Want to Lose Weight? Don’t Just Lift Weights.

Lot’s of people tell me that they’ve been “working out” like crazy but still can’t seem to lose any weight. When I ask what kind of work out they’re doing, they almost always say they’ve been lifting weights or working on the weight machines at the gym. My advice to them usually takes them by surprise. Do you really want to lose weight? Then don’t start by lifting weights. Although strength training is an important part of fitness and should be a part of every exercise routine, it shouldn’t be the first thing — nor the only thing — you do.

In order to lose weight, you’ve first got to get your body to burn fat, and to do that, your routine should consist of mostly aerobic exercises. This builds a strong cardio base upon which you can later add weight training for strength and maintenance.

Aerobic exercises are those activities that increase the body’s intake of oxygen. Examples include walking, bike riding, swimming and canoeing. Sounds like pretty laid-back activities right? Not exactly the heart pounding, sweat pouring exercise routines we learned in High School—but that’s exactly the point.

If you exercise too vigorously, your body quickly goes from an aerobic state (with oxygen) to an anaerobic state (without oxygen). You know you’ve reached this state when you begin to breathe hard and it becomes harder and harder to talk normally—kind of like when your High School coach made you run laps. Feeling “out of breath” is your body’s way of telling you that it’s starved for oxygen.

However, the sharp pain in your side from breathing hard is not the only downside of exercising too hard. During anaerobic exercise—like running sprints, playing racquetball, or any other activity where you run out of breath—your body burns mostly carbohydrates and very little fat. That’s why many runners “carb up” before a big race—and also why many runners have just as much body fat as the rest of us. Trying to benchpress twice your body weight does pretty much the same thing.

So how is aerobic exercise different? Well, one important difference is that when it’s done correctly, most of the calories that are burned during aerobic exercise are from fat—something we all want to lose. A second advantage is that most aerobic exercises are low impact making them very suitable for people who are starting their exercise program late in life or for those that have weak joints or injuries.

It’s counterintuitive to believe that slowing the pace of your exercise actually burns more fat but it’s a fact. Keep your heart rate at 65% to 85% of it’s maximum and enjoy the results!

Hiram

Note: If you enjoyed this tip, there are plenty more in the ebook Little Things That Improve Your Health. Sign up for a free 10-day mini-course based on the book.

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