Thursday, January 12, 2012

Best Ways to Lose Extra Pounds


Excess weight doesn’t just affect how you fit in your clothes. Being overweight or obese increases your risk for hypertension, type 2 diabetes and even some types of cancer, according to the Weight-Control Information Network. A 2 lb. weekly weight loss is the quickest and healthiest fat loss recommended by MedlinePlus. Making a few healthy lifestyle changes will help you accomplish your goals.
Calorie Deficit
If you want to lose fat quickly, you need to create a calorie deficit. This happens when your body burns more calories than it needs. As a result, you tap into stored fat, causing weight loss. A pound of fat contains 3,500 calories. If you want to lose 2 lbs. of body fat weekly, burn 7,000 calories a week. You can accomplish this with exercise and diet modifications. For example, you might decrease calorie intake by 500 daily and work out to burn another 500 calories for a 2 lb. weekly weight loss.
Eat More Fiber
Just because you cut calories doesn’t mean you need to feel hungry. Focus on eating foods with high fiber content. Fiber takes longer to digest, leaving you feeling satisfied for longer. Foods high in fiber include whole-grains, like brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and oatmeal. Fruits and vegetables are also high in fiber content. Other healthy food options include low-fat dairy, like cottage cheese and yogurt, and lean protein, such as fresh water fish, lean meat and chicken, beans and lentils.
High Calorie Burning Cardio
Make the most of your workout sessions by selecting high calorie burning cardio activities. For example, a 160-lb. person burns about 277 calories an hour walking at 3 mph. If you increase your intensity to jogging, you’ll burn about 584 calories. Running will burn 986 calories. Another good option is rollerblading, which burns 913 calories an hour. Or, swim laps to shed 511 calories an hour. Jumping rope is also a high intensity activity, burning 730 calories an hour. Discuss the best activity level with your doctor.
Circuit Training
Another option for burning fat quickly is circuit training. With circuit training, calorie burning is increased by 30 percent, reports “Fitness” magazine. With this routine, you start out with a toning exercise, like leg squats. Then, you rotate to a cardio activity, such as jogging.
You can also use other types of intense cardio activity, like the stair treadmill. Start out with a strength training exercise, such as bicep curls, then alternate to the stair treadmill for a few minutes. Or, you can circuit train using jumping jacks. Complete a strength training move, like abdominal crunches, then alternate to a few minutes of jumping jacks. Continue to rotate between a new strength training exercise and intense cardio activity for at least 30 minutes.

 
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