This is not a new concept. For decades now, medical experts have been harping on the need for people to exercise for better health. The emergence of lifestyle diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol underscores the need for people to abandon their sedentary lifestyles and improve their eating habits. These problems have reached alarming levels, so much so that restaurants have adjusted portion sizes and fast food establishments have begun to offer salads and healthier food options.

Experts say that 30 to 45 minutes of exercise a day will do wonders for the body. Light activities such as walking or biking are recommended for overweight or obese individuals to kick off their weight loss programs. Keep in mind that physical activities such as walking can always help out in the process of weight loss.

However, in extreme cases, meaning the person is extremely overweight (or morbidly obese, to cite the clinical term), diet, exercise, and weight loss pills are recommended. These are cases when the person absolutely has to lose weight fast. The addition of appetite suppressants, such as Phentermine, are also effective in keeping the person from binge eating.

Of course, these weight loss pills are not meant to be taken over extended periods since people are encouraged to achieve their weight loss goals on their own.

Which Type of Training Will Provide Better Weight Loss?

Cardiovascular activity and weight training aid in weight loss and development of muscles. Muscles burn fat, and the lower a person’s fat percentage, the better. There are two types of activity which are recommended for weight loss. It depends on the person’s age, health condition, and fitness level. Beginners are advised to start at the moderate level and eventually progress to higher-intensity activities.

1. Moderate intensity physical activity vs. higher intensity activity

Moderate-intensity physical activity is described as moderate exercises which elevate a person’s heart rate to 93 to 118 beats per minute. Once the heart rate goes past that, the activity is already considered to be high-intensity. Typically, endurance-based sports fall into this category of training. If you start with an intense workout without proper stretches or warm-ups, you might face muscle cramps and pain in your body.

Examples of moderate exercises are:

• Brisk Walking
• Dancing
• Gardening
• Housework and domestic chores
• Playing games and sports with children
• Walking pets

High intensity exercises are:

• Running
• Hill Climbing
• Cycling
• Aerobics
• Fast Swimming
• Competitive Sports
• Heavy Shoveling

2. Resistance training vs. endurance training

Weight training is also necessary to improve muscle mass, tone the body, and add definition to a person’s physique. Cardiovascular exercises fall under the category of endurance training because it improves the heart’s functional capacity and builds stamina. This means that a person does not tire easily when doing physical activities.

Resistance training, on the other hand, involves using weights or “pumping iron”. This type of exercise strengthens the muscles in targeted areas of the body (for example: legs, back, abs, biceps) and increases the overall lean body mass. Both types of exercise are important in promoting heart health and making weight loss successful.

The Need for Professional Guidance to Achieve Results

Weight loss is not achieved in a day, nor can it be done by a single person. For it to be effective, you will need a team of experts to help you. A doctor or physician to assess what your body needs and determine if you need to be on a weight loss pill; a nutritionist to help plot a diet plan (with a fixed number of calories per day); and a fitness trainer to help you with your cardio exercises and weight training program.

These people know what’s best for you in terms of strategies and methods. They can also keep close tabs on your progress and advise you if you are hitting your weight loss goals.