|
▲
return to top
Can fat-loss be
targeted to an area
of the body?
 If you are
attempting to
eliminate fat from
just one part of the
body, eg, the tummy
or upper arms, think
again! Body fat will
be lost from the
body as a whole, so
never try to tackle
one particular area.
A thousand ab
crunches a day will
certainly strengthen
and tone the ab
muscles, but it will
not cause fat loss
from that area. It
is much more
advisable to follow
a healthy, balanced
diet and undertake
some form of
cardiovascular
exercise on a daily
basis in order to
reduce fat from the
whole body, and do
resistance training
3 – 4 times per week
to tone and build
the muscles. The end
result will be a
fit, healthy, toned
and strong body.
▲
return to top
Will your muscles
get too big?
 Many women are
reluctant to work
with weights,
believing they will
‘bulk up’ and look
like a weight
lifter. In fact, due
to a much smaller
amount of
testosterone in
women’s bodies
compared to men, it
is much more
difficult for them
to build bulky
muscles. If you work
with a weights
program that is
especially designed
for you, that works
different areas of
the body rather than
trying to spot
reduce, you will
create a lean, toned
body that burns
energy quickly and
efficiently.
▲
return to top
What to do when
results stop coming
 Many people give up
on resistance
training because
they stop seeing
results. You’ve
heard of the
expression “reaching
a plateau”. This
simply means that
the body is no
longer being pushed
to new limits. It is
important to
constantly look for
new ways to
challenge the body
and this can be
achieved by
‘overloading’, which
is the technical
term for making a
muscle work beyond
its comfortable
level of exertion.
By constantly
overloading, the
muscles will work
harder to adapt, and
as a result,
constant progress
will be seen.
▲
return to top
What time of day
burns the most fat?
 Exercising first
thing in the morning
is very effective
for weight loss. If
you do weights
training and some
form of cardio
training most days,
try to do one of
these when you get
up in the morning,
and then slot the
other into a later
part of the day.
▲
return to top
Which cardio
exercise is best?
 Cardio, or aerobic
training, is
exercise that raises
the heart rate,
works your heart and
lungs and, best of
all, burns fat!
Which cardio
training is the
best, you ask… The
best one for you is
the one you like
doing, because that
means you will keep
on doing it!
▲
return to top
Unexpected cardio
benefits
 The
physical benefits of
cardio training are
not the only
benefits. Sleeping
well, coping better
with stress,
improved
concentration and
boosting your self
confidence are just
some of the
psychological
benefits. During
this type of
exercise, your body
releases adrenaline
and serotonin; this
is the chemical that
makes you feel
happy. Research
indicates that
aerobic exercise,
done regularly, can
even help in the
treatment of
depression!
▲
return to top
How hard should
you train?
 To maximize the
effectiveness of
your workouts, it is
important to work at
between 65% and 85%
of your maximum
heart rate. This is
easily calculated by
using the formula of
220 minus your age.
If you are, say, 40
years old, your
maximum heart rate
is 180 beats per
minute. 65% of 180
is 117, and 85% of
180 is 153.
Therefore, while
training, you should
aim to keep your
heart rate above 117
and below 153.
▲
return to top
How much training
for results that
show?
 Many health
professionals
recommend 30 minutes
of physical activity
a day, which is fine
for people who want
to maintain a basic
level of fitness and
want to maintain
their current
weight. If you want
to increase your
fitness, lose weight
and see significant
results, you are
going to have to be
prepared to work a
bit harder. Fitgirls
agree with the World
Health
Organisation’s
recommendation of 60
minutes of physical
activity a day. |
