Workouts to Melt Your Body Fat

 

Walking, Running, Jumping Rope, Ski machines, treadmills, rowing, cycling, aerobics to music, aerobic videos are a short list of the many workouts you can perform to melt your body fat.

1. Walking

Just starting out on your weight loss goal? Not been working out lately? Then walking is for you. Although the fat burning potential in walking is low, its a great place to start.

With time you can jog and increase the intensity level burning more calories.

I have added cool tips on walking exercise here. In fact I have walking as part of aerobic workout program at home here.
2. Stepping

Its a great exercise as it can be done at home with a simple chair or a flight of stairs in your apartment.

This is performed by merely stepping up and down from a chair (or bench or stool) to the floor and back.

Do it with one foot first, rest and repeat with other foot. Add more repetitions every week.

In the active rest period you can do crunches or push ups until your lower body refreshes.

3. Running/Jogging

Do you love outdoors? Want some fresh air with exercise? Then Outdoor Jogging is the way to go.

The greatest benefit is for your lungs and heart.

Also if you are just starting out on your weight loss expedition then outdoor jogging is best for you. Early morning or evenings are best to perform these activities in a quiet environment.

Many experts rate this as the best Aerobic exercise with a high fat burning potential.

Injuries can result from overtraining  may be the reason you should avoid them, especially is you have a previous history. Consult a doctor though.

4. Outdoor Cycling/ Stationary Cycling

 

It is an excellent aerobic exercise and you can have fun doing it. Hey who doesn’t like Mountain biking or cross country cycling. whenever possible get away from gym for such exhilarating activities.

Stationary Cycling is also a great way to burn calories.

Outdoor cycling is much better than stationary cycling though as it uses the wind effect and results in development of balanced muscles unlike stationary cycling which can cause muscle imbalances.

5. Treadmills/Rowing Machines/Ellipticals/Stairclimbers

Here you can combine walking, jogging and add resistance as well. The fact that you can perform high intensity exercise with a treadmill makes it very effective for fat burning. I have added treadmill workouts for advanced trainers here.

Rowing machines are a whole body exercise and can greatly burn calories.
What types of Exercises are considered Aerobic?

Any Exercise that increases the heart rate into a target zone and maintains it for at least 20 minutes is considered Aerobic. See how recreational sports fail this test. They do not provide a sustained effect on the body.

 

How much aerobics is sufficient?

My general guideline is to perform 30-45 aerobics with moderate-to-high intensity 3-5 times a week.

 

For Calculating Target Heart Zone, how to monitor heart rate, calories burned during aerobics and planning your Weight Loss Exercise Plan check the Fast Weight Loss Section.

Add Weight Training to Cardio for real results

Add a Weight Training session to your aerobics at least 3 times a week. Aerobics and Weight Training works together helping you burn fat, preserve Muscle and get tones.

Always remember the Key to a better body is Consistency. Nobody lost fat and got fit without this one fact – Consistency.

If you remain consistent you will change the way you look. I promise that to you.

 

excerpt from Best Aerobic Exercises – Best Cardio Exercises and Workouts to melt your Body fat.  Read the entire article here:  http://www.exercisegoals.com/best-aerobic-exercises.html

 

 

 

A Spinning Workout Burns Calories

 

A spinning workout is an excellent way to burn some calories and relieve stress. The workout employs a stationary bike, which has various tension levels. The bike will also track your progress, so that you are motivated to continue and accomplish your fitness goals. There are numerous benefits to a spinning workout.

Burn Calories

A spinning workout of 45 minutes may allow you to burn around 500 calories, which is a huge amount when compared to other types of workout. However, the amount of calories you burn will depend on the intensity of the workout. Adjust your bike according to the intensity you desire.

Build Muscle Tone

The spinning workout may help you build some muscle tone. The workout will focus on the core muscles, as well as the buttocks and thighs. You can increase and decrease the tension of the bike; this is similar to riding up and down a hill. While you pedal, you will work your thighs and calves. If you maintain the correct position on the bike, you will also work on your abdominal muscles. When you pedal faster, you are likely to burn fat. When you pedal slower and have a higher tension, you will work your muscles.

Increased Cardio Endurance

If you opt for regular spinning classes, you will build increased cardio endurance. This is beneficial, especially if you feel weaker and start panting even after an insignificant effort, such as climbing a flight of stairs.

Low Impact Exercise

A spinning workout is a low impact exercise. This means that it won’t put pressure on knees and joints, as other aerobic or running exercises do. The workout is also recommended for people that suffer from arthritis.

Relieve Stress

Any type of exercise is known to relieve stress. However, a spinning class can be a more efficient stress reliever than most types of exercise. This is due to the fact that the workout is intensive and it is a class where you can meet people and socialize.

Spinning classes are held by an instructor that will motivate you throughout the workout. In addition, there will be music, which will make the class more entertaining.

Reduced Risks of Injury

While running and jogging may present a high risk of injury, a spinning class is less likely to cause any injuries. However, it’s recommended to stretch prior to the class, so that you don’t pull any muscles.

Adjustable Tempo

The stationary bike will have adjustable tensions, which you can change during the class. Your trainer can indicate when to change the tension, or you can adjust it according to your abilities and fitness goals.

Track Your Progress

Most stationary bikes will have some devices which will track the amount of calories you burn, your mileage and even your pulse. This means that you can track your progress, which is also a motivating factor.

Can Be Done Year Round

Unlike other types of activities such as jogging, which can be unpleasant when performed during the months with extreme temperatures, a spinning class can be performed at any time during the year.

 Read more here:  http://www.buzzle.com/articles/spinning-class-benefits.html

 

Why Yoga?

 

You’ve probably heard that yoga is good for you.  You may have even tried a yoga class or two and discovered that it makes you feel better.  But… Do you know what the specific health benefits are and what you can expect to enjoy from doing yoga regularly?  Here’s … ”Why Yoga?”.

Physical Benefits of Yoga

Flexibility: Stretching your tight body in new ways will help it to become more flexible, bringing greater range of motion to muscles and joints. Over time, you can expect to gain flexibility in your hamstrings, back, shoulders, and hips.

Strength: Many yoga poses require you to support the weight of your own body in new ways, including balancing on one leg (such as in Tree Pose) or supporting yourself with your arms (such as in Downward Facing Dog). Some exercises require you to move slowly in and out of poses, which also increases strength.

Muscle tone: As a by-product of getting stronger, you can expect to see increased muscle tone. Yoga helps shape long, lean muscles.

Pain Prevention: Increased flexibility and strength can help prevent the causes of some types of back pain. Many people who suffer from back pain spend a lot of time sitting at a computer or driving a car. That can cause tightness and spinal compression, which you can begin to address with yoga. Yoga also improves your alignment, both in and out of class, which helps prevent many other types of pain.

Better Breathing: Most of us breathe very shallowly into the lungs and don’t give much thought to how we breathe. Yoga breathing exercises, called Pranayama, focus the attention on the breath and teach us how to better use our lungs, which benefits the entire body. Certain types of breath can also help clear the nasal passages and even calm the central nervous system, which has both physical and mental benefits.

Mental Benefits

Mental Calmness: Yoga asanapractice is intensely physical. Concentrating so intently on what your body is doing has the effect of bringing a calmness to the mind. Yoga also introduces you to meditation techniques, such as watching how you breathe and disengagement from your thoughts, which help calm the mind.

Stress Reduction: Physical activity is good for relieving stress, and this is particularly true of yoga. Because of the concentration required, your daily troubles, both large and small, seem to melt away during the time you are doing yoga. This provides a much-needed break from your stressors, as well as helping put things into perspective. The emphasis yoga places on being in the moment can also help relieve stress, as you learn not to dwell on past events or anticipate the future. You will leave a yoga class feeling less stressed than when you started. Read more about yoga for stress management here.

Body Awareness: Doing yoga will give you an increased awareness of your own body. You are often called upon to make small, subtle movements to improve your alignment. Over time, this will increase your level of comfort in your own body. This can lead to improved posture and greater self-confidence.

By Ann Pizer, About.com Guide

Read more here:  http://yoga.about.com/od/beginningyoga/a/benefits.htm