We all have subtly different goals when it comes to our health and fitness. Some of us simply want to maintain recent gains, while some want to transform our bodies’ composition altogether. That said, whatever our unique goals may be, we all tend to want to lose as little body fat. However, many of us are going the wrong way about it. While cardiovascular exercise is absolutely important and should be a component of every workout regimen, it should never be your entire workout regime.
If your every visit to the gym amounts to nothing more than an hour spent sweating on a treadmill you may well burn body fat… But you stand less of a chance of keeping it off. Your workout routine should also include some form of muscle building activity. Building lean muscle mass boost the metabolism so that you burn more calories even when you’re stationary. What’s more, increasing your physical strength can also help to improve your flexibility, mobility and bone density. What’s more, sweating away at the treadmill week in and week out is boring and can easily lead to a loss of motivation.
So, if you want to lose body fat and keep it off, ensure that your workout regimen contains at least one of the following…
Yoga
Yoga is a gentle and low impact form of exercise, but few realize that it is a great way not just of stretching muscles but of strengthening them, too. Yoga encompasses both isometric and isotonic exercises, strengthening the muscles of the body even as it improves flexibility. Studies have shown that yoga can be an effective way to keep body fat at bay, including abdominal fat.
Pilates
Pilates is not dissimilar to yoga, but has an emphasis on building core strength and gaining greater muscular control. Like yoga it uses extensive mat work but also makes use of machines. Check out https://www.c2pilates.com/pilates/if you’d like to give this oft-overlooked form of exercise a try. It’s also a great exercise for posture, balance and stability, helping you to carry any excess body fat in more flattering ways.
Weight training
Many people who want to lose weight, particularly women, tend to shy away from the weights. Some women may worry that building muscle mass will come at the expense of their femininity. However, strength training will not necessarily give you a body builder’s physique. Female competition bodybuilders have very specific diet and supplementation to look the way they do. All women should at least give weight training a try. Not only is it great for fitness and body sculpting it feels incredibly empowering, too!
Boxing / martial arts
As well as being a high-impact and high intensity cardiovascular workout, boxing and martial arts also strengthen the muscles of your arms, legs, shoulders, back and core. Grappling arts like judo and jiu-jitsu are particularly effective forms of strength training as you’re working against your opponent’s weight.
Of course, you’ll get more enjoyment out of a varied and exciting exercise regimen so feel free to mix it up and enjoy a rotation of the above exercises for truly holistic fitness and a regime that’s enjoyable and rewarding!
