Thin Blog

Posts Tagged ‘cardio workout’

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 can remember my days in the U.S. Marine Corps and a host of memories floor the brain cells of all the times I had to exercise or perform some rigorous form of physical exercise.  Back then I did all of those physical things because it was required of me.  I climbed ropes, marched for miles, ran in the sand and did “mountain climbers” for what seemed an eternity.  Back then I just did what I was told to do with no regard for the ability I had because of my youth.  I went to Parris Island in 1979 when I was seventeen years old and when I ran I did not consider it a cardio workout.  I did not contemplate the benefits of navigating an obstacle course.

That was then and this is now.

Today I have set aside a portion of my busy day to be able to fit in some form of Physical activity.  I must plan to cause my heart rate to speed up or I will slip into an extremelty over weight blob of “muscle-less” flab.  Looking back on it all and after quite a few years of physical neglect I have determined why I have had difficulty in maintaining a healthy weight.  Looking back on my Marine days I have realized I have been lacking discipline in my life.  The discipline that is a Marine Corps trait really mutates intself into self discipline.  I have realized that I have been lacking the self discipline to take charge of myself and stop making excuses for having a spare tire around my waist.  As a result I have tried to instill self discipline into my life.   I have to go now but I will write more about self discipline later but until then what ideas does anyone have about inviting self discipline into your life?