Fat Loss (Part-1 of 2)
Losing body fat is unarguably an intriguing topic for discussion. In this post I'm sharing one of the two strategies that I've found to work. First and foremost, it is always helps to know the reason for fat loss as in "Why do I want to lose body fat"? An elite athlete may want to lose fat and hence body weight to qualify for a sporting event, while an overweight teenager may want to lead a more healthy life by increasing her/his fitness levels, losing body fat/weight and thereby increasing their self-confidence. There can be various reasons and these reasons guide the path for our motivation for starting and eventually succeeding on a fat loss program. Following is the first strategy:
Increasing Energy Expenditure:
This simply means to do more physical activity (than currently doing) in the form of a structured exercise program. If, for example, I currently workout 2 days in a week by doing strength exercises and 2 days of cardiovascular exercise amounting to a total of 4 workout days in a week, then I can add 1 more day of either strength training or cardiovascular exercise taking the total workout days for the week up to 5 from the previous 4. This can be classified as a way of increasing the energy expenditure from planned physical activity.
The increment in exercise should be in accordance with current fitness levels. It is better to increment gradually after every couple of weeks and make sure to not put excessive undue stress on the body. Keep in mind that while on a fat loss program the overall calories may also be restricted and this increase in energy expenditure from exercise makes it a little difficult for the body to recover.
Another way to increase exercise energy expenditure:
If, for example, I workout 2 days a week with strength exercises and 2 days with cardiovascular exercise of 20 minutes each, than I can increase the cardiovascular exercise from 20 to 30 minutes for the same 2 cardiovascular days. If need be, after a couple of weeks I can again increase the cardiovascular exercise duration from 30 to 40 minutes. In this case the total number of workout days remain the same i.e. 4 days/week, just the duration of two workouts is increased thereby causing an increase in total energy expenditure.
The above mentioned two ways of increasing the energy expenditure are from the workouts that are pre-planned. But in some cases it is not possible to either increase the duration or the number of workout days due to various reasons. In this situation, we can look towards NEAT which is the Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. This is a summation of all activities performed as part of living other than the regular exercise. Examples include: taking stairs in the office instead of elevator, moving around the house/office, playing with children, preparing food, etc. It is not as big a contributor to weight loss but still does play a significant part.
I'll share the second strategy in a different post.
For more information on Cardio checkout Cardio For Beginners
Confused about joining a gym or working out at home, checkout Home Workout Vs Gym Workout
Increasing Energy Expenditure:
This simply means to do more physical activity (than currently doing) in the form of a structured exercise program. If, for example, I currently workout 2 days in a week by doing strength exercises and 2 days of cardiovascular exercise amounting to a total of 4 workout days in a week, then I can add 1 more day of either strength training or cardiovascular exercise taking the total workout days for the week up to 5 from the previous 4. This can be classified as a way of increasing the energy expenditure from planned physical activity.
The increment in exercise should be in accordance with current fitness levels. It is better to increment gradually after every couple of weeks and make sure to not put excessive undue stress on the body. Keep in mind that while on a fat loss program the overall calories may also be restricted and this increase in energy expenditure from exercise makes it a little difficult for the body to recover.
Another way to increase exercise energy expenditure:
If, for example, I workout 2 days a week with strength exercises and 2 days with cardiovascular exercise of 20 minutes each, than I can increase the cardiovascular exercise from 20 to 30 minutes for the same 2 cardiovascular days. If need be, after a couple of weeks I can again increase the cardiovascular exercise duration from 30 to 40 minutes. In this case the total number of workout days remain the same i.e. 4 days/week, just the duration of two workouts is increased thereby causing an increase in total energy expenditure.
The above mentioned two ways of increasing the energy expenditure are from the workouts that are pre-planned. But in some cases it is not possible to either increase the duration or the number of workout days due to various reasons. In this situation, we can look towards NEAT which is the Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. This is a summation of all activities performed as part of living other than the regular exercise. Examples include: taking stairs in the office instead of elevator, moving around the house/office, playing with children, preparing food, etc. It is not as big a contributor to weight loss but still does play a significant part.
I'll share the second strategy in a different post.
For more information on Cardio checkout Cardio For Beginners
Confused about joining a gym or working out at home, checkout Home Workout Vs Gym Workout
Note: Before starting/changing an exercise and/or dietary program consult a qualified doctor/health care professional.
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