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Weight Loss Exercise

Is a Measuring Tape Better Than A Scale?


The need to lose weight is something that many of us have. The truth is, however, that we should be seeking to lose fat specifically. Muscle weight is fine, but weight from fat is not.

The problem is that it can be hard to measure your progress when you’re making effort to lose weight. This is especially true if you work out regularly as part of your weight loss process. If you incorporate strength training three to four times a week, you may gain muscle, which will add to your weight. This is not a gain in fat, but in muscle.

The Problem With Scales

If you use a scale to measure your progress, you can never tell the difference if the weight you lost or gained is water weight, fat, or muscle. This is why a measuring tape is more appropriate to track your weight loss progress. By using a measuring tape, you can see if you are losing inches off your body. When you lose inches, chances are you are losing fat. And ultimately, that’s the whole point of losing weight.

Does this mean that you should throw away your scales and rely completely on a measuring tape? Not necessarily. Use both to measure how far you’ve come with your weight loss efforts. Use the number of the scale to see if you are heading in the right direction, and reconfirm whether it is fat that you are losing with a measuring tape. This way, you get a way better picture of how things are with your weight loss. Weight varies from day to day, but fat loss is less variable.

Go Beyond The Measurements

Besides the scale and the measuring tape, what else can you use to measure your weight loss? Well, you can judge by whether your clothes are becoming looser, and whether you feel lighter and fitter. These may be more subjective, but sometimes all you need to confirm that you are losing weight is the fact that you can fit into your old jeans.

Many people also report feeling more energetic, and generally happier and more confident in themselves. So, even if the scale shows slow progress, don’t discount this kind of evidence when it comes to motivating yourself by knowing that your efforts are paying off!

If you want the most accurate measurements possible then there are more ways to measure body fat – calipers, for example. Just know that, by tracking your progress every day or every week, you’ll help keep yourself motivated to continue.


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Weight Loss Exercise

Exercise To Lose Weight – The Best Exercise to Lose Weight

When people think of how to exercise to lose weight, they often assume that they will have to buy a gym membership and workout for hours every day. Not true! Not only is it not essential, the image of pumping iron in the gym for hour after hour is a complete red herring, and here’s why…

The basic facts of losing weight are that if you consume less calories, and/or burn more calories, you will lose weight. It really is that simple. So you have a choice. You can either focus on your diet and keep your exercise levels exactly what they are, or exercise a lot more but eat the same (be sure not to eat more!), or try to combine both in some way.

Best Exercise To Lose Weight

Exercise to lose weight is as easy as starting to do aerobic exercise. This means anything that works your heart and makes you breathe faster. Examples might be running, fast walking, cycling, swimming. Even slow walking can make a difference if you have a lot of weight to lose. Of course, you should increase gradually and check with your doctor that whatever you plan to do is suitable for you.

Exercise To Lose Weight The Best Exercise to Lose Weight

Exercise To Lose Weight

If you go to the gym and do a lot of weight lifting, you will burn fat and build muscle at the same time. This will tone your body shape, and the increased muscle will consume more calories, even in a resting state. Muscle can weigh a lot though, so your weight may stay the same or even increase even though your body shape improves. If you plan on doing this type of exercise, it is better to track your process by taking waist and other measurements, rather than relying on the bathroom scale.

If you don’t want to go down that route, you may think of running – but running can cause joint injury. In fact walking can have 75% of the impact that running has. You still need to walk at a pace which leaves you breathing slightly heavier than normal, but you shouldn’t be out of breath. If you do that for 30 minutes, 3 times a week, you will be burning a huge amount of calories compared to when you didn’t walk.

Exercise To Lose Weight at Home

Exercise to lose weight can even be done right there in your chair. Simple exercises can increase muscle usage and aerobic activity, and can be done while sitting in front of the TV. Obviously you should not have a bucket of popcorn on your lap at the same time!

So you can see that when you think of exercise to lose weight, even the simplest of activities can have a big effect, without leaving you in an exhausted heap after a grueling session at the gym.