Maximize Your Workout Routine for Weight Loss
By Rachel Carver
We know that exercise alone will most likely not lower your scale number. However, there are many compelling reasons to make regular workouts a part of your life.
When it comes to weight loss, a balanced diet and an active lifestyle can help you achieve your goal. But it usually takes some trial and error to find exercise programs you enjoy and will follow consistently.
Here are some small shifts you can make to your workout routine to put you on the right path toward weight loss.
Work Out for More Than Weight Loss
Regular exercise can improve your mood, increase your energy, and burn more calories. However, you need to find an exercise routine you will enjoy. When you begin having fun and focus less on what you have to do and how long you have to do it, you will stick with it and see results. Find a yoga class, speed walk, or find another physical activity you will want to keep doing.
Do Supersets instead of Cardio
Not only do supersets allow you to work multiple muscle groups quickly, but they also keep your heart rate elevated during and after the workout. This is very effective for weight loss because you continue burning calories after completing exercises. Superset training incorporates a variety of exercises into the routine, working different muscles and keeping things fun.
Focus on Heavy Strength Training Instead of HIIT
High-intensity interval training has many benefits and is very popular. However, strength training can often burn more calories than cardio. It also gives you a leaner muscle mass, which increases your basal metabolic rate. A higher basal metabolic rate causes your body to consume more calories, even when at rest.
Rest Between Strength Training Sets
Taking breaks after each weight lifting set can give you more energy for the next set. Time to breathe makes you stronger, adds muscle, and helps you drop the pounds.
Make Recovery a Priority
It happens to all of us. We think we need to work out every day to achieve results. It is common to squeeze early morning workouts into your schedule to make sure they get done. However, if doing this means you sacrifice sleep quality, you might actually be doing more harm than good. Adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night. Maybe you need to shorten your workouts to get more sleep.
Plan rest days. If you get up early Monday through Wednesday, allow yourself to sleep in an extra hour on Thursday. Proper rest is just as important to our health as regular exercise.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Surprise, Ariz.