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GETTING LEANER = GETTING IN SHAPE
Getting in shape is about looking better and more importantly, feeling
better. It may help you to think in terms of “losing fat” instead of “losing weight.” This means changing your body’s
muscle to fat composition ratio so that you have less fat and more muscle.
Since muscle weighs more than fat, losing weight (by what you see on
the scale) should not be the sole measurement of your progress. How your
body looks, how your clothes fit and how you feel are all great benchmarks
of success. Six pack abs are only accomplished by building the abdominal
muscles and then losing the fat that covers them up.
Fat Burning and Aerobics
A proper diet helps to increase calorie burning by boosting the metabolism,
a process which is accelerated as you develop lean muscle. They go hand
in hand.
An aerobic exercise program burns fat and increases that metabolic rate by
making that newly developed lean muscle move around more! Usually done
on a stairmaster,
stationery bicycle, treadmill, elliptical machine or by jogging outdoors; the
goal is to maintain cardiovascular activity for a minimum of 40 minutes. Which
brings us to….
.
Calorie Loss = Fat Loss
The basis for body fat loss is expending more calories in exercise than you take
in through eating and drinking. 3500 calories equals one pound of fat. The reverse
is also true. Using 3500 calories will cause a reduction of one pound of fat.
Therefore, to effectively lose fat, you must restrict your calorie intake (not
too much!) and increase your calorie output.
High Protein, Low Carb
A personal trainers can design a diet and nutritional plan that will give you
just the right amount of calories to accomplish your goals. A strategic diet
and nutrition plan will consist of foods that provide the proper nutrients
so that you become healthier, more energetic, and more able to shape up effectively
through muscle toning or body building….all while losing fat. High protein,
low carbohydrate, moderate to low fat diets with plenty of vegetables done
in small frequent meals are generally recommended to attain any long term reliable
fitness results.
Spot Reduction of Fat - HA!
When embarking upon a fat loss program that spot reduction of fat is not possible.
It never was possible, and it will never be possible. Research shows that the
first gained, and usually the largest, fat deposit is the last place that our
bodies lose fat from. So if you’re sporting a spare tire around your
mid-section or saddle bags on your thighs, that will likely be the last place
you lose from.
Sticking with it is the the ONLY way to lose it forever. A good personal fitness
trainer can also provide motivation and create a balanced program that helps
power you through a a long term goal.
Obesity - We're Fat
The number of Americans who are obese, is on the rise. This disease, affects
more than 50 million people in this country. Just watching enough Discovery
Health Channel can show you this in real time! Health risks from obesity include,
heart
disease, stroke, high blood pressure, gallbladder disease, and prostate, colon
and breast cancer. The fight against fat is not an easy one, especially for
chronically affected people. It is a life-long, tough battle.
There is no question
that the
development of healthy eating and an active fitness lifestyle is a cornerstone
in winning this fight. Expert fitness trainers usually have a great deal
of experience working with people in this group. If necessary they work
with a
client’s
physician and develop a program centered around restructuring lifestyle while
helping to provide the necessary impetus for its success.
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