How to Exercise for Maximum Fat Burning

If you have been a gym member for any length of time you have probably noticed some members engage in strenuous workouts. Some of these members are trying to shed the pounds quickly using different forms of aerobic exercise. It seems logical that the harder you work out the more fat you will burn. After observing these individuals for a number of months I noticed that their physical appearance didn't have a noticable change. This was the same in individuas that worked out 3 times a week and individuals that worked out 5 days a week.

The problem with strenuous aerobic workouts is that they are not good fat burners. The reason for this is that exercise needs fuel to be sustained. The different types of fuel available are fat, glucose and carbohydrates. Fat, the kind of fuel we want to burn, cannot be burned without oxygen. In an intense workout the body doesn't receive enough oxygen to continue burning fat. So it begins to burn carbohydrates. If the intensity level increases the body will begin to burn glucose which is readily available because it requires no oxygen. This is not the solution to successful and healthy weight loss. You may be burning calories and losing weight but you are not losing fat.

To successfully lose weight you need to burn fat calories. The way to do this effectively is through less intense exercise sustained over a longer period of time. A longer time period is needed because lighter exercise burns less calories. It is important to engage in smooth, constant motion and breath deeply in order to effectively burn fat. Stopping and starting or suddenly going into strenuous mode for a minute or two may cause the body to begin burning carbohydrates.

The best exercises for permenant weight loss are walking, jogging, aerobic exercise. Weight training can indirectly effect fat burning because as muscle mass increases, a higher metobolic resting rate is achieved, resulting in more fat energy being burned. This can take several weeks to several months of consistent activity before noticable results are achieved.

Many experts agree that walking is the best fat burning exercise. Fast paced walking will yield the best results. This will not only burn stored fat but a large amount of calories as well. Finding the right balance between percentage of fat and total calories burned is the key to any successful weight loss program. Walking is a great starter exercise for people of any age who are just beginning a exercise program for weight loss.

This is an effective method of healthy weight loss for individuals who are in shape. However, an overweight individual who is just beginning an exercise program will not be able to produce the oxygen needed to burn stored fat if they are trying to keep pace with others in the class. The best approach would be to begin with slow paced walks and after a couple of weeks begin to increase to a fast paced walk. After several weeks of this activity, the next step could be an aerobic class or program.

Once you reach your ideal weight you will have more lean muscle mass resulting in a higher metabolic resting rate. This will allow the burning of more energy per day. You will no longer have to be so strict about your diet. Although eating healthy and avoiding junk food is always wise. Staying at your ideal weight will be easy as you continue to eat healthy and engage in moderate exercise and you will look and feel your very best.

To read more hubs about other factors that effect healthy weight loss click on the links below.