Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Burn the Fat and Keep the Muscle, Is it Possible?

By Ricardo d Argence

The reason why most people choose to go on a diet or exercise is not because they are concerned about the amount of unsightly muscle on their body. It is a sad fact that this is the idea that most people bring to losing weight.

Due to which, they reduce pounds but this is in form of reducing muscles size, whose weight is greater then fats. Fortunately, it is possible to maintain the muscle mass you have and still lose weight.

The main mistake that most people make during an attempt at weight loss is to cut back on caloric intake too substantially. This is logical because you gain a pound in weight for every 3,000 calories you consume and don't burn. Unfortunately, this is the worst tactic you could try if you don't want to lose muscle.

In primary case there is storage of fat in your body, which is for the need as an energy supply depot in case you suffer from starvation due to short supply of food. That is what it is called when you are not eating enough to sustain your life.

Your body does not automatically use up its stockpiles because you have stopped your calorie intake. Those are the emergency, last resort rations.

Your body will begin to turn your muscle into energy and then your metabolism will slow, meaning you'll need less calories, so it will be more difficult to lose weight.

A better plan is to gradually reduce your calorie intake and let your body adjust to the changes. For example, you might reduce your calories by 10% the first week, another 10% the second week, and so on. This prevents your body from going into starvation mode.

You must perform the proper excercises in order to burn fat and not muscle. To focus on cardiovascular workouts, is what most fitness instructors and health advocates are going to tell you. It will help your heart and lungs get stronger so you can do more exercise without getting worn out, so it's a good way to start.

However, you need to add some weight training to that recipe at least 2 to 3 times a week. That way you'll be replenishing lost muscle and adding new muscle mass. This is good because muscle requires more calories than fat. If you have a lot of lean muscle mass in your body, your metabolism is going to increase which means you'll burn off more calories and lose weight.

Muscle tone is another benefit you will see if you add some weight training into the mix. Many people end up flabby because they do not exercise properly or lose weight too quickly.

While plastic surgery can help with that problem a lot, those procedures are expensive and come with a lot of risk. Exercising while you lose weight is the best way to increase your muscle tone and to prevent loose skin. - 17944

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