| I've worked with hundreds of people who were | | | | ruining my life. I got to thepoint where everything |
| interested in losing weight. Overthe years I've | | | | was a struggle,none of my fat clothes fit, I |
| noticed four areas that I believe are particular | | | | didn'twant to see anyone because of the way |
| hindrancesto weight loss. If your goal is to be | | | | Ilooked, and even walking made mebreathless. I |
| successful at losing weight and keeping it off, | | | | decided that I would eithermake a drastic change |
| avoid the "big 4" no-nos. | | | | at that point orI would give up. I chose to make a |
| | | | drasticchange." |
| #1 Big No-No: Not exercising on a daily basis. Daily | | | | |
| exercise sends your metabolism through the roof! | | | | "I knew that exercise needed to be apriority and |
| I have seen VERY FEW peoplewho are not very | | | | so I changed several thingsin my daily schedule to |
| regular exercisers, loseweight AND keep it off. | | | | make that happen.I started with very little but I |
| | | | was veryconsistent. I worked up to 45 minutes |
| Losing weight and maintaining that losscan be | | | | ofaerobic exercise in the morning and 30 to45 |
| very difficult. However, both canbe made | | | | minutes in the evening. On Saturdays,I take a less |
| considerably easier with regularexercise, | | | | intense, but longer walkthroughout my area of |
| preferably in the morning. | | | | town enjoying allthe sights. I'm up to 8 to 10 miles |
| | | | onmy Saturday walk. I also weight trainthree |
| If you're interested in losing fat, you'reobjective is | | | | days a week. Please don't get theimpression that |
| to create a daily caloricdeficit. For example, If | | | | this was easy. I wentthrough MANY difficult |
| you're consuming1700 calories per day, and | | | | struggles butit definitely got easier as I |
| expending 2000calories per day, your caloric | | | | progressed." |
| deficit is300 calories. Losing a pound of fat | | | | |
| requiresa deficit of 3500 calories. So, to lose two | | | | "I'm now 12 pounds from my goal weight. Greg,I |
| pounds per week would require a dailydeficit of | | | | can't begin to explain how my life haschanged. |
| 1000 calories. | | | | Everything is different. Eventhe way people talk |
| | | | to me. It's almostlike people didn't even see the |
| So, if you'd like to increase your daily caloric | | | | personunder all that fat. Probably best of allis that |
| deficit, you have two options; 1. To decrease | | | | I have energy to function now.I'm not constantly |
| your caloric intake by eatingfewer calories, or..2. | | | | tired like I used tobe." |
| To increase your caloric expenditure via more | | | | |
| activity / exercise.However, you cannot decrease | | | | "Obviously, my perception of exercise haschanged |
| your dailycaloric intake much lower than 1200 to | | | | now. I enjoy it and look forwardto it. I'm planning |
| 1500 or so without potentially creating health and | | | | on doing a halfmarathon (13.1 miles) walk in the |
| metabolism problems. | | | | fall.Thanks again for your words of |
| | | | encouragement." |
| In fact, many people's metabolism (basal | | | | |
| metabolic rate) is so slow from years of inactivity | | | | ElizabethLexington, Kentucky |
| and dieting, that they are only burning fewer than | | | | |
| 1500 calories per day.Without exercise, they | | | | Wow! This lady is unstoppable. Notice thatshe first |
| would have todecrease their daily caloric intake | | | | realized the true benefits ofexercise and then |
| tounhealthy levels to lose weight. And, acaloric | | | | decided to do *whatever*she had to for exercise |
| intake that's too low only createsmore | | | | to become aconsistent part of her life. |
| metabolism problems and a vicious cycle of more | | | | |
| weight gain. | | | | Exercise radically changes how your bodyhandles |
| | | | fat! when you're sedentary, allthe physiological |
| So, the only remaining factor in the deficit | | | | signals tell your bodyto hang on to the fat and |
| equation is caloric expenditure through increased | | | | dump the metabolism boosting muscle. When |
| activity / exercise. | | | | you'reexercising on a daily basis, all thephysiological |
| | | | signals tell your body todump the fat and increase |
| The good news is that you can | | | | the metabolismboosting muscle. Which signals do |
| substantiallyincrease your caloric expenditure. | | | | you want? |
| Forexample, if you're currently walking for 30 | | | | |
| minutes two days per week, over a period of | | | | #3 Big No-No: Not taking the time to planand |
| several weeks you can increase your walkingto | | | | prepare your eating. Healthy eating forweight loss |
| 60 minutes per day, six to seven daysper week | | | | won't just happen, you have tospend time on it. |
| and begin weight training for 30minutes three | | | | |
| days per week. | | | | Not being prepared is a major factor thatleads to |
| | | | overeating and unhealthy eating.Take time to plan |
| So, in this example, you would increase your | | | | your shopping and eatingfor the week. Take time |
| monthly exercise minutes from about 240 to | | | | to prepare yourlunch to take to work, and your |
| 1530. Plus, in addition to the calories thatyou're | | | | meal forthe evening, etc. Plan for healthy |
| expending during exercise, you wouldalso | | | | snacksto have at home, in your car, at work, |
| substantially increase the number ofcalories you're | | | | etc.Our weight loss programs specifically discuss |
| burning 24 hours-a-day, yes,you'll even burn more | | | | how to set up an effective snackingsystem. |
| calories while you'resleeping because you've | | | | |
| fired-up your basalmetabolic rate. You can't beat | | | | 4. Not including intervals in your aerobicexercise. |
| that, can you? | | | | Intervals are brief periods (about one minute) of |
| | | | more intense exercise mixed into yourregular |
| Here's another VERY important reasonto exercise | | | | aerobic exercise sessions. Forexample, if you're |
| while you're restrictingcalories and trying to lose | | | | walking, you would do aone minute interval of |
| weight. you tendto lose muscle tissue from any | | | | faster walking onceevery five minutes throughout |
| muscle thatyou're not using while you're | | | | your exercisesession. |
| restrictingcalories. You've heard it - use it or lose | | | | |
| it.And, there are three main consequences to | | | | Here's how it will look.. you'll start withyour normal |
| losing muscle;1. Your metabolism (basal metabolic | | | | three to five minute warm-up andthen five |
| rate)decreases causing you to burn *fewer* | | | | minutes into your workout you doyour first |
| calories24 hours-a-day and causing the | | | | interval, one minute of fasterwalking (or perhaps |
| maintenanceof your weight loss to be very | | | | jogging). At the end ofthat minute you should be |
| difficult.2. Your muscles get flabby and mushy.3. | | | | "winded" and readyto slow down. You'll slow down |
| Your are weaker and become fatiguedmore | | | | to your normalexercising speed for the next four |
| easily. | | | | minutesand then your fifth minute is another |
| | | | oneminute interval. This pattern continues |
| #2 Big No-No: Not deciding to make a | | | | throughout your exercise session. |
| drasticchange. I've seen this over and over | | | | |
| againwith hundreds of people. Unless | | | | You'll derive several benefits from intervals.. |
| someonedecides that they are ready to get | | | | |
| reallyserious about losing weight and ready | | | | 1. Intervals can help you to get past aweight loss |
| tomake drastic changes, their chances of | | | | plateau. |
| losingweight and keeping it off are not good. | | | | |
| | | | 2. Intervals increase your aerobic fitnesslevel by |
| Research continues to indicate thatAmericans are | | | | "pushing the envelope". While doingyour interval |
| becoming more sedentary..and fatter every year. | | | | you cross the anaerobicthreshold into anaerobic |
| This move towardinactivity and an increase in | | | | metabolism, forcingyour body to become |
| body fatis even more pronounced in children, | | | | conditioned to more intense exercise. |
| whodon't get out and play anymore. Instead,they | | | | |
| sit in front of a TV or computer(perhaps like their | | | | 3. Your increased level of fitness means thata |
| parents) for many of their waking hours. | | | | given level of exercise will feel easierand that you |
| | | | will be able to exercise at a higher intensity which |
| We know that there is a very direct,inverse | | | | "burns" more calories. |
| relationship between a person'slevel of activity and | | | | |
| the percentage oftheir weight that is fat. less | | | | 4. Your increased level of fitness also meansthat |
| activityequals more fat, and more activity | | | | you will be less fatigued from dailyactivities and |
| equalslees fat. | | | | you'll have more "energy" throughout the day. |
| | | | |
| I received an email message recentlythat I'd like | | | | 5. Intervals increase your basal metabolicrate |
| to share with you. It's aweight loss and fitness | | | | (BMR), causing you to burn more calories24 |
| success storythat makes you want to start | | | | hours-a-day. |
| exercisingwhile you're reading it. | | | | |
| | | | 6. Intervals cause you to "burn" more |
| It's from a 48 year-old lady, Elizabeth,who lives in | | | | caloriesduring your exercise session and for |
| Lexington, Kentucky. Sheis living proof that less | | | | several hours afterwards. |
| activityequals more fat, and more activity equals | | | | |
| less fat. Here's her letter: | | | | 7. Intervals will tone the involved musclesto a |
| | | | greater degree than your regular aerobic exercise |
| "Greg, I'm writing to thank you for yourinspiring | | | | would. |
| articles and to tell you aboutmy journey (a rough | | | | |
| one) to fitness. Iwas at a healthy weight in my | | | | 8. Intervals can make your exercise |
| earlytwenties and had my first child at age26. I | | | | lessmonotonous and help the time pass |
| remained about 30 pounds overweightafter she | | | | morequickly. |
| was born." | | | | |
| | | | 9. Intervals will energize you! |
| "I managed to gain 15 more pounds duringthe | | | | |
| next four years, mostly because of several diets | | | | If you'd like to put a little excitement intoyour |
| I tried. After the birthof my second child at age | | | | exercise, and you're looking for better results, |
| 31, I was 60pounds overweight and very | | | | give intervals a try. |
| frustrated.Over the next 15 years I tried | | | | |
| numerousdiets (even eating just rice) that | | | | Avoid these four "no-nos" and your weight |
| ultimate led to me being 120 poundsoverweight." | | | | lossefforts are much more likely to be successful. |
| | | | |
| "I started reading your articles two yearsago and | | | | copyright 2004 by Greg Landry, M.S. |
| it finally began to sink in. Ifinally realized that | | | | |
| exercise wasn'tjust about the calories I was | | | | Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry, |
| burningduring exercise. I finally realizedthat I would | | | | offers free weight loss and fitness success |
| never lose the weight andkeep it off without | | | | stories and targeted, highly affective weight loss |
| some real exercisein my life." | | | | programs for women, men, type 2 diabetics, and |
| | | | people with slow metabolisms and hypothyroidism.. |
| "I reached a point in my life where myweight was | | | | |