- EXERCISE INTENSITY x WEIGHT LOSS

THE MOST FREQUENT QUESTION I GET FROM CLIENTS & FRIENDS:

- Will I burn more fat if I exercise longer at a lower intensity?

+ The most important focus in exercise and fat weight control is not the percentage of exercise energy coming from fat but the total energy cost, or how many calories are burned during the activity. The faster you walk, step or run, for example, the more calories you use per minute. However, high-intensity exercise is difficult to sustain if you are just beginning or returning to exercise, so you may not exercise very long at this level. It is safer, and more practical, to start out at a lower intensity and work your way up gradually. Checking your heart rate you can maintain it on what we call "fat burning zone".

- If am not going to work out hard and often, is exercise a waste of time?

+ This kind of thinking keeps a lot of people from maintaining or even starting an exercise program. Research continues to show that any exercise is better than none. For example, regular walking or lifting light weight for as little as 2 hours a week has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

- If I exercise long and hard enough, will I get the results I want?

+ Yes. In reality, genetics plays an important role in how people respond to exercise. Studies have shown a wide variation in how different exercisers respond to the same training program. Your development of strength, speed and endurance may be very different from that of other people you know.

- Is exercise one sure way to lose all the weight I desire?

+ As with all responses to exercise, weight gain or loss is impacted by many factors, including dietary intake and genetics. All individuals will not lose the same amount of weight on the same exercise program. It is possible to be active and overweight. However, although exercise alone cannot guarantee your ideal weight, regular physical activity is one of the most important factors for successful healthy weight management.

- If I want to lose weight, should I stay away from strength training because of bulking up?

+ Most exercise experts believe that cardiovascular exercise and strength training are both valuable for maintaining a healthy weight. Strength training helps maintain muscles mass and decrease body fat percentage.

- If I am overweight, should I starting doing cardiovascular exercises first and then after losing some weight going to a strength program (lifting)?

+No. You should start combining both (cardiovascular & strength training) at the very beginning, for the reason mentioned before.

- Are overweight people unlike to benefit much from exercise?

+ Studies show that obese people who participate in regular exercise program have a lower risk of all-cause mortality than sedentary individuals, regardless of weight. Both men and women of all sizes and fitness levels can improve their health with modest increases in activity.

For any other question, or anything related to Fitness, e-mail to DavidSilva@DSFitness.com
http://www.dsfitness.com/