Exercising requires a significant commitment from you. You dedicate time, effort, and in many cases money to your fitness and weight loss efforts. These are usually very precious and limited commodities to most people. Due to the valuable nature of your sacrifices, you expect to see results. If your goal is reached, i.e. weight loss, toning, the reward outweighs the sacrifice.
How do you ensure that you will reach your goal and not waste your time and efforts?
1. Make sure you are doing enough to warrant results. Your fitness level determines the amount of effort your body requires to produce results. If you are only exercising for twenty minutes a day three days each week you may not see results. The first eight minutes of a cardio work out burn the excess calories present in your body. After the calories are used, then the body begins to burn fat. If you only exercise for a short period of time, you are limiting the actual amount of fat you burn. You should exercise at least thirty minutes every day and at least four days a week. If you do any less then you may just be wasting your time and efforts. And increase the time, speed, or distance at regular intervals to ensure your body doesn’t become accustomed to the work out and quit burning fat.
2. You must add a weight lifting workout to your exercise schedule. This is essential to weight loss and toning, both. If you exercise with weights, the percent of lean muscle mass in your body will increase. Lean muscle burns at least 10% more calories when you are at rest than fat. Your metabolism will increase. You only need to work with weights two days a week to benefit. If you aren’t sure what exercises would be good for you or how to develop a program, you can find articles on this site that will help. And if you still need assistance, just ask your question on the site and you will be answered.
3. When you work out, use the correct form and perform the exercise slowly. This cannot be stressed enough. If you rush through a movement, you may not use the muscle. You are more than likely, using centrifugal force. Since you are not using your muscles to perform the movement, you will not burn calories or fat. If you perform the movement slowly, you are more likely to use correct form and will receive the maximum benefit from the movement. Slow controlled movements should always be used.
4. Drink Water. I know this sounds simple. But water serves an important role in everything you do. Your body requires water for every function it performs. If you are dehydrated, your metabolism will be affected. If you are adversely affecting your metabolism by depriving your body of a vital component, then you will limit, if not impede, any progress you could make. Drink water throughout the day. To determine the amount of water your body requires, take your height in inches and convert that to ounces. So if you are 5’3”, which converts to 62 inches. You need to drink 62 ounces of water a day.