Clients often ask me what is the best way to burn calories when exercising. There are several variables that can enhance fat burning and calorie expenditure increases such as intensity and duration of the cardiovascular activity. Such concrete factors as intensity and duration aimed at energy expenditure and weight loss are easy to figure once I have a cardiovascular baseline for a client. However, I am often reluctant to encourage a several times a week prolonged and intense workout for clients because what typically happens with those who desire the most intense and prolonged cardio programs aimed at weight loss is one of three things:
1. They typically eat an increased amount to reward themselves for the increased effort,thereby gaining weight instead of losing weight.
2. They cannot sustain the increased intensity and duration daily, and quickly become disenchanted with exercise all together.
3. They become injured predisposing themselves to a sedentary lifestyle and weight gain while the injury is healing.
In all three examples, even though the intent is to lose weight, the outcome is either weight gain or discontinuation of an activity that is not only helpful in controlling weight, but is also heart healthy.
If this is you, think about this, “How can you improve your health, while losing and or maintaining weight?” If you think about this question and answer honestly, you should conclude that weight loss is more than just working out as hard as you can day after day. Weight loss is about sensibility. It’s about meeting yourself where you are at now and progressing forward in a sensible manner that builds your level of confidence in losing weight.
There’s nothing new in this thinking but somewhere along the way of trying to transform ourselves into fit healthy, lean beings, we have given in to one sided approaches. Don’t let this be you.
Healthy living and weight loss is about living joyfully in the context of healthy progressions. You can start from wherever you may be and smartly implement common sense approaches that never fail. We all know what these are. They include portion control, moderate exercise, an emphasis on vegetables, fruits, whole grains and moderate amounts of lean meats, healthy fats, beans and fish.
You can do this. I will help. I’ll be happy to answer questions. E-mail me at [email protected]. I’ll look forward to it!