Exercise: The key to weight loss
By Jeff Rustein
As we grow older it seems that we are in a constant battle
with our waistline, The older we get the harder it is to lose weight.
Many of us have tried various fad diets which may take
the weight off in the short run but undoubtedly it comes right back.
In fact. over 95% of dieters will put the weight back on plus an extra
five pounds.
Diets Just don't work. The key to permanent weight loss
is through exercise and proper nutrition through behavior modification.
When we diet we're losing fat and also muscle. This decrease
in muscle mass will cause our metabolism to slow down, so we are unable
to burn as many calories. As we age this naturally begins to occur.
After our mid 20s our metabolic rate decrease& by approximately
five percent per decade. One explanation for this is that our muscle
mass decreases and our body fat increases due to inactivity. We get
caught up in our work and spend our leisure time in front of the TV
instead of taking care of our bodies. Being overweight in one of the
major causes of hypertension, high blood pressure, certain types of
cancer and an overall lackluster feeling.
As many dieters know, the weight is going to come back
faster and faster the more you diet. Whether you're eating pre-packaged
foods, diet shakes. or grapefruits and water, you're not going to be
able to stay with it forever without going crazy. When you see that
chocolate cake you won't be able to just have one piece you're likely
to cat the whole thing. It's a vicious cycle.
There to good news. Something can break this cycle--exercise.
in order to lose weight we must create a caloric deficit, that is. we
must expend more calories that we are consuming. This is done through
exercise and proper nutrition, not fad diets. Through exercise we are
able to burn calories and add muscle. For every pound of muscle we obtain,
an extra 350 calories per week is burned in order to sustain this. We'll
be using up extra calories even while we sleep.
Aerobic exercises, such as walking and jogging. are excellent
ways to bum calories. Always begin with a warm-up period of 3-5 minutes.
gradually reaching your target heart rate. (Me is 60 to So percent of
your maximal heart, which is estimated at 220-age. For example. if you
are 60 yrs. old your target heart would be 96 beats per minute through
128 beats per minute.) Always start at the low end of your target heart
rate. Exercising in this range for 15 through 20 minutes will allow
for fat reduction to occur. A cool down of 3 to 5 minutes is recommended
as this allow* for your heart rate to gradually return to normal.
Remember, consult your physician about any exercise program
you are considering.
In order to shape and tone our bodies we need to do body
shaping exercises. This will add muscle and firmness to our physiques.
Many women tend to deposit fat around their thighs and buttocks, while
males tend to put fat around their stomachs.
Here are a few exercises that can help tighten these areas.
Outer thigh lift : Lying on your right
side with your hips and ankles in line with your shoulders, slowly lift
your left leg as high as possible, hold, then return to the starting
position. Do 10 repetitions and switch sides.
Inner thigh lift : Lying on your left
side with your hips and ankles in line with your shoulder. right knee
is bent to 90* angle. Slowly lift your left leg as high as possible.
hold, then return to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions and switch
sides.
Abdominal crunches : Lying on your back
with knees bent and hand behind your head, slowly curl your shoulders
up. pause, slowly lower to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions.
You will notice that you will be much more conscience of
the foods you're eating when you exercise. Since you'll be taking care
of your body you won't want to fill it up with junk foods.
It is best to eat three well balanced meals and two nutritious
snacks in between. This will help eliminate the binge eating that often
happens when meals are skipped. Try to drink plenty of water and eat
high fiber foods since this will give you a full feeling without adding
extra calories.
The key to any exercise program is to get proper instruction.
A competent personal trainer will make all the difference.
Jeff Rutstein is president of Custom
Fitness, a
one-on-one personal training company. Jeff has a degree from UMass /
Amherst and is a certified personal and weight training instructor.
Visit his website at http://www.customfitness.com
and/or e-mail him at jeff@customfitness.com.
This article was provided by Chad Tackett, president of GHF.
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