Cardio - three key exercises for weight loss!

Cardio - raise that heartbeat for a sustained period to help in your weight loss and fitness goals, but what is best for you? Here is some further advice around swimming, cycling and running/jogging that you may find helpful, enjoyable ultimately and not overly strenuous, but will definitely aid you in reaching your objectives. Sourced from 'ezinearticles' (http://EzineArticles.com/7046683) and written by Suzie Ling (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzie_Ling).

Cardio is a great ally in the difficult task of weight loss. If somebody wants to lose weight, he or she probably has a weight which is above the recommended healthy level. And being overweight is not healthy at all. Being overweight can cause many problems and one of those problems is heart related problems.

Similarly, being under the recommended healthy weight is not good for you. If you stay in any of these dangerous weight zones for too long, many problems may occur. This is because we have to maintain our weight between the normal values as well as practising physical exercises to keep our bodies functioning and healthy.

Excessive body weight can cause heart problems. Like a car needs its engine, we need our heart. With this in mind, we therefore need to protect our heart and avoid unhealthy habits that may affect our health. Additionally, physical exercise will maintain our health as well as our heart.

We can even find some of the best cardio for weight loss in order to reduce our weight in a healthy way on the Internet and by practising cardio exercises we will be helping our heart and our body.

There are some of the best cardio exercises for losing weight:

Swimming:  is a very good cardio exercise in order to lose weight and to keep you healthy. Swimming allows you to exercise your entire body and it is an excellent way to lose weight. Swimming is among the best cardio for weight loss. Additionally, this type of physical exercise doesn't cause any injury relating bones or joints, because you will be exercising in the water with reduced resistance.

Running: you don't need any kind of special equipment for this exercise, however you will need a good pair of trainers in order to prevent any kind of damage to your bones or joints. Also, you will need comfortable clothes so you can move without any problem. Running will help you losing weight by burning calories, though of course you can't run only five or ten minutes - you will have to run around half an hour each time. A good tip is to listen to music or run with someone else as this will help you keep motivated to run further even if you are tired.

Cycling: by cycling at least thirty minutes a day you will improve your endurance and lose weight. Cycling is a very simple activity and an effective exercise to lose weight. Additionally, you can practise this exercise by going to work or school by bicycle. You just have to be creative and find the best way to incorporate your best cardio for weight loss exercises in your day to day activities.

These are only three of the best cardio for weight loss exercises that you can undertake in order to be healthier, to lose weight and to improve your physical skills such as endurance and strength.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Cardio workout for weight loss!

Combining cardio routines into your exercise regime will help you with your weight loss goals period. Again there is all sorts of advice, guidance and differing opinions about cardio exercise, so here is some further simple advice that you may wish to think about. Sourced from 'ezinearticles' once again (http://EzineArticles.com/724014) it is written by Phillip England (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phillip_England) - a weight loss expert and writer, and worth a look.

A cardio workout for weight loss is a great way to help you lose weight and at the same time build leaner muscles. Yes, losing weight means having to get up and do some physical activity. When losing weight, the best mantra to take is this: eat less; exercise more.

About weight loss
Before doing a cardio workout for weight loss, it is important to understand what weight loss is. People usually have the wrong impression that losing weight equals to being thin. This is presumption often leads to dangerous results.

In medical terms, weight loss is the reduction of one's weight to one that is proportional to his body type. To get your ideal weight, you have to know your body mass index (BMI), or the proportion of your weight to your height. Some people are either too thin or too overweight for their height, both of which are unhealthy.

Healthy weight loss
Adopting a healthy weight loss program is the best way to go if you want to lose weight. Healthy weight loss entails eating less and exercising more. This does not mean that you undergo crash diets and other weight loss products.

Eating less simply means you decrease the amount of calories you intake. This means:

• Replacing soft drinks and sodas with water.
• Swapping whole milk for semi-skimmed, or semi-skimmed for skimmed.
• Eating less lunch than usual.
• Decreasing the intake of sugar in tea and coffee.
• Having smaller portions of the food you enjoy.
• Avoiding second helpings at dinner.
• Cutting out unhealthy treats such as confectionery, sugary biscuits and crisps between meals.
• Cutting down on beer and alcohol.

Also, exercising more helps your body burn the stored energy and excess fat. One of the methods of exercise is a cardio workout for weight loss.

About cardio
Cardio workout is an effective weight loss method. Together with dieting, cardio workouts help you build a leaner and fit body. Before you undertake a cardio workout, you need to consult first with a dietitian or a fitness trainer to guide you in your activities.

How often should you do cardio?
Because cardio workout is essential for weight loss, you need to undergo cardio almost everyday. Some claim that the best way to do cardio is during the morning, before breakfast. Why is that? Because doing cardio with an empty stomach results in your body burning the stored fat, as opposed to it burning what you just ate.

How long should a cardio workout take?
A regular cardio workout for weight loss should take about 45 minutes to an hour. When doing cardio, remember to work on a progress level and take note of your training zone. Do not push for an ambitious cardio workout plan that will only result in you pushing your body beyond its limits.

A low-intensity aerobic exercise uses body fat as its primary fuel source. However, as you get closer to your breaking point, your body starts using a smaller percentage of fat and a larger percentage of carbohydrates, another fuel source. Pick up the pace so you can burn more calories.

If you do the following activities for 30 minutes, this is the amount of calories you can expect to burn:

• Aerobic dance - 342 calories
• Basketball - 282 calories
• Bicycling at 15 mph - 354 calories
• Boxing - 330 calories
• Circuit weight training - 378 calories
• Golf (carrying clubs) - 174 calories
• Karate, tae kwon do - 834 calories
• Running 8-minute miles - 446 calories
• Swimming freestyle, 35 yds/min. - 248 calories
• Tennis, singles - 232 calories
• Walking, 20-minute miles, flat - 120 calories

Muscle toning
Aside from weight loss, cardio workout also helps you build leaner and toner muscles. Combined with strength-training and a healthy diet, a cardio workout can help you achieve a healthier and better body image in no time.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Drink more water to lose weight!

Wrapping up this little series on water, here is another that I found that talks specifically about how drinking water can be used as part of your weight loss programme. many of us, me included, struggle with drinking our required daily intake, but, it is so important, and hopefully the last few Posts will actively demonstrate this and get you on the road to a healthier, fitter, leaner and cleansed new you. This article too came from 'ezinearticles' (http://EzineArticles.com/8885630) and was written by Karina Popa (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karina_Popa), and worthy also of your quick viewing.



Who hasn't heard the idea that drinking water can contribute to you diminishing your weight? Much more than usual! But is this affirmation true? The answer is yes! When you drink more water, you boost your metabolism, suppress that wild appetite, and clean your organism of waste. At the same time, you stop the body from retaining water and thus lose some extra pounds. How can you make sure you drink the right amount of water (8-10 glasses every day), maintaining yourself hydrated and losing weight? Here are a couple of great tips that will help you out!

Drink before eating
Water suppresses the appetite, so it is an excellent idea to drink it before you eat. As a result, you will feel full faster and eat less. Specialists say that drinking water before eating can reduce the calories intake with 75 calories/meal. Thus if you do this each meal daily for one year, you would cut the calories ingestion by 27,000. According to my math, you would be losing 8 pounds/year only by drinking water.

Drink water instead of calorie drinks
Forget all about sodas or juices, and drink water instead. Add a bit of lemon if you think this is too boring for you. You know for sure that a glass of water with a bit of lemon in it can really contribute to you losing weight and cut your food cravings. Don't believe it? Why don't you just start drinking water and convince yourself of the result?

Drink it cold
When you drink cold water, you boost your metabolism by forcing your body to work more in order to warm the water. This will also burn down calories and help you lose weight. Not to mention that cold water tastes better than normal temperature water.

Go to the gym
When you drink water, you prevent the muscles from cramping and you maintain your joints lubricated. This means that you can work out for a longer period of time. The key is to remain hydrated and those extra pounds will disappear quickly.

Get enough
The best trick when it comes to drinking water is to follow a rule called "8x8". Most nutritionists recommend it. You have to drink 8 glasses of 8 ounces with water daily. This will help you lose weight and keep your ideal figure. Keep in mind that you if exercise more, you will sweat more. This requires more water intake, or the same amount of water but completed with other type of drinks, like herbal teas.

What's the best way to know if you receive sufficient water? A good, but somehow weird rule, is to verify the toilet before going to the bathroom. When you are properly hydrated your urine gets light yellow and clear in color. If case your urine is dark, then you will know that you need to drink more water. Remember: drink water if you want to remain healthy and lose weight!

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Water - do you drink enough?

Water - the elixir of life - so important and so often overlooked. There are so many benefits besides quenching a thirst, so these few Blog Posts continue to look at the value, importance and benefits of water to your daily life and your daily health & fitness regime. Sourced at 'ezinearticles' (http://EzineArticles.com/7219756) and written by Philip S. Anderson (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_S_Anderson) this will help provide some guidance and make you think about your daily H2O intake.


I ask this question to a lot of my patients and the general answer I get is "I don't drink that much, I should probably drink more."

Our bodies are made up 70% of water. For everything to work properly we need it in our system. For our bodies to work efficiently and to heal well, we NEED water!

The more health conscious person out there probably knows the benefit of water and will drink 2 litres a day. But most of us haven't got the time nor the patience to measure out 2 litres of water.

Then we all have our own different needs for water. Some of us will need more than 2 litres and others less depending on the activities we do, foods we eat and place we live etc.

"How much water do I need?"
What colour is your urine when you go to the toilet? This might seem like a crude question but it needs to be asked. Normal coloured urine is clear when enough water is being consumed but am sure the next time most of you go to the toilet, your urine is yellow. The darker the yellow, the more you need water!

For those of you that take vitamin supplements, this test will not be accurate because within the first few hours of taking your supplements, your urine may be almost fluorescent yellow but don't worry, this is normal! As the day goes on, the supplements will get used or be flushed out so the normal colour of your urine will return.

Our body is very smart. Any time you feel hungry, be aware that this could just mean you are thirsty. Have a glass of water and see if you still feel hungry after five minutes. Also when ever you feel thirsty, drink water as soon as possible. It's your body telling you it has a need for fluids.

It's also important to hydrate during sport. During intense activity it's advisable to take a mouthful at a time because you will end up being sick if you take more.

It's important after you're finished to drink a lot of water to re-hydrate the body. Also eat something as well to refuel the body. You may have lost a lot of sweat and important nutrients like sodium which your body needs.

Drink water, it's important!

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

How much water to drink a day?

Water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink! Not quite true unless you're stuck mid-Atlantic in a dinghy, so why then don't we drink enough of the stuff! Generally, in the westernised world it is in abundance - from the tap at home, from water fountains in the office, from water bubblers in streets and parks and beaches to bottled water in your supermarket, petrol station, post office and newsagent. With water still in mind for this little series, here is another found at 'ezinearticles' (http://EzineArticles.com/1863232) and written by Ruth Tan (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ruth_Tan)



Water for Life!

How much water should you drink a day?

Water is absolutely critical to our body which comprises about 75% water; the brain has 85%, blood 90%, lungs 90%, muscles 75%, kidney 82% and even bones has 22%. Basically, we are made of water!

Water dissolves many valuable nutrients, minerals, and chemicals in the biological processes and transports them to different parts of our body. The carbohydrates and proteins that our bodies use as food are metabolised and transported by water in the bloodstream. Water is just as important in the transport of waste and toxins out of our bodies. Without the replenishment of fresh water, our body will fail to function, start to waste away, and finally collapse. An adult loses about 2.5 litres water every day through perspiration, breathing, and elimination (urine and faeces), and when the body loses 5% of its total water volume, symptoms of dehydration such as thirst, unexplained tiredness, irritation, dark urine, will begin to show up.

The consequence of consuming insufficient water can be devastating to our body. The cells will start to draw water from the bloodstream instead, causing the heart to work harder. At the same time, when the kidneys fail to cleanse the blood effectively due to inadequate water, the liver and other organs will have to work harder, putting them under extra stress. Continuous water loss over time will speed up aging but increase risks of diseases and health issues such as constipation, dry and itchy skin, acne, nosebleeds, urinary tract infection, coughs, sneezing, sinus pressure, and headaches.

So, how much water should you drink a day? How much water is enough for you? The minimum amount of water you need depends on our body weight. As a general guide, for two pounds of body weight, an ounce of water is required. So, if you are 60kg, you should drink about 2 litres of water every day.

The secret to overcoming many health issues like pain, inflammation, lethargy, mental fatigue, anxiety, depression, obesity, in fact can be found in water - the most common healing medicine. Drink enough of water, there is healing power in it. Don't indulge in drinking soft drinks, thinking they can quench your thirst. Carbonated high fructose corn syrup drinks are diuretics; the caffeine in it squeezes liquids out of the body and depletes our water reserves. They are wrong substitutes of water.

Hydrate yourself adequately daily. Ask yourself how much water should you drink a day and target to make it happen. Many of you might have heard of this water therapy for good health maintenance - On a daily basis, first thing early in the morning, head straight for the kitchen and drink 5 glasses of water (about 1 litre) even before you brush your teeth or wash your face. Wait for at least half an hour before you take your breakfast.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Why we need water?

Continuing with the water based theme and how it can aid your weight loss programme, and the all important necessities and essentials of everyday living, the below articles outlines why we all need water and why it is so good for us. Sourced again from 'ezinearticles' (http://EzineArticles.com/5538330) and written by Heather Dunne (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heather_Dunne), it is worth a few minutes of your reading time.




Everyone knows that we need water, but how many really know why? While it wouldn't be pleasant, the body can last far longer without food than without water. Why does dehydration cause the body to completely shut down? Keep reading to find out.

The first thing water does is aid in the digestion of food. Water helps to dissolve nutrients, which is necessary in order for such nutrients to pass into the bloodstream. It also helps to carry the food through the intestines, enabling the overall process of digestion. Without water you would not get the nutrients you need. Water also provides the area in which the digestive process (along with many other processes) occurs. A large percentage of the body consists of water for just this reason.

The next thing water does is help to eliminate waste from the body. Just as water moves food through the intestines, pushing nutrients through the intestinal wall, water also pushes the leftover waste onward in the digestive process, so that waste doesn't remain sitting around in the body, blocking new food from distributing necessary nutrients. Without water, waste would quickly build up in the body, with no way of getting out.

Water is also responsible for the communication between cells. Cells send messages to each other by way of electricity, and this is done through the medium of water. This sort of communication is why you can move your muscles, your brain can process what your eyes see, and even why you can think at all. Without communication between brain cells, which requires water, your whole brain would shut down.

While the water between cells is important for communication, it's also important for lubrication. Give your muscles too much fiction and your body wouldn't be able to move properly. Water, however, prevents this problem from happening, allowing you to move freely.

Water also keeps your body temperature in check. It's common to sweat on a hot day, because this is the body's way of cooling down. The sweat reaches the skin and then evaporates, taking heat with it. No water means no sweat, which in turn means dangerously high body temperature. This is another reason why dehydration is so common and so dangerous during hot summers.

There are plenty of other reasons why water is important to the body, but these are the main ones. Hopefully, that convinced you to drink your eight glasses a day!

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Fitness Myths - working out the correct way!

Whilst we are in myth-busting mode here is another article sourced through 'ezinearticles' (http://EzineArticles.com/8895653) that dispels four further untruths about training and exercise that we can clear up once & for all. If there is some repetition from the previous Posts about this same subject then fear not - there is nothing wrong with reinforcing the message and furthermore goes to prove that there must be something in it of several authors are saying the same thing! This one is written by Jacques Delorme (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacques_Delorme) who ordinarily writes a nutrition blog that combines exercise, motivation and diet advice for the youth market.



Working out properly can really help you to get the gains you expect in a shorter period of time. How many of these common misconceptions have you believed to be true?

Fitness myth 1: "Aerobics is better than weight lifting to get in shape."
You hear this one a fair amount but the reality is, if you want muscle definition and a better "after burn", you need to lift weights. You can burn calories just as effectively with weights if you work in super sets to help keep your heart-rate up. The more effective result is the fact that weight training will create an "after burn" effect. This is when your body continues to have an elevated metabolism for several hours after your workout which is difficult to duplicate with cardio.

Fitness myth 2: "When women lift weights, they will get bulky."
This myth is unfortunately heard a lot. The science behind weight lifting says otherwise. Testosterone is the primary hormone responsible for large muscles. Women simply do not produce nearly enough of it to produce the "bodybuilder" physique some believe they will create. Female bodybuilders who are really built take extra testosterone to attain their size. They do not come by it naturally.

Fitness myth 3: "Muscles grow during your workout."
As you lift weights that put a strain on your muscles, you breakdown muscle fibers that will then need to be repaired. When this happens, they are slightly larger than they were before and more defined to compensate for the next loads they will need to lift. You tear them down when lifting but the repair process starts after your workout as they are rebuilt over the next 36 hours or so. The recovery process is really important to help your muscles grow.

Fitness myth 4: "Training with 3 sets of 10 reps is the best workout for results."
There are two issues with this myth! Using the same type of workout every time may cause you to plateau and stop seeing results as quickly. A change of pace is a good thing. The other problem is what your goal is for your training. Power versus strength versus endurance all require a different type of program. High reps with low weight to low reps and high weights will give very different results.

Following specific principles of weight lifting can really help you to tone, get muscle definition and lose weight if done properly. If you are not really sure what to do, get some advice from those who know.

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-