where large muscle groups are moving at an even pace. Examples of aerobic activities include jogging, fast walking, biking, dancing, skating, and skiing. While performing an aerobic activity you will breathe harder during the time your heart is working harder. It is important to monitor your heart rate to determine how effective your workout really is.

What is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic activity? Aerobic means "with oxygen" and denotes activities where oxygen demand can be met continuously during performance, such as walking or jogging. Anaerobic means "without oxygen" and denotes activities where the muscles are using oxygen faster than the heart and lungs can deliver it. These activities include quick stop-and-go movements, like in football, baseball, and tennis.

Daily Moderate Activities

Other activities that are not necessarily considered aerobic are those that are more moderate in intensity. These include activities such as gardening, cleaning house, raking leaves, mowing the grass, playing with children, and leisure walking. Although these activities may not assist in initially losing weight, they are just as important as aerobic activities for overall health and weight maintenance. Accumulation of several of these types of activities adds up to more calories burned overall. Incorporating more of these types of activities on a daily basis can lead to a more active lifestyle, keep boredom at bay, and help eliminate excess consumption of foods, too. Additional fitness benefits are gained for individuals who accumulate at least thirty minutes of moderate activities each day.

Strengthening Exercise

Exercises that include weight bearing and weight training should be as much of a part of your exercise routine as aerobic conditioning. These types of activities help strengthen muscles and bones; improve overall conditioning, endurance and overall balance; and assist in preventing injuries. Strength-training exercises should be incorporated into regular exercise programs at least twice per week.

Muscle weighs more than fat, so building up muscle can initially add several pounds rather than taking them off, but in time this in time this will reverse.

Flexibility Exercise

Exercises that improve flexibility are those that help to move your joints in all areas of motion, like stretching exercises. Improved flexibility allows individuals to move their bodies more freely and prevent injuries to the muscles that control movement of the joints of the shoulders, knees, elbows, hips, and ankles. Stretching exercises should be incorporated into your regular fitness routine. Stretching helps elongate the muscles and connective tissues that prevent stiffness in the body. When you stretch, hold these stretches for twenty to thirty seconds or as long as you can. Try stretching whenever you can in front of the television, in your car, during a coffee break, or at the gym. You should also stretch after strength-training exercises for maximum benefits.

Walking Program

Many people find walking the most suitable form of exercise. It does not require any special equipment, does not cost anything, and can be enjoyed any time of year both indoors and outdoors. Walking has been shown to be the most popular form of exercise, too, it makes people feel more energized, improves heart rates, and helps reduce body fat. It is also highly enjoyed when accompanied by family members, friends, or even with the family dog.

Walking at a steady but moderate pace is suggested for achieving the greatest benefits. Walking too slow does not raise one's heart rate as effectively as walking at a brisker level, but it still offers improved fitness levels, particularly for people who are just beginning an exercise routine.

Proper walking form includes the following elements:

  • Keeping your back straight and head erect.
  • Keeping your toes pointed straight ahead.
  • Letting your arms swing loosely at your sides, with elbows bent at about 90 degree angles.
  • Landing on your heels first, then rolling foot forward to move off of the balls of your feet.

People who may be enthusiastic about their walking program may wish to monitor their mileage and increase it over time. Attaching a pedometer to your waistband may be one helpful motivator. This small tool offers information regarding miles and number of steps walked. Some even calculate calories burned as well. You can also plan your walking routes and use the odometer on your car to determine the distance you have covered. In any case, a walking program should be one that is started slowly and increased over time for maximum benefits.

Warming up before beginning any exercise prepares your heart and other muscles for the work that will be required from them. This warm-up should last for about five minutes at a slow pace. A gradual increase can then follow. The cool-down period should last for about five minutes. This will allow the heart rate to decline at an appropriate rate. Walking at a slow pace is appropriate as a cool-down, similar to the warm-up.

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