Sticking to a good diet will only take you so far on your fitness journey, while adding in regular exercises, will see that you reach and maintain your goals.
With so many ‘get fit quick’ fixes marketed out to us on any given day, one could be forgiven for believing that actual exercises no longer plays a key role in our general wellbeing. It does and, arguably, a more important role than our diet (although we do not recommend burgers and running).
Food is fuel for our bodies, enabling us to perform to optimum levels. Re-fuelling with healthy nutrients, as opposed to greasy, fatty foods will see us go from strength to strength in physical activity. But what exercises are best for maintaining a healthy lifestyle?
Cardio
Exercises come in many forms, all helping to condition our bodies in different ways. If your main goal is to burn body fat, then you should look to incorporate a range of cardio exercises into your routine such as running, walking and swimming.
A mistake that many make during cardio sessions is maintaining a constant pace or intensity for a prolonged period of time, instead of upping the intensity for short intervals. By upping the intensity for short intervals, such as running harder for 30 seconds every other minute, instead of a constant and comfortable pace, you will burn more calories.
Weights
The biggest myth when it comes to exercise is that weight training does not help you to lose weight. The fact of the matter is, the more muscles you have the more calories you will burn, even when resting and not actually doing any exercise!
Be sure to work all areas of your body, but don’t feel as though this has to be done all in one session. For example, one day you may work your arms, another you may focus on your chest and a different day may be dedicated to your legs. Mix up your training so as it doesn’t become boring.
Weight training will complement cardio workouts to help you lose weight – aim for around a 60%/40% split in favour of cardio training for the best results.
Sports
When you enjoy what you do, you are far more likely to stick to it. Team sports, such as football, volleyball and basketball are good for providing both a tough workout and social interactivity. Playing alongside others encourages a positive mental attitude which, in twine, encourages you to push yourself further.
It is proven that exercising with friends’ means that you will be far more likely to stick to your new regime, which is why many opt to join a sports club. While this means that you may be responsible for setting up your own nets and posts before a volleyball game, joining a club can be a rewarding experience both physically and mentally.
Be Realistic
Whatever routine you set yourself, remember to only set realistic targets that you know that you can achieve. The best changes that you can make are those that you can stick to, rather than implement over just a week or two before reverting back to your old ways.
This means do not set the unrealistic goal of fitting in a workout every day, or that you won’t ever have another takeaway. Allow cheat days into your schedule, as this will give you something to look forward to. The odd treat, as long as you don’t go over the top, will not hurt.
In conclusion, do not shy away from weight training to lose weight as this, mixed with cardio, will increase the amount of calories that you burn. If possible, try to exercise with friends by taking up a team sport, so as you can have fun with other while you exercise.
