The Weight Lifting Advantage

While using aerobic exercise to lose stomach fat is very important, weight training is much more valuable. Lifting weights will help you lose weight AND build muscle. Don't believe me? Read on.

According to an article in the Men’s Health Big Book of Exercise, Penn State University researchers put overweight people on a reduced calorie diet and divided them into three groups. One group didn’t exercise, another did aerobic exercise 3 days a week and the last group did both aerobic exercise and weight training 3 days a week. Each of the groups lost nearly the same amount of weight-around 21 pounds. The difference being those that lifted weights lost 6 more pounds of fat than those that didn’t. Why? Because the lifters’ weight loss was almost pure fat, while the other two groups lost just 15 pounds of fat and several pounds of muscle. That amounts to 40% greater fat loss. This isn’t a one time finding. According to the same article, research shows that 75% of non lifting dieters’ weight loss is from fat while 25% is from muscle. That 25% may reduce your scale weight but it doesn’t do a lot for your reflection in the mirror. It also makes you more likely to gain back the fat you lost. However, if you weight train as you diet, you’ll protect your hard-earned muscle and burn more fat instead. It’s like liposuction: The whole point is to remove unwanted fat, right? Ok. Then that’s exactly what you should demand from your workout.

Nutritional Guidelines

1. You will need to eat two 1 cup servings of Fruit per day. One with breakfast and one with mid morning snack (your choice of fruit)> But do not eat fruit after 2pm or 8 hours before bed.
2. You will need to eat two 1-cup servings of Carbs per day. One with breafast and one with lunch (your choice of carbs). But do not eat carbs after 3pm or 7 hours before bed.
3. You will need to eat 3 to 4 cups of veggies per day. One cup with lunch, one cup with mid day snack (if you feel you need to) and two cups with dinner>
4. You will need to eat small amounts of protein with each meal and your snack times between meals. Protein is 80% of your daily diet.
5. You will need to keep your calories at 1200 to no more than 1400 per day for Women and 1800 to 2000 per day for Men.
6. These basic guides will increaseyour RMR (resting metabolism rate). So your body can burn fat like its meant to.
7. You will need to drink 20 oz. of water per every 50lbs of body weight. (60 oz. minimum per day.)
8. You will need to take your multi-vitamins twice per day ( 1 at breakfast and 1 at dinner).

Cardiovascular Training Guidelines

1. Choose a low impact activity involving repetitive, fluid movement which incorporates the large muscle groups of the lower and/or upper body.
2. Warm Up: For approximately 5 minutes, warm up with light activity such as walking and light total body stretching.
3. Begin your cardiovascular activity slowly and gradually increase the intensity so that your heart rate begins to elevate to 60% of your maximum heart rate.
4. Work at an intensity of 60-80% of your maximum heart rate for a continuous period of time, anywhere from 15 to 50 minutes.
5. Warm Down: Gradually reduce the intensity so that the heart rate drops to approximately 50% of your maximum heart rate. Your warm down should last approximately 5 minutes.
6. Finish each session with a complete stretching session. Improvements in range of motion will be made if the muscles are stretched when the body is warm and the blood flow to the muscles stretched is high.
7. Be sure to drink 4-8 oz. of water 10-15 minutes before, during and after exercise.
8. When using a cardiovascular machine, always run in Manual Mode. There is no machine that understands your body better than your own heart. Allow the heart to guide the machine, not the other way around.

Computing Your Target Heart Rate

Theoretical Maximum Heart Rate = 220 - age

1. Maximum Heart Rate
2. Target Heart Rate
3. Low end (60%)
4. High end (80%)

Example: 40 year old

1. Maximum Heart Rate

220-40=180 BPM (Beats Per Minute)

2. Target Heart Rate

60%= 180 x .6 = 108 BPM

80%= 180 x .8 = 144 BPM

3. Warm Down Heart Rate

50%= 180 x .5 = 90 BPM

One last thing before you start

Before you begin to exercise here are some final points that need to be considered:

• Choose an exercise programme most suited to your needs-if you are a beginner do not attempt to join an advanced class.
• Always look at your own pace, monitoring yourself, 'listening' to your own body. Never compete with others; you are training to develop your own capabilities, not compare them with others..
• Control your breathing and never hold your breath. Exhale with effort.
• Check often to make sure you are performing the exercise or movement correctly.
• Do not eat 2hrs before exercising so that your digestive system doesn't have to compete with your working muscles for blood supply.
• Always drink water before, during and after exercise.
• Avoid exercises that place needless strain on your body because of awkward positions, excessive speed and bouncing in one spot.
• And last but certainly not least, Always respond to pain by stopping immediately.

Before you begin...

As a lifestyle consultant I am often asked by potential clients “how do I start an exercise regimen”. “Is there something special that I have to do”? These questions are mostly asked by clients who are concerned about health risks and injury. While I am very happy that these questions are asked by some, they really should be asked by all who are interested in starting an exercise program. It’s because of this lack of inquiry that trainers have come up with a set of questions that all clients must answer before they begin training. I thought it would be cool to share it with you.

Before you begin exercising, answer the following questions with a “yes” or “no”.
· Has your doctor ever told you that your blood pressure was too high?
· Has your doctor ever told you that you are predisposed to a heart or circulatory problem?
· Do you often feel faint, dizzy or suffer headaches?
· Do you ever feel a tightness or pain in the chest?
· Are you extremely underweight or overweight?
· Do you suffer from any metabolic disease, such as diabetes?
· Do you suffer from a breathing disorder, such as asthma?
· Do you have any bone or joint problem, such as arthritis?
· Are you taking any drugs or medication?
· Are you over 40, sedentary or a new comer to exercise?
· Are you pregnant, or have you been pregnant recently?

If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, you should consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program. If you did answer “yes”, don’t be discouraged. As I said before, anyone can exercise. For your own safety, if you have preexisting conditions, it’s best to let a doctor give you the thumbs up beforehand so your trainer will know how best to train you. On the other hand, all you “no” responders are good to go. These questions were designed with you in mind so your exercise experience can be the safest possible. Always keep in mind that you are exercising to grow fitter and more healthy-not to imperil your well-being.

Exercise like a man or a woman

Though we all have the same red blood running through our bodies, when it comes to gender and exercise, we are different.
Males and females differ slightly in their hormonal and physiological profile. Women tend to carry more body fat (sorry ladies) while men inherit a greater percentage of muscle tissue. The good news is that body fat in women gives them that curvaceous shape that we men love while more muscle tissue in men means greater strength and if we work hard enough, the coveted six pack. Women tend to have lower hemoglobin levels in the blood with a slightly lower oxygen carrying capacity which may reduce performance capacity. Notice that it says “may reduce performance capacity”. Believe me I have participated in enough aerobic marathons to know for certain that some women can outlast the best of us men. Also, women, because of the greater percentage of body fat, are better insulated against the cold and starvation. So you see ladies a little extra fat is actually good. Ok, what exactly am I trying to say through all this? My point is even though we are different exercise makes us equals. Whether you are a man or a woman, the important issue is that the principles of physical exercise apply EQUALLY to males and females. So let’s make exercising a part of our lives.

Use it or Lose it!

In answering the question who should exercise, the most obvious answer comes to mind; everyone. Seriously folks, aside from a few exceptions everyone can benefit from exercise and becoming physically fit. The advantages are shared equally by the young, the mature and the very mature. I won’t use the term old cause that’s just a state of mind. Matter of fact there are some older physically fit people who have a “real age” much younger than their unfit counter parts. Let’s face it, exercise makes you young. Inactivity is without a doubt the culprit in the fitness formula for all ages. The natural, unavoidable decline in our bodily physical abilities is sped up by inactivity. Exercise stops the aging process and it becomes more, not less, important in the later years to animate the physical systems of the body to resist the deterioration that comes with inactivity. Remember, the universal rule of the body for all ages is ‘use it or lose it’. So if you want to extend your ability to live independently and not be a burden to yourself or others, exercise. It’s what’s up!
Happy Results!