A combination of exercise and diet is the best way to lose excessive body fat. Losing one
to two pounds a week is a realistic goal which is best accomplished
by reducing caloric intake and increasing energy expenditure.
In other words, one should eat less and exercise more. Dieting
alone can cause the body to believe it is being starved. In response,
it tries to conserve its fat reserves by slowing down its metabolic
rate and, as a result, it loses fat at a slower rate.
A combination of exercise and diet is the best way to lose unwanted body fat.
people must consume a minimum
number of calories from all the major food groups, with the calories
distributed over all the daily meals including snacks. This ensures
an adequate consumption of necessary vitamins and minerals. A
male person who is not under medical supervision when dieting
requires a caloric intake of at least 1,500; women require at
least 1,200 calories. people should avoid diets that fail to
meet these criteria.
Trying to lose weight with
fad diets and devices or by skipping meals does not work for long-term
fat loss, since weight lost through these practices is mostly
water and lean muscle tissue, not fat. Losing fat safely takes
time and patience. There is no quick and easy way to improve body
composition.
The person who diets and
does not exercise loses not only fat but muscle tissue as well.
This can negatively affect his physical readiness. Not only does
exercise burn calories, it helps the body maintain its useful
muscle mass, and it may also help keep the body's metabolic rate
high during dieting.
Fat can only be burned during
exercise if oxygen is used. Aerobic exercise, which uses lots
of oxygen, is the best type of activity for burning fat. Aerobic
exercises include jogging, walking, swimming, bicycling, cross-country
skiing, rowing, stair climbing, exercise to music, and jumping
rope. Anaerobic activities, such as sprinting or lifting heavy
weights, burn little, if any, fat.
Aerobic exercise is best for burning fat. Examples include jogging, walking, swimming, bicycling, cross-country skiing, and rowing.
Exercise alone is not the
best way to lose body fat, especially in large amounts. For an
average-sized person, running or walking one mile burns about
100 calories. Because there are 3,500 calories in one pound of
fat, he needs to run or walk 35 miles if pure fat were being burned.
In reality, fat is seldom the only source of energy used during
aerobic exercise. Instead, a mixture of both fats and carbohydrates
is used. As a result, most people would need to run or walk over
50 miles to burn one pound of fat.
A combination of proper diet
and aerobic exercise is the proven way to lose excessive body
fat. Local dietitians and nutritionists can help people who
want to lose weight by suggesting safe and sensible diet programs.
In addition, the unit's MFT can design tailored exercise programs
which will help people increase their caloric expenditure and
maintain their lean body mass.
