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Many exercisers think that in order to lose weight, they need to concentrate on doing aerobic workouts to lose the fat before starting on weight training. Now this is wrong. What these people don't know is that weight training is just as important, if not more, than aerobics for losing weight and have a great shape. It has an indirect, but great effect, on the ability to help lose body fat. How does this occur?
Weight training use mainly carbohydrates (sugar) as the main source of energy. Aerobic exercises such as brisk walking, jogging, aerobic classes, or stairclimbing are aerobic in nature and use fat as the main source of energy. So it seems apparent to focus on aerobic training for fat loss right? Not so fast if you intend to give up your weight training in favour of aerobics to burn away those stubborn fat of yours!
Weight training helps to increase your lean body mass (muscle tissues) and aerobic exercises do not. More lean body mass equals faster metabolism, and you know this has the effect of burning fat more even when you are not exercising. On the other hand, if you eat a low calorie diet and do aerobic exercise exclusively, you know what will happen? You will lose fat together with muscle tissues and this means your metabolism will slow down. Now that means you are more prone to gain fat when you don't exercise! And you may have to do more and more aerobics to sustain the lower fat level. And you end up becoming smaller and smaller, weaker and weaker. The end result is that you end up looking like someone who hasn't been eating for a month! And if are not able to continue with that kind of workout, due to whatever reason, you'll end up looking like a skinny fat person. It becomes a vicious cycle! This is not very good.
Getting rid of body fat in the fastest possible way demands 3 components. They must be paid equal attention in order to be very effective:
* Weight training to increase lean tissues (this also has the effect of sculpting the body to the proportions you want) and subsequently, increase metabolism. 2-3 weekly sessions of intense workouts, concentrating on larger muscle groups (i.e. legs, back, chest. shoulders) is all you need. Each session should not be more than 40 minutes.
* Aerobic exercises to burn fat directly. Choose exercises like jogging, stairs climbing or any activities that demands your heart to pump hard yet without causing any premature fatigue (before 5 mins) or joint pain. The workout should last anywhere from 10-40 mins, 3-6 times a week (depending on your fat percent level). Shorter, more intense workouts like interval training are more suited for those who are fitter and can endure tougher training. Longer, less intense workout are more practical and safer for those who are less fit and want to take it easy.
* Reduced calorie diet.
Adopt these 3 components seriously and concurrently, and a great body would be yours faster than you think. And the great thing is that, maintaining it is so much easier at the later stage!
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