Exercise for Weight Loss How to lose weight and keep it off - This is a dilemma that most people will face at some time in their life. The only effective way to reach and maintain your target weight is through the combination of a well balanced low fat diet and an effective exercise program.
For a specific dietary plan it is best to consult a nutrition adviser as individual needs will vary, however, a simple way to improve diet in general is to eat low fat products such as skim milk, reduced fat cheese, diet yoghurt and lean meats, and avoid high fat foods, such as fried takeaways, donuts, chocolates, pies, sausage roles etc.Good eating habits, however, will solve only half your problems. Exercise is an essential component of any weight loss program. Through exercise you will increase cardiovascular function, muscle tone and aerobic fitness, as well as your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Your BMR in simple terms, is the rate at which you breakdown foods, and the higher your BMR, the more quickly the food you eat is broken down. Exercise elevates your BMR not only during the exercise period but also after exercise. Depending on exercise intensity, levels may remain elevated for 12-24 hours.
Exercising to Burn Fat To ensure that you are exercising in the "fat burning" range, you must constantly monitor your heart-rate by taking your pulse. The best fat burning exercises are low intensity aerobic exercises, such as walking, cycling and swimming. These are weight supported activities which decrease stress on the joints, heart and arteries. Exercise duration is of prime importance. Your aim is to exercise for as long as possible while maintaining your heart rate at 60-65% of MHR4Age. The body will burn the more readily available CHO’s as well as fats for the first 10-20 minutes. It is not until after the first 20 minutes that fats will become the primary energy source.
Beware: It is important not to overestimate your fitness level. Just because your friend can cycle at 15 kmph and maintain a 60% heart rate does not mean you will. Your only accurate intensity indicator is your own heart beat.
The type of energy burned up during exercise will depend on the intensity level of the exercise being performed. At higher intensity anaerobic levels (heart rate reaches 75% of maximum Heart Rate for age (MHR4Age) or greater), eg sprinting - CHO’s become the primary energy source as they can be broken down quickly without the use of oxygen to provide energy rapidly.
The key to burning fat is to activate the "glycogen sparing mechanism". Under these conditions fats become the primary energy source and glycogen (CHO’s), remain in storage and are spared from use. To activate this mechanism you must exercise at 60 to 65% MHR4Age. At this heart-rate level, fats can be slowly broken down aerobically to provide energy, therefore you burn up not only the food you have just eaten, but also some of the fat stored around the body.
* MHR4Age = 220 - Age.
**60% of MHR4Age = 220 - Age x 0.6.