Calorie Burning Exercises
For many people calorie burning exercises are a big component of weight loss and maintaining weight loss. For those who have lived a good portion of their lives on the couch with the remote or chained to their cubicle at work, it may be a bit of a mystery as to what calorie burning exercises to perform.
Exercise comes in two types. There is aerobic exercise, which consists of things like walking, jogging, running and swimming, which all work to bring oxygen to your muscles, using your lungs and blood supply to those muscles. "Aerobic" means, in fact, "with oxygen".
Anaerobic exercises involve activity that does not use oxygen for fuel. Weightlifting is a good example. Anaerobic exercises are done in short bursts or repetitions which rely on the stored fuel in the muscles, such as glycogen. "Anaerobic", as you might suspect, means "without oxygen".
So… the object is to burn calories. Burning calories either helps with weight loss or with the maintenance of, hopefully, an ideal weight.
Aerobic and anaerobic exercises combined are the best for consistent burning of calories.
Before beginning any type of exercise, especially if you are fresh from the couch and the impression of the remote is still in the folds of your hand, get a physical and talk to your doctor. This is the first step in your plan for calorie burning exercises.
The next step is considering the fuel that powers your body so you can complete your exercises.
Most experts believe that a diet higher in carbohydrates will provide the energy to give you an optimum calorie burning exercise. We're not talking a doughnut here. These are complex carbohydrates, such as a good breakfast cereal, pasta or bread. Fruit and yogurt are also in the "good carb" family. Eat about three hours prior to a good exercise, so the food can settle and work its way into your bloodstream and body.
Skip the sports drink, too. You might think that it is replacing vital nutrients and vitamins, and that is true to an extent, but you are also loading up on calories. Water is the best choice for thirst quenching if you need it.
For the couch set, after you are cleared to move, find a combination of anaerobic and aerobic exercises that you like.
Not into jogging or running? Try walking briskly for at least thirty minutes. If walking around the block is too boring, change the scenery. Go to a park or a forest preserve area; take an unfamiliar trail. Usually the challenge of walking a trail will give you a good aerobic workout. Not into the outdoors at all? Well, there is swimming and a stationary bike.
For the anaerobic part of your exercise there are body exercises and weights.
Body exercises simply use the body's own weight to increase muscle power and strength. Pushups or crunches are an example. Weightlifting in the fitness center or at home will give you the anaerobic component.
Calorie burning workouts are a combination of using oxygen and stored fuels in your body. In order to be successful you must do these exercises on a consistent basis, making it part of your lifestyle.
