The Best Workout For Weight Loss - Cardio or Weights?

You know exercise is good for you, and you want to have a fit body, but you only have so much time in your day and cannot do it all. 

What do you focus on, cardio or weight training? On the other hand, perhaps you want to buy some home fitness equipment, but are not sure about the best thing on which to spend your limited funds. Do you buy the treadmill or the weight set? 

Despite weight training's reputation as a "jock" thing for he-men who want to bulk up, the answer for most people is weights. 

While cardio exercise can help you to increase your heart health and stamina, and can burn some extra calories while you are engaged in it, weight training can help you get stronger, tone your muscles, improve your appearance, increase your metabolism to burn calories more efficiently all day long, and fight age-related muscle and bone loss. If you must choose between the two, weight training comes out the winner, easily.

Weight training is strength training, using a variety of weights for resistance. In the same way that cardio exercise strengthens your heart and lungs by providing stress on your breathing and circulation, weight training improves your overall body strength by providing enough stress to different muscle groups that they adapt and grow stronger. Weight training also helps with the following:

•Lose weight and maintain fat loss: Muscles are thirsty for calories, so the more lean muscle mass you have, the more efficient your body will be at converting that smoothie into the energy you need to keep going all day. For every 3 pounds of muscle you develop with weight training, your body will burn an extra 120 calories a day simply vegging out on the couch! That can mean about 10 pounds of fat lost per year, without even forsaking your favorite treat. Yes, please.

•Reduce the possibility of injury: Unlike the pounding action involved in many cardio exercises, correctly training with weights can actually protect your joints and spine. Strong muscles connected to joints helps to protect them from injury, and increased core muscle strength contributes to better balance and a stronger back.

•Develop bone density: Just as muscle mass naturally diminishes with age and inactivity, bones lose strength and density too. Strength training increases bone density, helping to prevent fractures due to brittle bones or osteoporosis.

•Boost your stamina: As you develop stronger and more efficient muscles in all parts of your body, fatigue will be outdated, and everyday activities will no longer make you want to lie down for a nap in the middle of your day.

Too often, people focus solely on the number of calories burned during their workout, or the number they see on the scale. Focusing on either of these is shortsighted when it comes to your health and fitness. Instead of watching the "calories burned" readout on the treadmill and being satisfied when you hit your magic number, consider how your body is expending calories outside the gym and after your workout. Weight training exercise, by developing calorie-thirsty muscle tissue, increases the number of calories you burn all day long, no matter what you are doing.

So, spend those limited funds on the weights, and the majority of your limited workout time on weight training to build your muscle strength. Your body will thank you, and your mirror will become your friend.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7642978

Aerobics for Effective Weight Loss

According to a US study conducted recently, aerobics is the best solution for losing weight as it burns the excess calories. This is why aerobics remains one of the most popular ways to lose weight ever. Aerobic exercises not only help lose weight but also have long term health benefits. Also, aerobics can be fun and really enjoyable.
There are various kinds of aerobic routines, ranging from the step aerobics routine in which a raised platform is used to perform various exercises to the water aerobics in which movements are done in chest high warm water. Aerobics also include active sports like swimming, basketball, tennis, soccer etc.
Are you thinking of losing weight? Do you want to shed those extra pounds?
Here's why you should go for aerobics:

• Burning Calories and Losing Weight:

It is a known fact that aerobic or cardio exercises help you maintain your weight. The excess energy required to perform aerobic or cardiovascular exercises is obtained from the calories that you get from consuming food and beverages. As a result, your metabolic rate is increased and high amounts of calories are burnt. Losing weight without any medical procedure requires you to burn more calories than you can consume. Along with reducing body fat, aerobics also reduces blood pressure.

• Aerobics Help You Overcome The Sudden Cravings For Eating

Another reason why aerobics is such popular and effective in reducing weight is that it helps you overcome the erratic hunger pangs. This happens due to the increase in your leptin level which suppresses your desire to eat a lot. Leptin is a protein that balances appetite and metabolism thus regulating energy intake and expenditure.

Here are some statistics that would make the picture clear. An hour long low-impact routine can burn up to 545 calories and a more vigorous one can burn from 511 to 763 calories. Brisk walking for an hour can burn around 414 calories whereas running can help you burn up to 1,472 calories.
However, it must be kept in mind that if your aerobics exercise routine is not regular you might not be able to lose weight as desired. Also, if you consume enough extra calories to meet your increased energy needs you will fail to lose weight.

It is advisable to exercise at least three times a week for 20-30 minutes at a time in order to benefit from your aerobic exercises. Reduce intake of high fat food, sugary food and alcohol to avoid extra calorie intake.
Other benefits of aerobics are:

• Releases the natural pain killers of your body.
• Enhances immune system.
• Increases agility and is also considered to increase your IQ.
• Improves muscle strength.
• Improves balance and coordination.
• Reduces stress, thus resulting in better sleep patterns and no depression.

Aerobic exercises are certainly extremely beneficial not only for healthy weight loss but also for your overall well-being.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7917721

Weight Loss Using Apple Cider Vinegar

One of the most trusted natural products to increase your overall health is apple cider vinegar. In use since the time of the Ancient Greeks, it has been reported to cure everything from colds to muscle pain.

With body image becoming such an important factor in modern life, apple cider vinegar has been explored as a possible fat burner. Its ability to speed up the metabolic process as well as support healthy digestion has caused many to declare it the next major supplement in the field of weight loss.

It contains acetic acid and pectin which help block the absorption of fat while ridding the body of cholesterol. Your body is aided in burning calories throughout the day with your small intestines absorbing less fat overall, causing them to be more effective. There is also a great number of minerals found in apple cider vinegar including iron, calcium and potassium used to support healthy bones, hair and teeth.

Vinegar itself can sometimes act as an appetite suppressant with the ability to regulate blood sugar levels. If a person's blood sugar level is stable, he or she is less likely to fall victim to a sugar crash. The first reaction to a sugar crash is to grab the nearest source of carbohydrates to shoot your blood sugar back up.

The problem is usually the quickest carbohydrate you grab isn't going to be healthy for you. Apple cider vinegar regulating those levels prevents a person from grabbing something that may inhibit their weight loss goals.

Studies have shown apple cider vinegar also plays a role in the levels of cholesterol in the body. One study found rats who were fed food mixed with apple cider vinegar experienced lower levels of LDL ("bad") and HDL ("good") cholesterol.

Adding as little as 1,500 mg per day will help you not only burn fat but may help promote good blood circulation, improve metabolism and relieve arthritis stiffness. The supplement doesn't have to be taken only in its liquid form to be effective, however. Due to the rather bitter taste of vinegar, companies have begun to offer it in capsule form. 

Apple cider vinegar has shown to be most effective when used in combination with other elements. Creating a salad dressing, which normally has bitter tendencies, with apple cider vinegar masks the taste more than ingesting the vinegar directly. No matter your reason for trying apple cider vinegar, it remains highly recommended for so many health reasons, you really can't lose. 

eVitamins is the leading healthy lifestyle management destination across the web. It offers an array of tools, apps and other items including latest vitamin reviews, health encyclopedia, health news, etc. Whether you are looking to buy vitamins/supplements or just for information, eVitamins is the right place. You can find best vitamins including liquid vitamins at discounted prices.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7557503