Do you want to lose weight or do you want to lose fat? Most
people who diet and exercise want to get rid of flab, but keep lean, tight
muscles. They want to change their body
composition. To do that you've got to create a workout plan with the right
combination of exercises.
What is Body Composition?
Body composition is your body's ratio of fat to lean mass,
including muscle, bones and organs. Body composition is evaluated using body
fat percent. A fit woman's percent body fat is generally between 21-24%. A fit
man's body fat generally falls between 14-17%.
There are many ways
to measure body fat percent. Many health clubs and doctor's offices can
perform simple tests to get the number. There are also body fat scales that
measure the percent. Before you start an exercise program, it's a good idea to
know your number so that you can measure your progress along the way.
Keep in mind that when you exercise to change your body's shape it is
possible to see your weight increase or stay the same, even though your body is
getting smaller. The reason for this is that muscle weighs more than fat. As
you lose fat and gain muscle, the net result may be a small increase on the
scale.
How to Exercise to Lose Fat
All forms of exercise burn calories. Even non-exercise
activity burns calories. But what is the best way to burn fat? Aerobic
exercise will do the trick. Aerobic activity, sometimes called cardio,
is exercise that gets your heart pumping. During an aerobic workout you'll breathe
heavier and begin to sweat.
It is not necessary, however, to exercise to the point of breathlessness
every day. For most people, the most efficient fat burning occurs at a exercise
intensity, but as a general rule, moderate intensity would rank as a 7 on a
scale of 1-10.
However, as your fitness level improves, you want to include
harder
workouts as well. Higher intensity workouts burn more calories, but a
smaller ratio of fat. To maximize fat loss, combine high intensity, moderate
intensity and low intensity workouts into a
complete
and balanced program.
Build Muscle With Strength Training
For many people, the real change to their body comes when they begin
strength training. While strength training might make your heart pump faster,
it is not considered an aerobic activity. The purpose of strength training is
to build and shape the muscles.
A common misconception among women is that strength training will cause them
to bulk up. This is rarely the case. Women don't make enough of the hormone
testosterone to build the muscles that a man might build doing the same
workout. So grab those weights, ladies, and get pumping!
Starting a strength-training program requires no special equipment and
doesn't mean that you have to join a gym. Simple body weight exercises are
effective. For example, combine
push-ups
with
variations
of the lunge and
abdominal
plank exercises, and you will build strength in all of the major muscle
groups of your body.
Change Your Body Composition in Less Time
The best way to lose fat and shape your body in a short period of time is to
combine aerobic activity with strength training. You can do this in a single
workout with circuit training or alternate workouts from day to day.
- Circuit
training. Combine your favorite cardio activity with strength training
and alternate each activity within a single workout. For example, if you
like to walk you might get on a treadmill and climb a hill for 7 minutes
then follow up with 3 minutes of push-ups, lunges, and abdominal curls.
Repeat that pattern three to six times for a complete circuit workout.
- Alternate
days. You can also burn fat and build muscle by alternating workouts
on different days. For example, you might choose to take an aerobics class
on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and complete your strength-training
workout on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Try not to schedule strength-training
days on consecutive days as your muscles need time to recover.
Don't forget
that changing your body composition takes time and the most important element
of your workout
program is consistency. To keep yourself on track, set a long-term
goal for your desired body fat percent, but remember to set short terms
goals and reward yourself for staying committed to the program.
