Exercise To Lose Weight

Posts Tagged ‘Muscle’

As you may have discovered for yourself, sticking with an exercise program long enough to make it an actual habit can be difficult, to say the least. While hopefully most of you reading this are either currently exercising or planning to start doing so in the near future, almost all of you will at one time or another grow tired of your current fitness program. That is the point that will either make or break you. In order to make fitness a lifestyle and develop a new and lasting habit for yourself, you have to persevere beyond the point that initial boredom may set in.

Unfortunately, most people expect immediate results when undergoing a fitness program, and expecting so often leaves people disappointed when they don’t meet those high expectations. If you stop and think logically about how it took you possibly three years of living a sedentary lifestyle, eating fast food, and not exercising, then it is logical not to expect to drop 20 pounds of body fat and gain five pounds of muscle in the first month!

Rather than expect immediate results, you should focus on taking it one day at a time and look for the enjoyment and feeling of fulfillment in your new lifestyle. Trust that your efforts will pay off, and look, listen, and feel how your body is changing. It will surprise you how in-touch you can actually become with your body over the course of a few years. Observe whether or not you feel an increase in energy, or possible you are hungry more often than you were before (signifying an increase in metabolism). You may notice a feeling of rejuvenation for life—you’re now looking forward to each day because you’re feeling good! Along with that may come feelings of optimism and maybe even improved relationships with loved ones. Possibly you won’t require as much sleep as you did before. You’ll probably be surprised at the impact the exercise can make on your life.

These are things that most people overlook when passing judgment on their newly undertaken fit lifestyle. It is obviously important to achieve physical results as well, like changes in body measurements, weight, and the way your clothing fit, especially if your life depends on it, but don’t overlook the intrinsic changes along the way.

So remember to give yourself some time and don’t expect immediate results. Instead just try and learn to enjoy the process. It actually feels good to feel good!

What is the difference between exercise and physical activity? Physical activity is any type of movement of the body that increases your metabolism and causes your muscles to contract. Examples of physical activity range from playing basketball to making beds. Exercise itself is actually a subcategory of physical activity. When you exercise, you are engaging in a structured program of physical activity intended to help you maintain or achieve maximum physical fitness, such as walking or rowing.
Choosing to exercise regularly at least three times per week results in numerous health benefits. The old adage “use it or lose it” definitely applies to exercising on a regular basis. When you neglect to engage in a scheduled exercise routine, your muscles become flabby and your heart and lungs struggle to perform. If you want to lose weight, cutting calories is only half the battle. Exercise firms your body and gives you the toned, fit appearance you want.
The benefit of regular exercise includes:
1. Lowered body fat, which helps you to avoid conditions such as diabetes, obesity and cancer.
2. Improved circulation, resulting in a healthier heart and blood vessels with a more efficient cardiovascular system overall.
3. More stamina, building your body up over time so that it uses less energy to perform the same tasks.
4. Enhanced flexibility, giving you a better ability to bend, twist and reach without injury, as well as improving your overall balance and coordination.
5. Strengthening and toning your entire body for greater strength and endurance and better posture.
6. Elevated endorphins to give you a better quality of life by reducing stress so that you sleep better and feel better.
An effective, regular exercise routine includes several stretching exercises to start so that your muscles are warmed up for activity. After stretching, twenty minutes of aerobic activity such as running or walking will burn calories and improve your cardiovascular health. Finally, cool down by performing a few more stretches. Add a few minutes of weight lifting or resistance training to your routine for improved strength and endurance.
Spending a half hour three times a week on exercise is a sure way to improve your health, fitness and well-being.

Contemplating a workout program but having a hard time getting going? Here are a few facts about exercise that may convince you to get started.
Exercise can accelerate fat burning. A study done back in the 1970s at Ball State University found that the leg muscle of distance runners were 7 times more capable of burning fat after marathon training than the leg muscle of untrained subjects. Just imagine what that kind of training can do for weight loss!
Exercis can lower blood pressure. The number of capillaries surrounding each leg muscle fiber increases by 5-10% following endurance training. This not only makes exercise easier but also lowers blood pressure. Numerous studies support that exercise training does indeed lower blood pressure in hypertensive subjects.
Exercise improves heart function. When you start an endurance based exercise program, expect your resting heart rate to decrease by about 1 beat per minute every week during the initial weeks. This is an indication that your heart is becoming more efficient and pumping more blood each beat. Highly trained endurance athletes can have a resting heart rate as low as 40 beats per minute or even less.
Exercise can prevent muscle loss. Sedentary adults lose 6-10 percent of their muscle mass per decade after age 30, leading to a condition called sarcopenia. Regular strength training can delay or in some cases reverse this trend. When it comes to muscle, you must use it or you will lose it!
Exercise can help you live longer. Studies on large populations have discovered the highest death rates in those who are the least fit. Those who are the most fit have the lowest death rates.
Exercise can improve sex life. A study published by the Harvard School of Public Health found that men who exercised vigerously were half as likely to experience sexual dysfunction when compared to men who did no exercise.
Exercise can improve brain function. Research has discovered that the fittest kids generally score the highest on test scores. Older adults who are fit show less cognitive decline compared to their sedentary counterparts.
Exercise can speed up wound healing. A study out of Ohio State found that skin wounds healed an average of 10 days faster in the exercise group compared to the non exercise group.
Exercise can help the elderly. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported gains in leg strength of 374 percent over baseline in men over 90 years of age who began strength training in as little as 8 weeks! Other research has found a reversal in normal age related characteristics in the muscle of seniors who took up weight lifting.
The evidence supporting the benefits of regular physical activity is overwhelmingly positive and seemingly endless. What are you waiting for?

To have that coveted V-taper is something most women work for but never attain. It broadens your shoulders and makes your waist appear smaller. Here are the top three exercises for building a bigger back.

Lat pulldown is performed on a cable machine. Sit facing the machine and grab the bar above using a wide grip. Now using your back muscles, pull the bar towards your chest, slightly arching your chest out. At the bottom of the pull, squeeze your lats together and feel the muscle contraction. Now slowly return the bar to the top and repeat. Try to minimize arm involvement and really concentrate on the back muscles bringing the weight down.

One arm bent over rows are performed with dumbbells. Grab a dumbbell and lean on a bench so one arm is bracing your body and the other is holding the dumbbell towards the ground, your back should be parallel to the ground. Using your back muscles and minimizing your biceps, bring your elbow up towards your back until it is parallel. Slowly release the dumbbell towards the ground.

Seated cable row is performed on a cable machine. Place your feet on the footrests and slightly bend your knees, keeping your back upright. Grab the handle and pull it towards you using your back muscles. Bicep muscle involvement should be minimal. You should feel it in the middle of your back. Return the grip towards your feet and repeat.

Using these basic exercises you should be building your back in no time. Don’t forget your cardio and sticking to a clean diet to maximize your muscle gains.