Feature: Healthy Lifestyles

Choosing the Correct Exercise Workout for Weight Loss and Health

Author: John Phillip
Published: August 14, 2010 at 8:26 am
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It can be difficult to determine if your workout is sufficient to meet your health and weight loss goals. For many people, just making the effort to exercise for 20 minutes several days a week is good enough to provide them with basic fitness benefits. Others need a more rigorous aerobic training session to peak their heart rate and boost overall health.

Establish Your Training Goal
Everybody has different needs to optimize an exercise workout based on level of fitness and long term expectations. If weight loss is your goal, then it’s more important to extend the duration of your training session at a moderate intensity. Target 45 to 60 minute session 5 or 6 days per week, as this will kick start your fat burning metabolism and optimize your weight loss potential.

For those more interested in reducing risk from heart disease and improving overall health from their workout, experts recommend short burst resistance exercise routines.

This type of exercise cross-trains the body in high intensity 2 minute intervals, incorporating 10 to 12 repetitions while covering all major muscle groups. Information provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlines the essential elements your fitness routine should include, regardless of your personal goal.

Punch a Fitness Time Clock
CDC experts suggest that you’re engaged in some type of moderate level physical activity for 150 minutes each week or 75 minutes of more intense training. Moderate activities include brisk walking, mowing the lawn or cleaning the house, while jogging and running are examples of more intense activities.

Be sure to keep a record of your exercise sessions, as your training activities are cumulative. 150 minutes may sound like a lot, but when you break it down into 10 or 15 minute fitness chunks, you’ll find that the time goes by quickly. Spreading your exercise routine across multiple days and different times will also condition your body toward fat metabolism and weight loss.

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Article Author: John Phillip

John Phillip is a Diet, Health and Nutrition Researcher/Writer reporting on the cutting edge use of lifestyle modifications to enhance and improve the length and quality of life. John is the author of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan', a Free E-Book available for download from his blog. …

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