Cardio or strength, more or less, dangerous or not, but will I be like that athlete in the gym? When you want to lose weight and do not know where to start, such questions arise in your mind. I want to be slim and fit, not loose and not overdo it with exercise. We share five universal weight loss rules for women and men that will help you calculate the load correctly and keep yourself in shape.
Combine exercises
The first question to answer is what types of exercise should be included in a weight loss program, cardio or strength?
Cardio exercise is aerobic exercise that works the lungs and heart intensely, and the heart rate rises above 120 beats per minute. During its course, fats are the main source of energy, they are oxidized by oxygen. Unfortunately, these are not the first fats we think of when trying to lose weight. Initially, intramuscular fat is consumed, and only the next stage is subcutaneous and visceral. Accordingly, to achieve results, it is necessary to systematically do moderate intensity cardio lasting 40-60 minutes.
Strength training is anaerobic, during which energy is produced without the presence of oxygen, that is, the body does not consume fat. Looks like you can finish there and prioritize cardio. But no. Thanks to strength training, the volume of muscle mass increases and, as a result, the basal metabolism increases. Calories are spent more efficiently and the body no longer needs to "store" them for future use in the form of body fat.
Strength and cardio training for weight loss should be alternated: for example, during a week or a session (combined training).
More bases
"I want to lose weight on my stomach" or "I just need to get rid of fat on my thighs, " you may hear from new members of the gym. Unfortunately, this is not how the fat burning process works. By systematically pumping the press, you will, of course, create a beautiful relief, but you will be safely hidden under a layer of fatty tissue.
Any isolated exercise aimed at training a muscle or muscle group does not require a large amount of energy. To burn fat effectively, you need to spend more, and core exercises will help with this.
Basic exercises are called exercises that involve several muscle groups and more than one joint at the same time: squats, deadlifts, lunges, gluteal bridges, etc.
Let's look at an example. Let's imagine an average woman who weighs 65 kg, is afraid of heavy weights and likes to train on simulators. In order to "lose weight in the hips", he mostly does leg extensions on the simulator, 15 repetitions with a weight of 15 kg. At the same time, it consumes only 32 kcal of energy. However, doing 10 squats with a barbell weighing 40 kg, he will already burn 45 kcal.
In general, if we compare the caloric expenditure of training consisting of only isolation movements and only complex exercises, the latter consumes 50-70% more energy and is therefore more effective.
Calculate the intensity of your workout
The intensity of strength training can be calculated simply as the number of repetitions of the exercise per unit of time.
For example, you train for 60 minutes, during which you do 7 different exercises in 2 sets of 12 repetitions. The total number of repetitions is 168 per hour, which will be the intensity value. At the same time, if you do 8 exercises in 2 sets, but do 15 repetitions each, the indicator will increase to 240. Accordingly, the second training will be more intense.
Fat is most effectively burned during long workouts of moderate intensity, which can be modified by varying the number of repetitions and rest time between sets.
The intensity of heart training is determined by the heart rate. The maximum number of beats per minute is calculated as "220 minus age". Thus, the maximum heart rate during aerobic exercise for a thirty-year-old person will be 190 beats per minute, and 60-85% of this number is enough for effective fat burning, i. e. 114-161.
Number of exercises
If it is important for the muscles to have time to recover after training for mass growth, this is not necessary in the case of weight loss. Accordingly, the number of exercises can be increased.
The rate of fat oxidation can be increased in just one month with regular exercise three times a week. If you practice less, the lessons will have minimal effect. It is optimal to do fitness 4-5 times a week.
At the same time, it is important to follow a general regimen, because fitness is not only about exercises, but also about a healthy lifestyle:
- sleep at least 8 hours, otherwise stress tolerance decreases and motivation is lost;
- adhere to a strict drinking regime to fill the lack of water and maintain water-salt exchange;
- maintain a small calorie deficit (more on that below).
Pay attention to food
Diet is an important factor in losing weight. A large amount of carbohydrates in the body inhibits fat oxidation. For example, if you eat sweets right before a workout, the prevention of fat burning can reach 35%.
The main principles of nutrition for weight loss:
- Eat 20% fewer calories than you expend. Yes, you need to count calories, and it's best to do it in meal planner apps. Popular products (some even have specific brands and manufacturers) that KBJU has already calculated are listed there.
- Eat small portions often. The longer we experience the feeling of hunger, the stronger the body's need to "store" energy. On the contrary, if you eat more often, a smaller amount of substances will end up in the storage.
- Make sure you fuel up after your workout—even a light snack is better than nothing.
- Reduce fat and carbohydrates in the diet, but increase protein. Most of them are found in meat, eggs, and low-fat cottage cheese.
Active physical activities, such as cleaning or going for a walk, can help reduce the urge to snack. It happens that the regions of the brain responsible for satiety with food and water get confused and mistake thirst for hunger. Therefore, it is important to drink enough water - about 30-40 g of water per 1 kg of body weight per day. And of course, plan meals, otherwise chaotic snacks and excuses from the category "I don't have time to cook now, tomorrow I'll start eating healthy" are guaranteed.
If the recommendations do not help and the feeling of constant hunger does not decrease after a week or two, you should consult a doctor. This condition may be due to hypothyroidism, excess prolactin, or low sensitivity to leptin, the body's hormone responsible for satiety. Based on the results of the tests, it will be clear how to adjust the diet and whether it is necessary to combine drug treatment.
Effective exercises for weight loss
Based on the principles described above, we have selected the most effective exercises for weight loss that provide a high total load and require significant energy expenditure.
Everything is simple with cardio - you can run by maintaining an average pace and monitoring your heart rate. The disadvantage is that the body receives serious shock loads in this case. Cardio equipment such as a stepper or ellipsoid allows you to reduce them without being less effective. You can also replace running with dancing, cycling, stepping and aqua aerobics.
Finding adequate exercises for strength training is more difficult. Repetitive exercise programs rarely take into account that someone wants to exercise at home and does not have the necessary equipment: dumbbells, barbells, an exercise bench and even fitness rubber bands. But there are a number of exercises that can help you get started without preparation or equipment.
Without inventory:
- Bench press.Instead of a bench, you can use a stool or a fixed chair. We stand on the bench with our backs, leaning on it with our hands a little wider than our shoulders. We put our feet straight or bent. We begin to push up and make sure that the body moves vertically up and down and does not deviate forward or backward. The great advantage of this exercise is that it is easy to adapt to any level of exercise. It is easiest to push up with bent legs, but it is more difficult if you straighten them and put them on a stand.
- False pelvic liftaka gluteal bridge. We lie on the floor, arms along the body, legs bent at the knees. We begin to raise the pelvis, at the highest point we stretch and tense the hips and go back down.
- Hip extension on all fours. The exercise is not simple enough, but it consumes a lot of energy, it is good for them to complete the exercise to pump the hips. Stand on all fours, leaning on your elbows and knees. Raise the right leg, try to make the knee (that is, not the leg, but the knee) as high as possible. We hold the leg at the highest point and gently lower it, pull the chest. We repeat with the left leg.
With rubber bands:
- Deadlift.It is one of the main exercises that mainly loads the hips, lower back and upper thighs. We take a long ring tape folded in half and step on it in the middle. We hold the loops by the ends with our hands. The legs are slightly bent, we keep a natural bend in the lower back, we do not bend. We straighten the back and legs, making sure that the gluteal muscles mainly work and lean back.
- Horizontal pull.We sit on the floor, legs straight. We hold on to a long rubber band with our feet and bend forward. While pulling the tape with our hands, we straighten our shoulders, tense our back and lift the body straight. In this situation, we lie down and take ourselves back. Exercise not only allows you to work on relief, but also to stretch the muscles.
With weights (dumbbells, weights):
- Squat down.We take dumbbells or put weights in our hands. You can start with a weight of 1. 5 kg and gradually increase the load. We stand straight, our feet are slightly wider than the shoulders. We start squatting and make sure that the back is straight (it is possible to bend forward, but not more than 45 degrees) and the knees do not go beyond the socks - otherwise it is very easy to injure the knee joints. We squat until the thigh is parallel to the floor and then return to the starting position. The lower you squat, the harder your glutes work.
- Lungs.We take dumbbells in our hands, stand on the right leg and take the left back and put it on the toe. We start squatting with one leg (of course, you can lunge forward, but there is practically no difference in efficiency). We make sure that the body does not bend, the knee does not go beyond the finger. Pulling the thigh muscles, we rise back. We repeat with the other leg.
In general, an exercise program aimed at weight loss should be dominated by core exercises and moderate intensity cardio with a moderate heart rate. You can add high-intensity exercises with light weights to increase muscle tone.
As you can see, fitness is not only about building muscles or "losing weight until the summer", but a healthy lifestyle, systematic exercise, proper nutrition and well-being. And if you build this system correctly, the desired result expressed as a number on the scale will not wait for you.