Losing Weight
Tired of losing at weight loss? Learn how to get your diet going by goal setting, getting a diet buddy, and finding the best diet for you. Learn about smart snacks and diet danger zones. If you’re thinking about weight loss surgery, read our pros and cons.
First Step
Have you ever been able to successful use a weight loss cardio workout to successfully lose body fat?
If you are like most people the answer is yes and no ' and usually in the order!
This article is going to go over a few reasons why the average weight loss cardio workout might actually be preventing you from losing weight. Please pay special attention to this article because it can save you lots of time, help you enjoy exercise more, and give you a new outlook on losing with with cardio.
By using "cardio", I am talking about using cardiovascular exercise on a basic cardio machine such as treadmills, rowing machines, upright or recumbent bikes, ellipticals, or any other common cardio machine you see at the gym or at a department store. This also refers to things such as walking outside or going for a bike ride.
It is very common see someone try to lose weight in the gym by getting on a cardio machine and trying to go for 30-60 minutes at a slow pace. They may try to do this 3, 4, or 5 days per week!
In the beginning 2-3 weeks, you see some results pretty quickly. The weight on the scale goes down and you are feeling great. Soon after however, the weight loss slows down and your progress comes to a crashing halt.
Let's go over 3 quick reasons why your hit a frustrating plateau with the normal cardio workout, and more importantly, how to avoid it completely.
Reason #1: It Is Boring!
Unless you are training for a triathlon or are a distance runner, you would more than likely have more engaging things to do with your time then being on a cardio machine for 30-60 minutes. A 60 minute cardio workout 3-5 days a week is a sure way to lose all enthusiasm for exercise and be really bored throughout the whole process.
Lots of people do whatever they can to distract themselves during their cardio workouts. The cover the timer with a towel, watch television, read books, or just about anything else to try and distract themselves.
Reason #2: You Burn Fewer Calories Each Time You Workout
Your body will adapt very quickly to doing a very slow and long weight loss cardio workout. Think about it like this. If you went outside and ran a mile right now it would feel pretty difficult if you were not already a conditioned runner. But what if you ran the same mile 5 days per week for the next two months? It would get easier. Your body would adapt to it because that is what it does best.
The same goes for the average weight loss cardio workout that lasts for 30, 45, or even 60 minutes. At first you might burn a lot of calories, but after doing the same type of cardio workout for too long, the body will become more efficient and will adapt.
This means that the workout that burned 300 calories in January might only be burning 150 calories in March! The only thing you can do it so longer or work harder. Neither one sounds like a very appealing option.
Reason #3: The Average Weight Loss Cardio Workout Does Not Stimulate Your Metabolism
Instead of focusing on the number of calories you burned during a single workout, I want you to instead focus on burning calories during the workout and for hours afterwards!
Research has shown that slow same speed cardio does next to nothing to stimulate your resting metabolism. This means that you workout for 45 minutes, burn 300 calories, and then negate the whole workout with a Gatorade afterwards.
How to Fix This Problem
Did you know that you can use a different type of cardio called interval training that can burn a lot of calories during the actual cardio workout and for hours afterwards as well?
When performed correctly, interval training is faster, more fun, and most importantly, has been shown in research to have a dramatic effect on your resting metabolism. This means that you might burn 300 calories during the actual workout, then another 300 the throughout the rest of the day!
Interval training is an excellent weight loss cardio workout option for this very reason. Interval training simply consists of using both high and low speeds and intensities at set points in your workout. It can be done on any cardio machine and can even be done walking outside!
If you are truly serious about achieving weight loss with a cardio workout, then learning more about interval training is an absolute must. Your will feel like you got twice the workout in half the time and have a lot more results to show for it!
one great way to start melting pounds away is to increase your metabolism. By increasing your metabolism, you'll be able to process food faster and therefore will store less fat in the body. In fact, with a better metabolism, you're body will even begin burning away existing fat in order to get the energy it needs to support itself.
How Metabolism Works
Your metabolism can either work for you or against you. The main way we all get energy is from glucose, commonly known as our blood sugar.
When our blood sugar runs low, our metabolism burns the fat in our bodies in order to make more energy. However, when our blood sugar runs high, our metabolism stores fat in our bodies to use later.
So now let's look at how you can get your metabolism to work for you.
Go Ahead and Eat
Many people believe that the key to losing weight is to stop eating. Well, that will actually have a negative effect on your metabolism. Eating less will cause your metabolism to slow down because it will sense that you don't have enough food.
So when you finally eat, your blood sugar will jump through the roof and your metabolism will store the extra glucose as fat.
Instead of starving yourself, eat many smaller, healthy meals that are low in calories and fat. Also, consume plenty of water, fruits, and vegetables.
By eating smaller portions you'll not only curb your appetite, but you'll also trick your body into thinking that it's getting plenty of food. Therefore, your metabolism will kick into a higher gear. Then when it doesn't get the glucose it needs for energy (because you're eating healthy) then it will begin to take that glucose from the stores of fat that are already in your body.
Get Yourself Moving
Exercise is a guaranteed way to increase your metabolism. Always check with your doctor for what is the best exercise regime for you. Most of the time, walking as little as twenty minutes a day, will help increase your metabolism.
Exercise actually helps you lose weight in two ways:
First, exercise builds muscle and muscle burns calories on its own.
Secondly, when you exercise your body is forced to come up with enough energy to support your activity. So, it begins burning fat in order to give the energy you need.
Don't be put off when I say exercise - there is no need to be pounding away furiously on a treadmill for hours a day.
A simple yet effective mini routine is all that is needed to give your metabolism a boost.
Some Final Words about Losing Weight
If you need to lose weight, you're certainly not alone. Millions of people are in the same boat. However, most people don't realize what it takes to first lose the weight and then to keep the weight off.
If you increase your metabolism, you'll see that over time, your fat will melt off your body and your weight will gradually drop. The two best ways to increase your metabolism are to eat smaller meals more often and to exercise regularly.
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