Cardio for Weight Loss
Cardio is heart healthy and it's a great exercise, but if your goal with cardio is to burn fat, you need to take it with a stride and make it fat burning productive.
I come across many ladies who are quite active. This is all fine and dandy, but when they are active and top that with teaching spinning classes, kick boxing, high energy videos, and general cardio machines, this can be a recipe for disaster, setting your further back than when you started.
Don't go overboard with cardio. Keep it simple, yet effective.
Cardio Intensity
Cardio intensity is a factor to keep fat burning beneficial. This does not mean to do an all out killer cardio routine that leaves you crawling from the gym in a near death status, but to simply shake things up a bit to force the body to respond.
A good way to master cardio is with HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). There are many variations of HIIT and my favorite is the 2/2 ratio.
Example of 2/2 Ratio HIIT
Minutes 1-2 - Warm up
Minutes 3-4 - Low intensity
Minutes 5-6 - High intensity
Minutes 7-8 - Low intensity
Minutes 9-10 - High Intensity
Minutes 11-12 - Low intensity
Minutes 13-14 - High intensity
Minutes 15-16 - Low intensity
Minutes 17-18 - High Intensity
Minutes 19-20 - Low intensity
Minutes 21-22 - Cool down
With HIIT, your body never falls in a rut because you are constantly changing the intensity to prevent cardio adaptation.
Progressive Cardio
Another successful cardio tactic to use is Progressive Cardio. Your body can adapt to anything in a short amount of time and Progressive Cardio can stop adaptation before it occurs. Progressive Cardio is simply increasing your cardio each week by either the numbers of day or the amount of time to invite change and prevent staleness, provided you don't overdo it.
Example of Progressive Cardio
Week 1 - 4 times a week for 20 minutes
Week 2 - 4 times a week for 25 minutes
Week 3 - 5 times a week for 25 minutes
Week 4 - 5 times a week for 30 minutes
You will notice how each week is a step advanced from the previous. This is how you make cardio work in your favor to burn fat.
Adopt Weight Training
Have you even seen someone in the gym doing endless hours of cardio and still look soft and unfit? That is because she is lacking lean muscle, which is built from weight training and excessive cardio burns muscle.
Weight training builds lean muscle mass. The more muscle you add to your frame, the less you need to rely on cardio. Muscle is metabolically active and allows you to burn more calories at rest and at play. Of course, this does not mean to kick cardio to the curve, but having a balance of both in your program will keep things interesting and will give much better body transformation results.
Summary to Cardio Queen Syndrome
Once you understand how you can manipulate cardio, you will be able to master the fat burning game. Realize that you don't need three or four different cardio methods stacked on top of one another. Just use cardio wisely and you will have the advantage. Remember, cardio is a fat loss tool, not the determining factor.
It is no surprise that diet and fitness go hand in hand, and using cardio for weight loss is an excellent way to boost the body’s fat burning potential as well as take advantage of other health benefits that better fitness provides.
About Cardio Exercise
Cardiovascular exercise is a more technical term for familiar aerobic techniques. Cardio workouts are engineered to last for an extended period of time – typically 30 to 60 minutes – and use a wide range of large muscles to elevate an individual’s heart rate. As the heart rate increases, the body breathes deeper and expands blood flow to the muscles in use.
Cardio exercise stimulates weight loss because of its extended time frame. Initially, the body will burn glycogen, otherwise known as stored sugar, for the energy needed to maintain the exercise. After the available glycogen supply is depleted, however, the body relies on fat for maintaining energy for the activity. It is the burning of these fat stores that results in greater weight loss.
Types of Cardio
There are many fat burning exercises that can be used for cardio for weight loss. The key is to find an exercise that is enjoyable and easy (so you are more likely to do it more frequently and for longer periods of time), as well as one that uses large muscles that will help elevate the heart rate. Popular types of cardio exercises include:
- Jogging or running
- Singles tennis games
- Biking or cycling
- Swimming
- Brisk walks or hiking
- Stair climbing
- Elliptical machines
- Jumping rope
- Kick-boxing
- Step, dance, or jazz aerobics
- Aqua aerobics
Even individuals who don’t have time for regular exercise can still enjoy the benefits of a cardio workout by making adjustments to their daily routine. Speeding up the pace of housecleaning and yard work can create a cardio workout, and walking to a local store instead of driving can automatically add more cardio time into even the busiest schedule.
Regardless of the type of cardio you choose, it is best to find an exercise that uses a variety of muscle groups, a wide range of motion, and is suitable to your physical abilities. Before beginning any exercise regimen, consult a physician to discuss proper exercise techniques and what target heart rate you should achieve for the best cardio workout.
Cardio Benefits
In addition to using cardio for weight loss, many people enjoy additional benefits from this type of increased exercise. Cardiovascular exercise can:
- Increase physical stamina and endurance.
- Help lungs work more efficiently and gain a greater capacity.
- Stimulate more efficient blood flow to muscles, which helps relieve cramps and remove the body’s toxins.
- Release endorphins into the bloodstream, providing a natural “high.”
- Increase the body’s flexibility.
- Lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels.
Combined with weight loss, these health benefits greatly increase the quality of life and can allow individuals to enjoy far more activities than they would be able to without a healthy lifestyle.
Using Cardio for Weight Loss
To use cardio exercise to enhance weight loss, it is important to opt for a regular cardio routine. A steady regimen of 30 to 60 minutes of cardio exercise 3 to 4 times per week is recommended, though individuals who have not exercised regularly should start with shorter workouts to allow their bodies time to develop the stamina for longer sessions. Interval training – where more rigorous portions of a workout are interspersed with easier exercises in the same session – is particularly effective at increasing the heart rate while still adjusting to each individual’s exercise level.
To keep the workout fresh and interesting, it is also critical to change routines periodically. A new routine or different type of exercise will work different muscles, spreading the benefits of the exercise throughout the body. New techniques will also keep the participant interested and engaged in the activity rather than making it a chore. By staying interested in the exercise, it is more likely that a regular routine will be adhered to and the long-term benefits of cardio exercise can be experienced.
Best Time to Do Cardio
While there is no “wrong” time to do cardio for weight loss, there is some evidence that the most efficient time is in the morning before eating breakfast. The theory is that individuals who do cardio after a meal must first burn off the excess sugar and carbohydrates they’ve just ingested, which means that less fat will be burned away during the duration of the workout. By working out before eating, more stored fat will be converted to energy and the weight loss benefits may be noticed sooner. After the workout, eating a healthy breakfast will restore the body’s energy level and prevent the period of lethargy that may follow.
It is important to note, however, that doing cardio at any time is beneficial. If the only time an extended exercise period can be arranged is in the evening, the benefits will still accumulate, though the weight loss may be more gradual. In addition, many exercise physiologists and nutrition researchers believe that the primary key to weight loss is not what time you exercise, but rather creating a calorie deficit by either eating fewer calories with a properly balanced, healthful diet or burning more calories on a daily basis, and ultimately adopting a healthy combination of both.
Avoiding Injury
Because cardio workouts are so extensive, it is important to take appropriate precautions to prevent injuries.
- Wear appropriate footwear with adequate support and cushioning to prevent stress fractures and joint pain.
- Drink plenty of water before, during, and after the workout to keep the body properly hydrated.
- Be sure to stretch and warm up muscles before intense workouts to prevent strains.
Cardio Won’t Work by Itself
Despite the benefits of cardiovascular exercise and what it does contribute to weight loss, the most effective weight loss plan incorporates more than aerobic exercise. Healthy eating habits are essential to provide adequate nutrition to hard-working muscles, and strength training will help build muscles that can operate more efficiently, further stimulating weight loss. By developing a well-rounded diet and exercise plan, with cardio for weight loss as an integral part of the routine, it is possible to create a healthy lifestyle that will lead to many physical and emotional benefits.
Burning Calories
Whether you are trying to lose weight or maintain your current healthy weight, burning calories is the key. While there are clear reasons for the need to ignite your internal furnace, there are also a few tricks to help keep your body running at high speed. Weight is determined mostly by the balance of calories - how many you burn vs. how many you eat each day. To lose weight, you need to increase your activity to burn more and/or eat fewer calories each day.
Calories and Weight
A pound of fat equals 3500 calories. To lose 1 pound a week you will need to expend 3500 more calories than you eat that week, whether through increased activity or decreased eating or both. Losing 1-2 pounds of fat a week is a sensible goal, and so you will want to use the combination of increased activity and eating less that will total 3500 calories for 7 days.
How You Burn Calories
Your weight x distance = energy used walking. Time does not matter as much as distance. If you speed up to walking a mile in 13 minutes or less, you will be burning more calories per mile. But for most beginning walkers, it is best to increase the distance before working on speed. A simple rule of thumb is 100 calories per mile for a 180 pound person.
Note About the Calories Chart
You burn more calories per mile at very low speeds because you are basically stopping and starting with each step and your momentum isn't helping to carry you along. Mean while, at very high walking speeds you are using more muscle groups with arm motion and with a racewalking stride. Those extra muscles burn up extra calories with each step. Running may burn more calories per mile as there is an up and down motion lifting your weight off the ground as well as moving it forward.
| Speed/Pounds | 100 lb | 120 lb | 140 lb | 160 lb | 180 lb | 200 lb | 220 lb | 250 lb | 275 lb | 300 lb |
| 2.0mph | 57 | 68 | 80 | 91 | 102 | 114 | 125 | 142 | 156 | 170 |
| 2.5mph | 55 | 65 | 76 | 87 | 98 | 109 | 120 | 136 | 150 | 164 |
| 3.0mph | 53 | 64 | 74 | 85 | 95 | 106 | 117 | 133 | 146 | 159 |
| 3.5mph | 52 | 62 | 73 | 83 | 94 | 104 | 114 | 130 | 143 | 156 |
| 4.0mph | 57 | 68 | 80 | 91 | 102 | 114 | 125 | 142 | 156 | 170 |
| 4.5mph | 64 | 76 | 89 | 102 | 115 | 127 | 140 | 159 | 175 | 191 |
| 5.0mph | 73 | 87 | 102 | 116 | 131 | 145 | 160 | 182 | 200 | 218 |
Basal Metabolic Rate
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of calories your body needs within a 24-hour period to sustain itself. Bodily functions include everything from your respiratory and circulatory systems, to your kidney and liver functions. Your BMR is strictly composed of the number of calories needed for these types of involuntary systems and not the energy needed for physical activity.
There are a number of individual factors that determine BMR. Age, gender, height, weight, and body composition all play a role in BMR. While most of these elements are unchangeable, alterations to body composition is possible and can lead to a more efficient BMR.
A simple formula to determine your BMR is as follows:
½ calorie per 1 lb. of body weight per hour example: 120 lb. person = ½ x 120 x 24 hours = 1440 calories per day
Since this formula does not take into account age and height, the following formula was devised. It is known as the Harris-Benedict formula and is used by expert nutritionists around the globe.
Males: 66 + (13.7 x kg weight) + (5 x cm. height) – (6.8 x age in years) Females: 65 + (9.6 x kg weight) +(1.7 x cm. height) – (4.7 x age in years)
The Importance of BMR
The number of calories a person burns on a daily basis is especially beneficial as we age. Naturally, BMR will lower its speed as we age due to the decreased need for energy. For example, bone is no longer depositing calcium after age 35 or so, all major organs are fully developed, and our body is running as efficiently as it will ever work. Therefore, when we speak of burning calories, it is critical for weight management purposes to have our body burn as many as possible throughout a person’s life in order to avoid weight gain.
Maximizing the Burn
Burning calories via BMR is a somewhat given expenditure. However, there are ways you can maximize your BMR in a general sense, and maximize your caloric usage with physical activity that adds to your BMR usage. The keys to optimal calorie burn include:
- Strength training activities: Muscle tissue requires more energy, otherwise known as calories, than any other tissue in your body. Even at rest, muscle tissue leads a very active lifestyle. For this reason, the more muscle tissues you have in your body, the more calories you will burn. Free weights, universal weight machines, yoga, and resistance exercises, such as bands, done on a consistent basis will increase muscle mass.
- Aerobic activities: Running, swimming, walking, and biking are great ways to burn calories. While these types of activities do not directly serve to increase muscle mass, they are extremely beneficial for using up calories that otherwise may be stored as fat. Consistent participation in an aerobic activity of choice is key to burning a consistent number of calories to avoid weight gain.
- Eat often: The idea of eating several times throughout the day is not new. By consuming an amount of calories that matches your body’s need for the next couple of hours, you are nourishing and providing energy in a sensible manner. When too many calories are consumed at once, the excess ends up being stored as fat. It is better to burn calories as they are being eaten than to pull them from storage, which happens only when extreme hunger is experienced. Importantly, when your body is being deprived of the nutrition it needs, metabolic rate is known to lower itself in an effort to sustain its primary functions of the brain, heart, and other life-sustaining mechanics.
- Eat sufficiently: Depriving your engines of food decreases BMR because it thinks there is an earthly famine lurking and thus conserves energy for ever-so-important factors like brain function. When a lower BMR has been set, and normal eating patterns return, weight gain occurs due to the body now requiring fewer calories secondary to lower BMR. Tip: When reducing calories, be sure to exercise to offset BMR response.
- Stay hydrated: When your body fluids are adequately maintained, every cell in your body will operate at its optimal speed. Proper hydration has been shown to increase BMR by up to 30% within 10 minutes and remains elevated for up to 40 minutes. While this may not sound like much, it plays a tremendous role in extinguishing those extra 60 “cookie” calories.
Burn, Baby, Burn
Indeed, your internal inferno is a mandatory piece of your weight management puzzle. However, by using your BMR to its fullest potential and adding an excess calorie needs requirement through physical activity, your body will be smiling.
Calories Burned During Exercise
| Activity (1 hour) | 130lbs | 155lbs | 190lbs |
| Aerobics, general Aerobics, high impact Aerobics, low impact Archery (non-hunting) Automobile repair Backpacking, general Badminton, competitive Badminton, social, general Basketball, game Basketball, nongame, general Basketball, officiating Basketball, shooting baskets Basketball, wheelchair Bicycling, <10mph, leisure Bicycling, >20mph, racing Bicycling, 10-11.9mph, light effort Bicycling, 12-13.9mph, moderate effort Bicycling, 14-15.9mph, vigorous effort Bicycling, 16-19mph, very fast, racing Bicycling, BMX or mountain Bicycling, stationary, general Bicycling, stationary, light effort Bicycling, stationary, moderate effort Bicycling, stationary, very light effort Bicycling, stationary, very vigorous effort Bicycling, stationary, vigorous effort Billiards Bowling Boxing, in ring, general Boxing, punching bag Boxing, sparring Broomball Calisthenics (pushups, sit-ups), vigorous effort Calisthenics, home, light/moderate effort Canoeing, on camping trip Canoeing, rowing, >6 mph, vigorous effort Canoeing, rowing, crewing, competition Canoeing, rowing, light effort Canoeing, rowing, moderate effort Carpentry, general Carrying heavy loads, such as bricks Child care: sitting/kneeling-dressing, feeding Child care: standing-dressing, feeding Circuit training, general Cleaning, heavy, vigorous effort Cleaning, house, general Cleaning, light, moderate effort Coaching: football, soccer, basketball, etc. Construction, outside, remodeling Cooking or food preparation Cricket (batting, bowling) Croquet Curling Dancing, aerobic, ballet or modern, twist Dancing, ballroom, fast Dancing, ballroom, slow Dancing, general Darts, wall or lawn Diving, springboard or platform Electrical work, plumbing Farming, baling hay, cleaning barn Farming, milking by hand Farming, shoveling grain Fencing Fishing from boat, sitting Fishing from river bank, standing Fishing in stream, in waders Fishing, general Fishing, ice, sitting Football or baseball, playing catch Football, competitive Football, touch, flag, general Frisbee playing, general Frisbee, ultimate Gardening, general Golf, carrying clubs Golf, general Golf, miniature or driving range Golf, pulling clubs Golf, using power cart Gymnastics, general Hacky sack Handball, general Handball, team Health club exercise, general Hiking, cross country Hockey, field Hockey, ice Horse grooming Horse racing, galloping Horseback riding, general Horseback riding, trotting Horseback riding, walking Hunting, general Jai alai Jogging, general Judo, karate, kick boxing, tae kwan do Kayaking Kickball Lacrosse Marching band, playing instrument(walking) Marching, rapidly, military Moto-cross Moving furniture, household Moving household items, boxes, upstairs Moving household items, carrying boxes Mowing lawn, general Mowing lawn, riding mower Music playing, cello, flute, horn, woodwind Music playing, drums Music playing, guitar, classical, folk(sitting) Music playing, guitar, rock/roll band(standing) Music playing, piano, organ, violin, trumpet Paddleboat Painting, papering, plastering, scraping Polo Pushing or pulling stroller with child Race walking Racquetball, casual, general Racquetball, competitive Raking lawn Rock climbing, ascending rock Rock climbing, rapelling Rope jumping, fast Rope jumping, moderate, general Rope jumping, slow Rowing, stationary, light effort Rowing, stationary, moderate effort Rowing, stationary, very vigorous effort Rowing, stationary, vigorous effort Rugby Running, 10 mph (6 min mile) Running, 10.9 mph (5.5 min mile) Running, 5 mph (12 min mile) Running, 5.2 mph (11.5 min mile) Running, 6 mph (10 min mile) Running, 6.7 mph (9 min mile) Running, 7 mph (8.5 min mile) Running, 7.5mph (8 min mile) Running, 8 mph (7.5 min mile) Running, 8.6 mph (7 min mile) Running, 9 mph (6.5 min mile) Running, cross country Running, general Running, in place Running, on a track, team practice Running, stairs, up Running, training, pushing wheelchair Running, wheeling, general Sailing, boat/board, windsurfing, general Sailing, in competition Scrubbing floors, on hands and knees Shoveling snow, by hand Shuffleboard, lawn bowling Sitting-playing with child(ren)-light Skateboarding Skating, ice, 9 mph or less Skating, ice, general Skating, ice, rapidly, > 9 mph Skating, ice, speed, competitive Skating, roller Ski jumping (climb up carrying skis) Ski machine, general Skiing, cross-country, >8.0 mph, racing Skiing, cross-country, moderate effort Skiing, cross-country, slow or light effort Skiing, cross-country, uphill, maximum effort Skiing, cross-country, vigorous effort Skiing, downhill, light effort Skiing, downhill, moderate effort Skiing, downhill, vigorous effort, racing Skiing, snow, general Skiing, water Ski-mobiling, water Skin diving, scuba diving, general Sledding, tobogganing, bobsledding, luge Snorkeling Snow shoeing Snowmobiling Soccer, casual, general Soccer, competitive Softball or baseball, fast or slow pitch Softball, officiating Squash Stair-treadmill ergometer, general Standing-packing/unpacking boxes Stretching, hatha yoga Surfing, body or board Sweeping garage, sidewalk Swimming laps, freestyle, fast, vigorous effort Swimming laps, freestyle, light/moderate effort Swimming, backstroke, general Swimming, breaststroke, general Swimming, butterfly, general Swimming, leisurely, general Swimming, sidestroke, general Swimming, sychronized Swimming, treading water, fast/vigorous Swimming, treading water, moderate effort Table tennis, ping pong Tai chi Teaching aerobics class Tennis, doubles Tennis, general Tennis, singles Unicycling Volleyball, beach Volleyball, competitive, in gymnasium Volleyball, noncompetitive; 6-9 member team Walk/run-playing with child(ren)-moderate Walk/run-playing with child(ren)-vigorous Walking, 2.0 mph, slow pace Walking, 3.0 mph, mod. pace, walking dog Walking, 3.5 mph, uphill Walking, 4.0 mph, very brisk pace Walking, carrying infant or 15-lb load Walking, grass track Walking, upstairs Walking, using crutches Wallyball, general Water aerobics, water calisthenics Water polo Water volleyball Weight lifting or body building, vigorous effort Weight lifting, light or moderate effort Whitewater rafting, kayaking, or canoeing |
354 413 295 207 177 413 413 266 472 354 413 266 384 236 944 354 472 590 708 502 295 325 413 177 738 620 148 177 708 354 531 413 472 266 236 708 708 177 413 207 472 177 207 472 266 207 148 236 325 148 295 148 236 354 325 177 266 148 177 207 472 177 325 354 148 207 354 236 118 148 531 472 177 207 295 325 236 177 295 207 236 236 708 472 325 354 472 472 354 472 236 384 148 295 708 413 590 295 413 472 236 384 236 354 531 413 325 148 118 236 118 177 148 236 266 472 148 384 413 590 236 649 472 708 590 472 413 502 708 561 590 944 1062 472 531 590 649 679 738 797 826 885 531 472 472 590 885 472 177 177 295 325 354 177 148 295 325 413 531 885 413 413 561 826 472 413 974 531 295 354 472 413 354 413 413 413 295 472 207 413 590 295 354 708 354 207 236 177 236 590 472 472 590 649 354 472 472 590 236 236 236 354 354 413 472 295 472 236 177 236 295 148 207 354 236 207 295 472 236 413 236 590 177 354 177 295 |
422 493 352 246 211 493 493 317 563 422 493 317 457 281 1126 422 563 704 844 598 352 387 493 211 880 739 176 211 844 422 633 493 563 317 281 844 844 211 493 246 563 211 246 563 317 246 176 281 387 176 352 176 281 422 387 211 317 176 211 246 563 211 387 422 176 246 422 281 141 176 633 563 211 246 352 387 281 211 352 246 281 281 844 563 387 422 563 563 422 563 281 457 176 352 844 493 704 352 493 563 281 457 281 422 633 493 387 176 141 281 141 211 176 281 317 563 176 457 493 704 281 774 563 844 704 563 493 598 844 669 704 1126 1267 563 633 704 774 809 880 950 985 1056 633 563 563 704 1056 563 211 211 352 387 422 211 176 352 387 493 633 1056 493 493 669 985 563 493 1161 633 352 422 563 493 422 493 493 493 352 563 246 493 704 352 422 844 422 246 281 211 281 704 563 563 704 774 422 563 563 704 281 281 281 422 422 493 563 352 563 281 211 281 352 176 246 422 281 246 352 563 281 493 281 704 211 422 211 352 |
518 604 431 302 259 604 604 388 690 518 604 388 561 345 1380 518 690 863 1035 733 431 474 604 259 1078 906 216 259 1035 518 776 604 690 388 345 1035 1035 259 604 302 690 259 302 690 388 302 216 345 474 216 431 216 345 518 474 259 388 216 259 302 690 259 474 518 216 302 518 345 173 216 776 690 259 302 431 474 345 259 431 302 345 345 1035 690 474 518 690 690 518 690 345 561 216 431 1035 604 863 431 604 690 345 561 345 518 776 604 474 216 173 345 173 259 216 345 388 690 216 561 604 863 345 949 690 1035 863 690 604 733 1035 819 863 1380 1553 690 776 863 949 992 1078 1165 1208 1294 776 690 690 863 1294 690 259 259 431 474 518 259 216 431 474 604 776 1294 604 604 819 1208 690 604 1423 776 431 518 690 604 518 604 604 604 431 690 302 604 863 431 518 1035 518 302 345 259 345 863 690 690 863 949 518 690 690 863 345 345 345 518 518 604 690 431 690 345 259 345 431 216 302 518 345 302 431 690 345 604 345 863 259 518 259 431 |
Whether you are trying to lose weight or maintain your current healthy weight, burning calories is the key. While there are clear reasons for the need to ignite your internal furnace, there are also a few tricks to help keep your body running at high speed.
Basal Metabolic Rate
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of calories your body needs within a 24-hour period to sustain itself. Bodily functions include everything from your respiratory and circulatory systems, to your kidney and liver functions. Your BMR is strictly composed of the number of calories needed for these types of involuntary systems and not the energy needed for physical activity.
There are a number of individual factors that determine BMR. Age, gender, height, weight, and body composition all play a role in BMR. While most of these elements are unchangeable, alterations to body composition is possible and can lead to a more efficient BMR.
A simple formula to determine your BMR is as follows:
½ calorie per 1 lb. of body weight per hour example: 120 lb. person = ½ x 120 x 24 hours = 1440 calories per day
Since this formula does not take into account age and height, the following formula was devised. It is known as the Harris-Benedict formula and is used by expert nutritionists around the globe.
Males: 66 + (13.7 x kg weight) + (5 x cm. height) – (6.8 x age in years) Females: 65 + (9.6 x kg weight) +(1.7 x cm. height) – (4.7 x age in years)
The Importance of BMR
The number of calories a person burns on a daily basis is especially beneficial as we age. Naturally, BMR will lower its speed as we age due to the decreased need for energy. For example, bone is no longer depositing calcium after age 35 or so, all major organs are fully developed, and our body is running as efficiently as it will ever work. Therefore, when we speak of burning calories, it is critical for weight management purposes to have our body burn as many as possible throughout a person’s life in order to avoid weight gain.
Maximizing the Burn
Burning calories via BMR is a somewhat given expenditure. However, there are ways you can maximize your BMR in a general sense, and maximize your caloric usage with physical activity that adds to your BMR usage. The keys to optimal calorie burn include:
- Strength training activities: Muscle tissue requires more energy, otherwise known as calories, than any other tissue in your body. Even at rest, muscle tissue leads a very active lifestyle. For this reason, the more muscle tissues you have in your body, the more calories you will burn. Free weights, universal weight machines, yoga, and resistance exercises, such as bands, done on a consistent basis will increase muscle mass.
- Aerobic activities: Running, swimming, walking, and biking are great ways to burn calories. While these types of activities do not directly serve to increase muscle mass, they are extremely beneficial for using up calories that otherwise may be stored as fat. Consistent participation in an aerobic activity of choice is key to burning a consistent number of calories to avoid weight gain.
- Eat often: The idea of eating several times throughout the day is not new. By consuming an amount of calories that matches your body’s need for the next couple of hours, you are nourishing and providing energy in a sensible manner. When too many calories are consumed at once, the excess ends up being stored as fat. It is better to burn calories as they are being eaten than to pull them from storage, which happens only when extreme hunger is experienced. Importantly, when your body is being deprived of the nutrition it needs, metabolic rate is known to lower itself in an effort to sustain its primary functions of the brain, heart, and other life-sustaining mechanics.
- Eat sufficiently: Depriving your engines of food decreases BMR because it thinks there is an earthly famine lurking and thus conserves energy for ever-so-important factors like brain function. When a lower BMR has been set, and normal eating patterns return, weight gain occurs due to the body now requiring fewer calories secondary to lower BMR. Tip: When reducing calories, be sure to exercise to offset BMR response.
- Stay hydrated: When your body fluids are adequately maintained, every cell in your body will operate at its optimal speed. Proper hydration has been shown to increase BMR by up to 30% within 10 minutes and remains elevated for up to 40 minutes. While this may not sound like much, it plays a tremendous role in extinguishing those extra 60 “cookie” calories.