{"id":2739,"date":"2016-05-12T19:49:54","date_gmt":"2016-05-12T14:19:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/appstudio.co.in\/ucblog\/?p=2739"},"modified":"2016-11-05T16:06:39","modified_gmt":"2016-11-05T10:36:39","slug":"ditch-cardio-how-you-can-do-strength-training-to-lose-weight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/appstudio.co.in\/ucblog\/lifestyle\/health\/ditch-cardio-how-you-can-do-strength-training-to-lose-weight\/","title":{"rendered":"Ditch Cardio! How You Can Do Strength Training To Lose Weight"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m talking to you ladies! Yes, you- the cardio machine hopper who\u2019s dripping puddles of sweat as you strategically increase your incline on the treadmill. Then you go through your spinning exercises, then elliptical, and then yet another fancy machine your gym has. And let\u2019s not forget the men! Running on the pavement in the morning does not compensate for the days you skip your exercises. Your lower body needs just as much focus as your biceps.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lose fat, not weight<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

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Here\u2019s the thing- Cardio is all about burning calories. Your body has 3 energy sources where your calories are stored: the stored liver and muscle glycogen (and glucose running in your blood), stored fat and muscle. Each one of them can be converted to energy, when needed. If you only do cardio, your body has no reason to spare muscle and hence taps into it for energy once your glycogen levels become low. This leads to loss in muscle mass and results in prototypical \u2018skinny fat body\u2019 where your weight goes down but for some reason, you still feel flabby, and the weight comes back once you stop doing that much cardio. Simply put, it\u2019s just not sustainable.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doing strength training<\/a>, on the other hand, gives your body a reason to spare the muscle and utilize fat after it runs out of stored glycogen levels. And with time, as you get stronger, you also gain lean mass which further increases your metabolic rate aiding in fat loss.<\/span><\/p>\n

[show_more more=”Continue Reading” less=”Show Less”]<\/b><\/p>\n

You don\u2019t need to be fit to start<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cI have started running. Once I build some stamina, I\u2019ll join the gym or hire a trainer<\/em>\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

If I only got a 100 rupees every time I heard this, I\u2019d be pretty rich by now. The truth is you don\u2019t need to be anywhere to start training. A good trainer will assess you and find exercises easy enough for your fitness levels to begin with. This is why it is important to hire a trusted professional at the get-go and learn the art of strength training<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

But wait, isn\u2019t cardio good for health?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cardio-1\"<\/p>\n

We all need some endurance work as it trains our cardiovascular system to stay strong. But, steady state cardio isn\u2019t the only option to keep your heart fit. As a trainer, I design all programs to incorporate strength training<\/a> in form of high intensity circuits. Fancy name aside, it\u2019s just lots of strength training<\/a> exercises done one after the other so that while your muscles get some rest in between, your cardiovascular system has to keep working to pump blood in different areas of the body. You get done in less than 40 minutes. It is effective, intense and customizable.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can you explain this in English, please?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Here\u2019s a quick template you can use to choose exercises from a variety of movement types. Do some warm-up to begin with. Choose one exercise from each group according to your fitness levels and access to equipment and do them 4 times one after the other. The number of repetitions in each set should be such that you stop when you still have 1-2 reps left in the tank and move on to the next exercise.<\/span><\/p>\n