Let's Make a Change! (Weight Loss pt. 2)

     You've purchased your gym membership, or maybe you've simply made the firm decision to improve your health. You have your weight loss goal locked in your mind, and now you are ready to do whatever it takes to drop those pounds! Let's start to outline the plan. First understand that the body is an instrument. It is a science. No matter how bad we want something, we still must put together a formula that our body understands and will respond to. I want you to lock two themes firmly into your head. The first is (Heart Rate), the second is (calories). You have two different heart rate levels. The first level is your resting heart rate. next you've got your heart rate reserve, then your target heart rate, and ultimately your maximum heart rate.

     My exercise methods for weight loss are simple. Find your maximum heart rate, and stay within 70%- 90% of your max heart rate for as long as possible; 30-40 minutes. Sounds simple enough right? Well. . . let's slow down. Generally speaking, your body is not conditioned to operate at this intensity level consistently for 40 or even 30 minutes. That is REALLY INTENSE TRAINING! Therefore we must develop a compromise. What is the trade off? It's a technique called interval training. Essentially you push your heart rate up to 70%-90% of your max, and then you bring it back down with the purpose of increasing your oxygen supply. You repeat this process for 30- 40 min and before you know it, you've burned a large percentage of the calories you need for the week. Understand that it takes a while to lose fat both through exercise and diet. 3500 calories equals one pound of fat. It sounds like a lot only if you try to do it all at once. But the goal is to work toward that number through correct dieting and exercise.
    
     To recap, 30-40 minutes between your target and max heart rate; we call this the fat burning zone. Interval training will allow you to reach this goal without completely depleting your oxygen supply. How you work your interval is up to you. If you are a runner, sprint for 20 sec, jog for 20. If you are a walker, jog for 20 sec, walk for 20. If you are a biker, gear down and speed up for 20 sec, then gear up and slow down for 20. Repeat this process until you've reached your 30 or 40 minute mark. I encourage you to exercise this way no more than twice a week. The other portion of your cardio workout should come from more moderate  exercise as opposed to the effects reaped from operating in between your target heart rate and your maximum heart rate.  Instead, operate in between your heart rate reserve and your target heart rate the rest of the days that you choose to do cardio.
  
     Our next topic will be toning your body at the same time you are losing weight. This is very important and a subject of debate within fitness circles.  I greatly look forward to discussing it with you!