There are literally hundreds of different ways that you can get exercise, but not all of them are suited for you. Each one of us has different likes, dislikes and capabilities. The problem facing most people who try to adopt an exercise plan is choosing one that does not fit their body's needs. By aiming too high or picking the wrong plan, you can easily doom yourself to failure.
In order to avoid this, you're going to need to find your exercise niche. It make take a lot of trial and error, but there are exercises that will keep you motivated and will help you have fun while you're losing weight. Exercise is hard enough, there is no need to torture yourself while you're at it.
Let's look at just a few of your options:
Aerobics -
When it comes to burning fat quickly, it's hard to beat aerobics. However, it can be difficult, especially at first. If you are interested in this type of exercise, but you have some physical issues that make it too hard, it's ok to start slow. Go with a low or no impact work out and pick an instructor that you can actually like. It may not be easy, but the right teacher really makes the difference when it comes to sticking with your exercise plan.
Spinning/Stationary Bike -
If organized aerobics are not your style, you can still get your heart pumping in private with a spinning machine or stationary bike. In many cases, you can even get one for your home where you can exercise in private. This is usually a lot easier for those who have issues with their knees or backs and it is a great way to get started.
Organized Techniques -
Tae Bo is a great example of a technique that incorporates several different elements. The classes are usually quite fun and focus on building upper body strength as well as losing fat. If you need a high energy workout that will keep you coming back for more, this is a great choice.
Weight Lifting -
While weight lifting this isn't the best for weight loss, it can be a good place to start. You'll need to add some sort of aerobic element however to keep burning fat. It is important to lift in order to build lean muscle mass however, so everyone can benefit from this type of exercise.
Walking/Running -
If you want to do your own thing, one of the best ways to get started is by walking. You can gradually increase the distance each day until it becomes easier to make it. Running is usually pretty tough to start with, especially if you are really out of shape, but you can try walking for five minutes, running for ten, walking for five, etc... By changing it up, you'll be building up your endurance levels.
There are numerous other techniques and it is a great idea to explore several to see what is really right for you.
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alternative ideas, exercise, motivation
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aerobics, building upper body strength, capabilities, different ways, exercise plan, exercises, high energy, impact work, knees, likes dislikes, losing weight, niche, spinning machine, stationary bike, tae bo, trial and error, upper body strength, weight exercise, weight loss, workout
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6 comments ↓
uh oh (*wink*) you KNOW I beg to differ on the metabolism boosting benefits of weight training AND the heart rate elevating benefits of circuiting with the weights….
“circuiting” would qualify as the “some sort of aerobic element” I mentioned above… I think the lifting itself is less helpful in terms of weight loss than the added muscle… A bit of chicken and egg perhaps and NOT as an excuse not to life weights.
One thing you should know about the place I am writing from… I have plenty of muscle (not that I would turn down a bit more.) I am not a 98 lb weakling with a ton of fat, but a strong muscular athlete with a large layer of fat over the muscle.
[...] and capabilities. The problem facing most people who try to adopt an exercise plan is choosinghttp://www.weightladder.com/2008/06/05/which-exercise-type-fits-your-body-best/tae boDoes tae bo work? Taebo is said to be such a brilliant exercise plan that the ads boast [...]
[...] can gradually make the walks longer, and make them more difficult as everyone gets used to the activity. This is also a great way to get kids involved in getting fit [...]
I don’t normally comment, but I’d have to agree with MizFit. Circuit training is nowhere near ’some sort of aerobic activity element’. Aerobics tends to focus entirely on calories burned on some meter, and the time you do it in. Circuit training I personally treat as closer to a sport. The other huge differene I find is that aerobic activities tend to be, for lack of a better word, boring. The entire focus is on duration of activity. “I spent half an hour on the treadmil.” In circuit training, the focus is on what is actually done “I performed six rounds.” If you increase the rounds, you increase intensity; there is no way to make a half hour take anything less than a half hour.
Hi
I also agree with MizFit. I can tell you from personal experience that working hard with squats, deadlifts, barbell rows, barbell preses, bench preses and chins; AND eating clean does wonders for fat loss.
And don’t give me any of the I’m-too-old/I’m-too-fat/I’m-too-skinny/I’m-a-women/my-joints-hurt/I-don’t-want-to-get-huge list. ;-P
So, I beg to differ. I think that Weight Lifting might actually be one of the best ways to lose weight (and sure it is the best way to gain muscle). Plus, it’s so addictive that once you get hooked you might never quit ;-P (which is so important in the long run).
BTW, nice blog.
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