Thin Blog

Posts Tagged ‘cardio machine’

So you trying to lose weight and that last 20 ponds it is starting to be elusive. Maybe you are starting out on your weight loss journey and need to lose 100 pounds. Regardless of your goal you need to do one thing and only this one thing will make it all happen for you. The single most important thing you can do to lose weight is eat less calories in a day than you burn off during the day. With that being said you must take it from the back of your mind and bring it to the front of your conscious thought each and every moment of your day.

If you go into the big burger shop and order a double cheese burger with bacon and all the fixings, even the healthy tomato on top will do you little good. In order to lose 20 or even 100 pounds you need to burn more calories than you eat. It is that simple! No comes the difficult part. The part that slips up most people is the fact that you need to exercise. What is recommended by oodles and oodles of people is that you do cardiovascular exercise at least 30 to 60 minutes a day at least 4 times a week. The problem is that all too many people get into a rut and do the same exercise everyday. Monday they walk the treadmill. Tuesday they walk the treadmill. Wednesday they walk the treadmill. Thursday they walk the treadmill. Friday they are bored and stop exercising.

When you start an exercise routine do not let it get routine. There are actually two reasons for this statement. The first one is obvious, YOU GET BORED! The second (and actually more important reason) is that you need to trick your metabolism. Your body is no dummy, so when the weight loss gets tough you should shake up your exercise routine. What is really meant is that if you do the same cardiovascular exercise every time, your body will adapt and actually start to resist the weight loss.

What you need to do is more like this. Monday walk the treadmill. Tuesday use the elyptical. Wednesday go for a bike ride. Thursday you do something else. What you are doing is that you are messing with your metabolism in a positive way which will help you shed those pounds you are trying to lose.

One important aspect of cardiovascular exercise is that you need to raise your heart rate. I do not suggest you cause yourself a heart attack (go see a doctor before you start any weight loss program) but you need to go through a routine of increasing your heart rate and then allowing it to recover, all while exercising. This stress and recover cycle is very important in not only your health but also in your weight loss.

You really should consider either joining a health club or purchasing a bike or some gym equipment if you decide not to join a health club. In your decision to buy equipment you may opt for some inexpensive equipment or some top of the line equipment. If you decide to buy something you will still need to combine it with a mixture of other exercises. Bikes, Treadmills, Health Club, stair steppers or an elyptical or just plain old walking shoes. A guy or a woman, walking is still great for your health. Whatever you decide to do will require you burn more calories that you eat. It is that simple. If you choose to do nothing, chances are that choice will take a few years off your life, but hey!, it really is your choice. What ever you decide to do I wish you all the best and a long healthy life!

God Bless,

Mr. Keith

I have watched the television show The Biggest Loser for many seasons and I must admit I really enjoy the show. I have sat and watched strangers lose weight and then I would get motivated and decide to lose the weight. I would get all fired up and then I would exercise for a few days in my attempt to lose 100 pounds. I would start to eat better and do well for a while but somewhere along the journey I would start to wander off the path of fitness and weight loss and stop going to the gym and start eating poor food choices again. Before I knew what had happened I would again be sitting in front of the television watching the season finale of The Biggest Loser and all of those on the screen would look slim and fit and be smiling from ear to ear. I would still be sitting in the same chair and weigh the same as I did at the start of the season, or maybe even gained a few pounds. There I would sit wondering what happened to my weight loss goals and wondering where my motivation had gone. Once again the season ended and I felt like I would be fat for the rest of my life. That was until the end of the latest season of The Biggest Loser. That was until I discovered the need for sustained motivation.

Something clicked in my weight loss mentality at the last episode of The Biggest Loser. When I saw the smile on the faces of all the contestants I knew that I had to make a positive change in my life or I was going to spend my life being overweight and always upset with myself because of my failed attempts at weight loss. When I saw all of the confetti fall down and the winner looking so much healthier I turned off the television and went to my room and packed a gym bag for the next morning.

When the next morning arrived I stained all of my mental weaknesses to the maximum. I pulled my way to the scale and weighed myself and the number that was displayed was the motivator for me to keep moving. I had gained 25 pounds since my last diet attempt. I have had a gym membership and never used it much but today I wandered into the building and everything about that morning was a struggle. I got winded on the machines easily and I struggled to keep myself even there. The binding force that kept my legs moving was the smile on the face of the newly crowned Biggest Loser. I kept thinking about all of my failed attempts and new that id I did not make a fundamental change I was sealing my future to include diabetes, heart disease and a whole host of other ailments that arrive merely because of the fact that I was overweight. I kept the cardio machine moving and the sweat was pouring off me and actually I felt pretty lousy about the whole event. I knew I was doing what was right and good for me but my mind was screaming for me to leave and go get a egg and cheese bagel and just give up.

Despite my urge to run away the smile of the first female Biggest Loser kept flashing into my mind and I stuck it out for one hour that day. I had done it and I was glad I had done it but I was even happier that it was over. I then quickly showered and headed off to start my workday. It had begun; I had started my journey to lose the weight. I had set my sights on the goal to lose 100 pounds in one year and today was the first day and I had done it. I had made it to the gym and although I was tired and my mind was racing I had a small glimpse of success in my mind’s eye. I had begun my weight loss journey and I was hoping to never look back. I had begun!  I had started the exercise but now I had to control the eating!