Burning Calories for Weight Loss
You are
burning calories everyday with each simple and complex task you
do. You even expend energy while sleeping.
Your basal metabolic rate
(BMR) is responsible for up to 75% of the calories you burn each day.
Although a slow metabolism is often blamed for weight issues, this is
rarely the case for most people.
Even though metabolism
influences our
bodies basic energy needs, it is the foods and drinks we consume and
the level of activity we get that are generally the culprits behind
weight gain.
What is BMR?
Your
BMR (basal metabolic rate) is the amount of energy you expend for basic
body
functions like breathing, digesting, blood circulation, growing and
repairing cells and other basic needs.
The metabolic rate for each
person varies and depends on certain factors. These factors include
body size and composition, age and gender.
Each of these factors plays
a role in burning calories and the rate at which you expend your
calories.
For instance, a heavier person or someone with lots
of muscles will have a higher BMR. This is due to the fact that their
bodies require a higher amount of energy to maintain basic body
functions.
Age also plays a role in the amount of calories burned. As
we age our metabolism slows down.
This is generally due to loss of
muscle. Muscles are more metabolically demanding and as we lose muscle
the amount of energy needed also decreases.
Lastly gender impacts the
amount of calories we burn. Men tend to have more muscle mass and
therefore tend to have a higher metabolism.
Burning Calories Beyond BMR
Burning calories beyond your BMR is influenced by two other
factors.
The first is thermogenesis, or
food processing.
This process includes digesting, absorbing and
transporting the energy (or foods) you consume.
This process accounts
for approximately 10 percent of the total calories burned during the
day.
The energy requirement for this process stays fairly consistent
and is not easily changed.
The second item for burning calories
other than your metabolic rate is your activity level.
This variable
accounts for the remaining amount of calories you burn in a day.
All
physical activity including structured exercise, walking the dog or
playing a sport fits into this category.
Since we cannot change our
gender or age, and the energy it takes to process food stays fairly
consistent, our activity level is the one area in which we can maximize
our calories burned for weight loss.
Burning Calories-Maximizing your Exercise Routine
In
order to lose weight a person needs to consume fewer calories than they
burn. You could simply reduce the amount of calories you consume and
reach your goal.
However, if you want to lose weight faster, and keep
it off, then burning calories by changing your physical activity is the
best approach.
After all, with exercise you are not only expending calories you are
increasing muscle mass. As stated earlier, a person's body size and
composition play a role in your metabolic rate.
So by increasing muscle
and losing fat through exercise you are positively impacting the two
factors you are in control of for burning calories faster.
Here are some methods so maximize your exercise routine to get the most
from your workout.
Eat Right
You
want to get the most from your workout so be sure your body is
prepared. Don't exercise on a full stomach but also don't exercise
without energizing your body.
Try eating a low carb, high protein small
meal 90 minutes before your workout. With the proper fuel you will be
able to exercise harder and longer and maximize the amount of fat and
calories you burn.
Just Breathe
Breathing
is an important piece to your workout. You want to ensure you provide
the proper oxygen to your body and muscles.
Fat needs oxygen to burn,
so with proper breathing you are maximizing your fat and calories
burned.
Try inhaling and exhaling through your nose and not your mouth.
This may take some time to get used to but keep practicing and it will
feel natural after awhile.
Strength Training
Make
sure to include strength training in your weekly routine. Remember
muscles are more metabolically demanding so the more muscles you have
the higher your metabolism.
Use resistance bands or dumbbell weights if
you don't have access to a gym or weight lifting equipment.
If you are
including strengthening exercises and aerobics in the same workout,
start with the strength training for a maximum fat and calorie burn. It
takes your body about 15 minutes to warm up before it starts to burn
fat.
Since strengthening exercises burn fewer calories, but does help
warm up the body, starting here allows you to warm up the body as well
as build muscle.
Then when you get to the aerobic section you will be
burning calories and fat right from the start.
Aerobic Exercise
Don't
just focus on strengthening exercises. To really get a great calorie
burn, include aerobics 3 to 4 times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes.
The longer the duration or the harder the workout, the more calories
you will burn.
You can walk, jog or run using your treadmill or soaking
in the weather outside. Buy or rent some exercise DVD's, go swimming or
even cross country skiing.
Any form of aerobics will be burning
calories and fat and helping you lose weight.
For even more ways of
burning
calories, check out all these fun activities to add to your
new active lifestyle.
Additional Articles
Calories
Burned Durning Exercise
Find out how calories burned is calculated. Understanding the variables used can help you pick the right workout. Read this article to learn more.
Weight
Loss Workouts
Use these example workouts to help you lose weight. With different difficulty levels, you are sure to find one that works for you.
Boost
Metabolism Naturally
Boosting your metabolism can help you burn more calories during the day. Use these unusual tips to help rev up your calorie burning furnace.