Weight Loss Exercise and You:

Which One will Propel You to Your Fitness Goals?

When it comes to weight loss exercise there are many choices. This is vital because everyone has different weight loss goals as well as a different set of interest areas in regards to weight loss exercise.

Much too often people don’t do anything because they’re afraid they’ll do the wrong thing – nonsense! Make a plan and begin, if you want to change it along the way do so. There’s simply no right or wrong way to get moving, unless you have serious health or medical problems that will impair you. Even then there are options.  Consult your doctor and get the go ahead on a weight loss exercise that is right for you.

If you are looking for ways to lose body fat but not sure where to start consider these important points first, make a plan, and get moving!  

1)    Fitness Level

It’s vital to first be honest about your level of fitness. Some people looking to begin a weight loss exercise have barely moved off the couch in years; others have gained weight with the birth of a baby; while still others have touched upon exercise on and off through the years.

Whichever camp you fall into accept it and work with it. Don’t feel bad that you’re not where you want to be. This is simply a waste of time and detrimental to your weight loss exercise as well as your motivation.

It’s important not to start off with biting off more than you can chew with weight loss training. This will only discourage you and soon you’ll be back on the couch with that bag of chips or chocolate bar. Start off slowly, maintain that level of weight loss exercise, and then add on bit by bit.

2)    Weight Loss and Fitness Goals

Next take some time to consider what your goals with weight loss exercise are. Do you want to lose ten pounds in a week? Do you want to lose ten pounds in a year? Both of these goals may need to be tweaked a bit to more realistic goals with weight loss exercise. For instance how about losing ten pounds in twelve weeks? Now that’s more realistic and easier to attain. You don’t want to make it too hard or too easy.

On the average a person should only lose one to two pounds per week. Stick to this average. You can aim for under this and just focus on exercising five days a week for thirty minutes a pop. This is my recommendation.

Although many people focus solely on weight loss it’s important to make exercising a part of your life for the long term. If you hit your goal and revert to past ways studies show you’ll gain all the weight back and more!

3)    Interest Areas

With the first two points in mind think about what type of weight loss exercise you’re really drawn to doing. Is it swimming, biking, jogging, boating, weight lifting, yoga? There are so many great choices out there that you can really focus in on what you like to do and incorporate that into your weight loss exercise routine.

Maybe you’re a nature lover? Consider hiking or boating. Or maybe you don’t like the outdoors and all the creepy crawlies at all, then consider joining a gym, using DVD’s or building your own home gym.

It’s important to choose exercises that you somehow tie into things you like. You don’t want to pick running as a weight loss exercise if you really don’t like to run. You’ll lose your motivation and burn out quickly instead of burning calories!

Speaking of motivation….

4)    Motivation and Tracking

Even the most avid exercisers can get bored with their weight loss training program. Keep this in mind over the course of your weight loss exercise and don’t become discouraged or quit.

Think about this before it happens, in fact now while you’re beginning your plan, and make this part of your plan. When you get bored or stagnant have a different exercise routine to implement.

This ‘back up’ plan is vital for success in the long term. Another part of this is to have a plan for tracking your own progress.

It doesn’t mean jumping on the scale everyday (in fact I suggest you don’t need a ‘weigh in’ but every so often.) What it does mean is that you find some tool be it a journal or a friend and keep tabs on what you’re doing.

Are you skipping too many days? Do you find you workout better on one day than the other? Is one time of day proving more successful than others?

Track it, get to know your unique patterns, keep doing what works and discard what isn’t working (but remember to replace it with another weight loss exercise.)

5)    Resources

Finally consider what resources are available to you and do what is most available that fits in with the other preceding points. If you like to work out at home but have a small apartment building a home gym isn’t for you. Instead try out a few DVD’s from your local library, find what you like the best, then buy it and use that for your weight loss exercise.

If you love to boat but are landlocked and have no accessibility to rivers and streams think about joining a gym and using their rowing machine or buying one of your own.

There are so many options do what works for you. These tips will help you narrow down what it is you really like to do and design a weight loss exercise that meets those needs.