Fitness And Weight Loss

Annual statistics show that the number of people who are overweight and obese is increasing at an alarming rate. New theories seem to arise almost monthly about the reason that people have difficulty maintaining a healthy weight. Theories include that people are obese because of a virus, were born that way, have heavy bone structures, and have defective metabolisms.

But the underlying truth to weight loss is that everyone can lose weight if they are in a negative calorie balance. If you take in less calories than you burn you will lose weight.

Before undertaking a fitness for weight loss program you should consult with your doctor to determine the level of intensity and length of time at which you should begin. Your doctor can also make suggestions based on your current health, fitness level and any interactions that may occur with medication you may be on.

If your particular metabolism is slower than most then you’ll require less calories to maintain your daily body needs (like breathing, digestion, etc.). Or if you put your body into starvation mode by eating too little calories for a length of time and slow your metabolism down too far you will need to increase that metabolism through exercise. However, with a negative calorie balance you will continue to lose weight.

Using a healthy weight loss plan to gain a negative calorie balance requires both fitness and a healthy diet. Although many people know that fitness will increase the calorie burn and raise the resting metabolism, both important for long term weight loss, they may not be aware of the other equally important benefits to health and wellness.

Increasing your heart rate and respiratory rate through exercise increases your blood flow through the circulatory system, fitness for weight loss improves the efficiency of the heart, decreases blood glucose which is beneficial for people who suffer from diabetes. In fact, people who regularly use insulin to control their blood glucose can decrease the amount of insulin, therefore decreasing the long term negative effects of animal hormones, but incorporating a fitness for weight loss routine into their daily lives.

Fitness for weight loss will also increase flexibility and strength so you are able to perform more of your daily routine without discomfort; it increases your energy, your self-esteem and your self-awareness of your muscles. You’ll feel muscles you’d forgotten you even had!

It is important that the fitness for weight loss routine have both an intensity and duration for these benefits. The intensity of the fitness equals how fast your heart rate gets and for how long. Are you sweating? Does the routine make your muscles burn slightly? The duration is just how long the routine lasts.

Although both intensity and duration are important, if your initial level of fitness doesn’t allow you to exercise for more than 10 minutes then incorporating 10 minutes of fitness for weight loss 3 times throughout your day will give you similar benefits to doing the 30 minutes all at once. Then as your fitness improves you’ll be able to maintain an intensity for a greater duration.

Your goal in a fitness for weight loss program is to do a moderate amount of exercise for your fitness level while maintaining that intensity level for 45 minutes. At this intensity level you should be producing sweat for at least half the work out and be slightly out of breath when you finish.

If you are moderately to severely overweight you should use only low impact aerobic activities to decrease any potential damage to your joints. Swimming, running in the pool, rowing and walking are great exercises that will continue to increase your heart rate while not damaging your joints.

Fitness for weight loss programs will improve the quality of your life, increase your motivation as you see benefits and continue to lose weight and will help you enjoy your new way of life. Using a fitness for weight loss program will be a gentler way of making changes to your lifestyle and should increase your success rate.

Resources:

Mayoclinic: Exercise for Weight Loss

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/SM00109

Fitness: Workouts for Weight Loss

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/lose-weight/

Health: Lose Weight

http://www.health.com/health/lose-weight

Military: Weight Loss Tips

http://www.military.com/fitness-center/military-fitness/weight-loss/archive

Medical News Today: Obesity/Weight Loss Fitness News

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/categories/fitness-obesity

Harvard University Group Health: Fitness and Weight Loss