Which sport should you choose to lose weight safely, healthily and, above all, effectively? Regular physical activity and a well-balanced diet are essential. Thanks to them, we can properly monitor the state of our condition and influence our health. Is there a better or worse exercise for those who want to lose weight?
What’s the secret?
The physiology of physical exertion, or simply nature, imposes certain frameworks that we must adhere to if we want to reduce unwanted body fat. The intensity of exercise should be between 60 and 75% of a person’s maximum heart rate. This means that they are moderate in nature. In other words, we don’t have to push ourselves to the limit to lose weight. Under these conditions, carbohydrates are used first, followed by fats, and finally protein. It depends on the level of stores of a given compound in the body, on what we did before we started exercising, as well as on the duration of the exercise itself.
When we dig into it thoroughly, it turns out that fats are burned from the very first minutes, but they begin to play a dominant role in fueling energy metabolism a little later – after about 30 minutes. Therefore, such exercises should last between 40 and 90 minutes.
The effectiveness of fat burning can be increased by using interval training, i.e. interval exercises, characterized by the presence of short breaks, but not giving full rest. In this case, the intensity of the exercise should be at the level of 90 – 100% of the capacity. However, the training itself is much shorter – a maximum of 25 minutes. Warm-up and cooling time should be added to this. The latter method triggers processes that burn fat for up to 24 hours after the end of training.
In addition, according to personal trainer Norbert Gotz: “In order to achieve good results, it is necessary to combine two types of training that are equally important. The first is strength training. It can be either a workout at the gym performed on machines and free weights, or a workout using your own body weight (i.e. without the equipment found in the gym). On the other hand, the second type of training is aerobic training, the so-called cardio, i.e. effort performed at a steady pace for a longer period of time (minimum 30-40 minutes). He continues: “When it comes to strength training, however, there is one very important rule: you should treat your body as one. People who start training often say, “I want to lose my belly” or “I would like to have skinnier legs.”
Subconsciously, we start to focus only on selected parts of the body. This is a huge mistake that cannot take place in rational weight loss. The body is a unity, which is made up of both the upper and lower muscles, as well as the middle section; That is how it should be treated and no part of it should be left out. An example of this type of mistake is performing hundreds of crunches a day by a person who wants to reduce waist circumference. This leads to uneven muscle tension in the middle section of the body, which in turn can cause back pain in the lumbar region.”
Which sport to choose?
So we have a choice of two general fat reduction schemes. They can be adapted to physical activity of various natures. If you’re passionate about a sport you’ve already chosen, such as running, rowing or cycling, you can tailor specific workouts to simply follow the rules above. It can be, for example, a sprint interspersed with a light jog (intervals). In fact, as long as you can adjust the intensity in the right way, it could theoretically be anything. Remember, however, that while you can move all the time when playing soccer with your friends, it’s easier to cheat on bad days. In addition, your dashes after the ball will be determined by the general situation on the pitch rather than the fact that you should be doing interval training.
Swimming, on the other hand, is conducive to maintaining a proper weight, but if it is rather a few lengths interspersed with prolonged stops on the shore, we will certainly relax – we will not necessarily lose weight. Therefore, a good choice may be planned fitness classes aimed at getting rid of fat (e.g. Fat Burning, Tabata) or exercises selected according to an individual training plan.
Some practical tips
In the words of coach Norbert Gotz – “Aerobic exercises are best performed immediately after strength training or in the morning on an empty stomach. If you start aerobic training after a strength workout or before breakfast, your body will start to get energy from your body fat very quickly, which is what you’re all about.”
That’s the case if you really want to lose some weight. In such cases, it is worth monitoring the work of the heart to know whether our actions are conducive to the chosen goals. Any further activity – especially the one done simply, for pleasure – is welcome. However, if we want to learn something new (e.g. dance, martial art), it is better not to include these activities in the workouts that will help us lose weight. If they support this process – great. However, they require learning, and processing the acquired information – pauses, observation and reflection. It’s better to be aware of that.
Special Mission
In addition, people who are really obese should choose an activity that will not overload their joints and cardiovascular system. In these cases, moderate-intensity physical activity that does not require many jumps and frequent changes in body position is recommended. It can be based on schematic, repetitive movements, e.g. Nordic Walking, brisk walking. In addition, you can make your time more pleasant by walking the dog, learning ballroom dancing, stretching, etc. It is worth thinking about exercises that strengthen the core muscles (Pilates), responsible for maintaining proper posture – they can be weakened as a result of a sedentary lifestyle. In this way, it is possible to introduce yourself to the world of physical activity and gradually raise the bar.
What can we do to endure? Norbert Gotz, quoted above, advises: “If you are just starting your adventure with running, start at low speeds and don’t run for too long. Even 5-10 minutes is enough for the first time. When you feel that this time is no longer a difficulty for you, gradually begin to increase it. Remember, this isn’t a race!” Not every physical activity makes you lose weight, so let’s do sports wisely. Let’s also remember that it is supposed to give us pleasure above all. That is what we would like to see. With the right diet, we are able to achieve a lot.