Weight Loss and BIG Exercise Days

Weight Loss and BIG Exercise Days. Where I live, Spring is in the air and I know that there will be good weather very soon so I can get out and more easily do many of the outdoor activities that I enjoy.  This is also the time when I start thinking about what big activities I will set as goals to reach before it gets too cold again. 

Exercise cycling

Weight Loss and BIG Exercise Days

• I like to get in at least one BIG hiking day in the mountains – we’re talking at least 10 miles for a full day's hike.  Last Summer I planned a 70-mile bike ride that ended up taking me about six and a half hours of riding (not including rest stops).

• Those are BIG exercise days, but there are also bigger than normal exercise days too.  Maybe you spend double the time at the gym. Maybe you ride your bike or walk for twice as long as you normally do.

• You need to be able to plan for these days and still make your weekly calorie budget work for you.  Remember, when you are planning for these, you are at the point where you can think a week at a time with your calorie budget.

• BIG excise days like an all-day hike or bike ride can easily BURN 3,000 calories.  The problem is, you can’t easily consume that many calories while you are doing the activity.  If you wait to eat until after the activity, you will likely find you can’t eat that much after that level of activity.

• You may simply be too tired.  This can become a trap for many people.  The body may functionally go into a form of starvation mode and suddenly, you may want to eat everything in sight, regardless of its nutritional value or calorie content.

• Exercise Equipment can help you track the calories you burn, provided you are working with good enough equipment.  Most gym equipment and lots of the upper-line home units can help you track the calories you burn while you exercise.

Weight Loss Exercises

Weight Loss Exercises

• The calories you burn while exercising are critical to know so your daily tracking is accurate.  The key is that providing you are working with current, good-condition equipment, the equipment you are using will track your calories fairly accurately.

• In the past, there were plenty of machines that did not do the best job of this calorie tracking.  These days, in the worst case, the equipment you use will provide a consistent measurement of your calories burned while exercising. 

• It doesn’t matter where you are in the process of your exercise program, at some point, it’s best for you to begin an exercise routine.  When many people get to that point, they sometimes will spend a large amount of time trying to decide what the best exercise routine is to help them lose weight.

• This seems to be something that everybody has an opinion on.  Those opinions are usually based on their own experiences rather than any specific expertise in exercise physiology or healthy weight loss.  Exercise routines are as subject to fads as diets are.

• How many fad diets have you heard of over the years?  If you think about it, I’d bet you have heard about as many fad diets as you have fad exercise routines.

• Have you ever stayed up late and watched TV?  How many of the sponsored infomercials are related to exercise equipment and routines?  Quite a few.  There are exercise DVDs for dance, aerobics, and exercise equipment of all kinds.

• Almost every one of them trying to tell you how much more effective they are than everything else out there.

• One of the key components of your weight loss program should be at least some exercise. It doesn’t have to be anything intense.  The reality is that many people just getting started on a weight loss plan are not ready for intense exercise at the start.

• You need to build up your cardiovascular system and your endurance before you can really be ready for any serious exercise.

Weight Loss Exercises

Walking for weight loss is simply one of the best exercises for anybody to get started with.  A quick pace will burn plenty of calories.  Now, remember, a “quick pace” will depend on where you are starting from.  For any type of walking, a good pedometer is important to have.

Now really, it doesn’t matter if you choose walking or another exercise or a combination of exercises.  The key is to have at least one exercise that you enjoy and will be able to do consistently.