How To Choose An Exercise Plan That Will Deliver The Goods

By Stephanie Wilkinsen

More and more people today are starting to understand that unless we don't take the bull by the horns, and take responsibility for our weight issues, they are only going to get worse. Anybody who has ever lost a significant amount of weight knows that it is only through a combination of exercise and diet that you can achieve lasting results. In this article, I'll be talking about exercise.

All exercises fall into two categories. Those that burn a combination of oxygen and fat for long term activity, or aerobic exercises, and those that burn short term energy stored in the muscle tissue, or anaerobic exercises. Running and weight lifting are two good examples of these two different kinds of exercise.

There are many forms of aerobic exercise. Running, swimming, cycling, rowing, anything that elevates your heart rate for more than five minutes is good. Running likely burns the most calories, but is hardest on your joints. Swimming burns the least calories, but is the easiest on your joints. It's no secret that you'll see young people at the track, and older people at the pool.

Anaerobic exercises are short bursts of high intensity movements that primarily used energy stored in the muscles. These don't rely on oxygen, so you can only do them for a short time. Sprints, weightlifting, and body weight exercises are examples of these. These are great for building muscle tone and definition. There are virtually hundreds of different ways you can achieve this in the gym.

Which is best? Whichever you feel the most comfortable doing. If you like the lean, slim look, go for running or cycling. If you are looking for a toned, chiseled look, go for weight training or circuit training. Either way, whichever you feel most comfortable with is best for you.

Of course, some will say that the ideal is a combination of these two. Many will run on one day, and lift weights the next. Some even do both every single day. The secret is to find whatever you feel most comfortable for you, and to stick with it. The longer you do these on a regular basis, the better results you'll have. - 33373

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