Tag: Overweight

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Weight Loss Exercise

How to begin a weightlifting routine

So you have decided it is time to begin a weightlifting routine. That pale, hollow chest and those skinny arms are to be transformed. Congratulations! You can get started right away – at least, right after you read these golden rules so that you know what you should and should not do.

Health check
If you are over 40, overweight, seriously unfit or have any health issues, then it is a good idea to check with your doctor before you begin a weightlifting routine. This does not mean that you cannot go ahead, just get clearance first. Your doctor may want to run some checks or suggest that you begin at a certain level.

Equipment
To begin a weightlifting routine requires certain equipment. Weights, obviously … but if you want to work more than one or two muscle groups it is better to have access to more than just a barbell.

You might want to consider joining a gym to take advantage of the equipment there. The staff will often help you figure out a good weightlifting routine for your current fitness level, too.

Begin a weightlifting routine

Planning Your Workout Schedule

How to begin a weightlifting routine

How to begin a weightlifting routine

Lifting weights to build muscle requires a certain program. You cannot expect to work out once a week and see much benefit. Here is how to plan your schedule:

  • Work out all muscle groups at least once a week.
  • Aim for 3-4 training sessions a week (but you may need to start with just two the first few weeks).
  • Do not work out any muscle group more than 2-3 times a week.
  • Have at least one day off between sessions, where you either do cardio exercise or do not work out at all.

Rest is as important as working out in your routine. The muscles are stressed during the session, and then the body spends the next 24-48 hours repairing and building them. You must give it that time or strength will not have a chance to develop.

Planning to begin a weightlifting routine

When you begin a weightlifting routine it is important to cover all of the muscle groups. Do not ignore the back. All muscles need to be strong to support each other and avoid injury while you are training. These are the main muscle groups and some of the exercises that work them:

Chest: chest press, bench press, pushups.
Shoulders: overhead press, raises
Biceps: curls
Triceps: tricep extensions
Abs: bicycle crunch, reverse crunch
Back: row machine, back extensions

How Much Weight for your Workout?

When it comes to the actual weight that you use, begin a weightlifting routine with light weights so that you can get used to the exercises and concentrate on form (that is, doing the exercises smoothly and safely, with everything in the right place).

After that, for muscle gain, take a weight that means you can only do 3 sets of 4-8 reps with a 1-2 minute rest between sets. Anything more will injure the muscles so the body has to spend all its time repairing, and never gets to build.

If you are more focused on losing body fat, not wanting to build huge muscles but just develop some definition, then take a lighter weight: say one that lets you do 1-3 sets of 10 reps with a half to one minute rest between sets. That means starting out with one set as a beginner, and increasing up to three sets as you become more advanced in your weightlifting routine.

I know that this seems like a lot of broad strokes but when you begin a weightlifting routine you will need this and then the details will come as you get a few workouts in.

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Weight Loss Exercise

What Calories Really Are and How Understanding Them Will Help You Lose Weight


If you’ve been on a diet before, then you’ve probably heard people talk about calories. So what are calories? Why are they so important in weight loss? Without knowing these crucial terms, it’s hard to understand the science behind weight loss.

So What Are Calories?

When defined in nutrition, calories are a measure of the energy in food. The more calories a particular food has, the more energy it contains. Energy is good, right? In the right amounts, it is. Unfortunately, many of us eat too many calories on a daily basis, and that’s what makes us overweight in the first place. Excess calories in the body turn into fat, and that’s why you should only eat as much as your body needs.

How Calories Fit Into Weight Loss

So, what role do calories play in weight loss? It’s simple. When you take in or consume fewer calories than your body needs, you lose weight. When you eat too many calories compared to what your body needs, then you gain weight. Your body needs calories to expend as it carries out its basic functions (circulation, excretion, digestion, and so on) as well as to allow you to carry out other activities throughout your day. This is also where exercise fits in; since exercising helps your body burn more calories, it helps you lose weight as well.

In simple words, to lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit so that your body burns fat to make up for the missing calories. This means you either need to eat less, exercise more, or do a combination of the two (the third option works best).

As a general rule, a calorie deficit of 500 calories a day usually helps you lose one pound of weight in a week. If the calorie deficit is 1000 calories, you lose two pounds. Medical professionals recommend maintaining weight loss in the healthy zone, which is around one to two pounds a week, and not more. However, if you are very obese, you may find yourself losing much more weight in the initial few weeks after you lower your calorie count.

Hopefully this post has helped you understand the link between calories and weight loss better. In a nutshell, maintain a caloric deficit, and you will lose weight. How do you maintain this deficit? It’s easy; make healthier low-calorie food choices, cut out unnecessary empty calories from sugary items and alcohol, start being more active throughout the day, and maintain a positive attitude and strong willpower. It won’t be easy, but it’ll be worth it!


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Weight Loss Exercise

The Limitations Of BMI


BMI is one of the most common tools for determining whether you’re too heavy in proportion to your height. Otherwise known as Body Mass Index, this is a calculation that helps to compare you to average weights and heights, to determine whether you’re in the normal range. It can vaguely tell you whether you have too much fat on your body.

The index can be very useful when deciding on what your ideal weight should be when you are trying to lose weight. However, as helpful as the BMI is, it also has its limitations. These are extremely important to know, as following BMI could actually sometimes take you in the wrong direction.

What’s Wrong With BMI?

There is no one scale that can truly determine what is the right weight for every single human on the planet. This is because everyone is different; people have different heights, weights, builds, activity levels, and so on.

When measuring one’s BMI index, the only two things that are taken into consideration are the height and weight of the person. Therefore, for those who have a big build or have a large amount of muscle mass, and those who those who are elderly and therefore have less muscle mass, the BMI scale is less dependable upon and can be very incorrect.


A person who has a larger amount of muscle mass is heavier, but this does not mean that the person has a larger amount of fat. Using BMI alone, you cannot determine if this person is actually normal or overweight.

Using Your BMI Measurement the Right Way

Therefore, when referring to the Body Mass Index to determine your ideal weight, do practice some common sense to decide what the right weight you should be aiming for is. If you have a larger build or are more muscular than most people, adding 10% to the ideal weight stated for your height is a more realistic aim. If you are of a smaller build, subtracting 10% off the stated weight can be your aim.

Measuring your body fat percentage is also a much clearer indication of whether you’ve got weight to lose. Even if you have a high BMI, having a healthy body fat percentage is what’s important to your health.

Besides doing this, keep an eye on how you feel when you get to a certain weight; if you have reached a certain weight but feel tired, fatigued, and generally feel you look too thin, then perhaps you have lost too much of weight and need to gain a little bit to be at the right weight.

Hopefully, you now know what the limitations of the BMI are and understand how you can get around these limitations. In the end, compared to weight, it’s your health that matters more; don’t set unrealistic targets for weight loss that will instead cause damage to your health and well-being.


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