Endurance exercises such as fast walking, biking, swimming, and
running can increase your total daily metabolism by burning calories directly,
by increasing your resting metabolic rate (RMR), and by boosting your energy
levels so you are more inclined to do other physical activities. Strength-building
exercises can have an even greater effect on RMR by adding muscle mass. They
can replace muscle lost due to physical inactivity and also help prevent
additional muscle loss as you eat fewer daily calories. Keep in mind that a
given volume of muscle
weighs more than the same volume of fat. This means that if you are building muscle
at the same time you are losing fat, you may become more slender without actually
losing much weight. Some women worry that strength training
will make them look bulky. It will not unless they have very unusual genetics. Instead, strength training can help support a pleasing posture and add muscle
tone and definition for a more slender and attractive appearance. Strengthening
exercises can provide you with many health benefits at any age, but
particularly as you get older. Properly conducted strength training can be a
virtual
Fountain of Youth by increasing muscle mass, metabolic rate, and bone
density
and by reducing body fat, resting blood pressure, low back pain, arthritic
pain,
depression, and age-related muscle loss. It can also improve glucose metabolism,
which is important for those with type 2 diabetes.
_____________
Properly conducted strength training
can be a virtual Fountain of Youth.
_____________
You don’t need weights or any special equipment to strength train.
Push-ups, arm and leg lifts, bridges, planks, abdominal curls, and other
body-weight exercises will take you a long way. Choose a You don’t need weights or any special
equipment to strength train. Push-ups, arm and leg lifts, bridges, planks,
abdominal curls, and other body-weight exercises will take you a long way. Choose a combination of exercises that work
all your major muscle groups, including your core abdominal muscles. To avoid
injury, start easy and increase the
intensity of your exercises gradually so your body has a chance to adjust to
each new exercise. Be sure to warm up before each exercise session and to use
proper form. For most exercises, proper form includes keeping your abs tight
and your back straight, with a slight inward curve in your lower back. One way
to warm up is to begin each exercise by doing several repetitions with about
half the weight that you normally lift. If you are doing a bodyweight exercise
instead of lifting weights, warm up by first doing several repetitions of an
easier version of the exercise. For example, do some pushups on your knees before
beginning pushups on your toes. Strength train two or three days a week, leaving
at least one day between each exercise day for your muscles to recover. Choose
a time of day to exercise when you are most energetic so you can work your
muscles harder. If you are lifting weights, use weights that are light enough
that you can do at least eight repetitions of an exercise in proper form. Stay
at that weight until you can do twelve or more repetitions of the exercise for
two consecutive exercise days. Then you can add about 5 percent more weight the
next day you exercise. Be sure to perform each repetition of an exercise slowly
and smoothly through a full range of motion, taking at least six full seconds
to complete it. One set of each exercise is enough as long as it thoroughly fatigues
your muscles. After
completing each exercise, stretch the target muscles for twenty or thirty seconds
to promote muscle development and flexibility. Breathe normally during the
stretch. To avoid injury, move slowly, and stretch only to the point where you feel
a moderate stretching sensation. Stretching should not be painful. Consult your
doctor before beginning an intensive exercise program, and get proper training
before working with heavy weights or doing unfamiliar exercises.
For
many, the hardest part of an exercise program is getting started. Here
are
some ideas for getting started with, and consistently following, a
strengthening exercise program:
1. Schedule two or three times a week for strengthening exercises. Write
your exercise schedule on a piece of paper and put it where you will see it
every day. Even better, put it where you will have to move it every day, such
as on your car seat or kitchen table.
2. Choose three or four
exercises to begin with. You can add more or try different ones later. There
are many excellent exercise websites, magazines, and books that can give you
ideas and teach you proper exercise techniques. If you haven’t done
strengthening exercises for a while, start with some easy ones.
3. Commit to spend at least
five minutes exercising during your scheduled time, even if you don’t feel like
it.
Chances are that after five
minutes, you will feel motivated enough to continue and complete your session.
4. Have a backup plan to do a simpler exercise session if you are
unable to do your regularly scheduled one. For example, if your basic plan is
to exercise at a gym, have a backup plan to do some bodyweight exercises at
home for a few minutes if you can’t make it to the gym.
5. If you miss an exercise
session, don’t give up or beat yourself up over it. Just commit to make your
next one.
6. Lay your exercise clothes out the night before your scheduled
exercise
session so they are ready and waiting for you.
7. Exercise with a friend.
Agreeing to exercise with another person can make a big difference in your motivation.
If you can’t find a partner to exercise with, join an exercise group or hire a
personal trainer.
8. Hold yourself accountable
for following through with your exercise
sessions.
There are different ways to do this. You can make a commitment
to
report regularly on a fitness web site, on your own Internet blog, or to
a
friend. Another option is to create a monthly chart to fill in as you complete
each exercise session. Reward yourself
at the end of the month if you have met your goals. Don’t require perfection of
yourself, but choose a realistic goal to call success.
For example, completing at least two out of three sessions each week
for a month may be a good enough goal to start with.
Copyright ©Stan Spencer, PhD –Originally appeared in The Diet Dropout's Guide to Natural Weight Loss by Stan Spencer, PhD
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