|
Exercise promotes weight loss
Aerobic exercise. I recommend you start your exercise program by walking briskly 20 minutes,
four times a week. Once you can do this comfortably, it's time
to increase your pace. To do this, don't lengthen your stride; instead,
increase the number of steps you take per minute. Work up to 30
to 60 minutes of exercise four or more times per week.
Find Your Exercise "Zone." To get the full benefits of aerobic exercise, you need to do more than just go through the motions for 30 minutes. You need to challenge your heart so that it becomes stronger and more efficient and helps you burn fat. At the same time, of course, you don't want to overstrain your heart or other muscles.
Fortunately, there's a formula you can use, called the target heart rate, to determine how hard to work out. The target heart rate (actually a range from low to high) represents your exercise zone -- the level of effort you should maintain in order to get the cardiovascular benefits of exercise. It's also the level that is most likely to produce the "exerciser's high" -- the rush of feel-good chemicals called endorphins that is one of the greatest rewards of aerobic exercise.
To learn your target and maximum heart rates (for adults age 21-65), see the box below.
Your target heart rate is a measure of your pulse while exercising, so you'll need to check your pulse during your workout.
Learning to measure your heart rate while exercising may take a little practice. First, you have to find a place where you can feel your pulse. Your inner wrist is a good place, or the base of your neck near your jawline. You can also put your hand over your heart and count your heartbeat. Once you've found the beat, count for six seconds, then multiply this number by 10. (Your heart rate drops quickly the moment you stop exercising, so don't count for a full minute, as you won't get an accurate reading.)
If the number you get is below your target heart rate, you'll need to work a little harder. But whatever you do, don't exceed your maximum heart rate for any reason.
If you exercise in your "zone", you'll probably need to accelerate your workouts as your fitness level improves. Walking a mile in 20 minutes may be the ideal workout for you today, but 12 weeks down the road you may have to walk that mile in 15 minutes to get your heart pumping at the same level.
Lift weights. Strength training is a natural complement to aerobic exercise. Not
only will lifting weights strengthen your bones, it will build lean
muscle mass — and because lean tissue is more metabolically
active, you'll burn more calories pound for pound than you would
if that tissue were fat. Work with a personal trainer initially
to learn the proper way to lift weights. It's not difficult, and
it is rewarding. Try to schedule two sessions of weight lifting
a week into your exercise regimen.
|