Why are we fat and out of shape? Thousands of people everyday struggle with this age old question. The answer is not that we want to be but that we do not know how to change. We all try to exercise and diet but over time we miss workouts and cheat on our diet and before long months have passed without getting to the gym and the brand new treadmill is now an expensive clothes hanger in the corner.
Too many times people embark on an exercise regimen without a plan. They join a gym or buy the newest exercise gadget and go to it. Most of the time going through the motions of 3 sets of 8 reps each without knowing the right mix of cardio, resistance training and adequate rest and nutrition to really be successful. Fortunately Beachbody fitness has an extensive selection of fitness routines that can be done at home built to suit anyone at any fitness level.
Another common problem is quantity over quality. A person can exercise for hours and not see any results. It takes on average 100 calories to walk one mile on level ground. If that is all you are doing day in and day out it is easy to see why the weight isn’t coming off. It is not a question of how long your workout but how well you workout. High intensity workouts with the right mix of cardio, resistance training and recovery periods are the key to success.
The amount of calories we consume each day is the single most important factor in weight loss. Our bodies need 1800-2000 calories per day to function. The average American consumes approximately 4200 calories per day according to a 2008-2009 USDA general study. This is an enormous amount of extra calories each day that will be stored as fat if not burned off with activity or exercise. The sad part is that many of the calories are consumed when people are not even hungry. People resort to eating when they are under stress or depressed and this is a surefire way to gain weight.
The human body is capable of amazing things but it is also lazy. When you exercise your body responds by building muscle and stripping off fat. Over time though the body will adapt and the same exercise will no longer be difficult. This is what is known as reaching a plateau and further progress will be difficult unless the exercise regimen is changed. That is where muscle confusion comes into play. Good fitness programs utilize muscle confusion to constantly vary the routines and adding intensity to the workouts. This combined with the adequate amounts of active rest and recovery make dramatic results possible.
One of the key factors in a successful exercise program or diet is setting realistic goals. Too many times people set the bar too high and quickly get discouraged. Goals need to be both short term and long term. A realistic short term goal would be to work out for a week without missing a day and then build on that success. A realistic long term goal would be to lose 20 pounds in three months. This gives person small victories that they can attain day to day and over time build on those victories to achieve long term success.
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