Are your weight loss goals getting you down? Are you ready to give up on the gym?
Ready to give up working out?
In our previous post, “At a loss with your weight loss efforts?” we introduced the idea of aiming for more immediately measurable progress rather than the more elusive goal of weight loss. The idea is to create smaller goals that you can achieve workout to workout. We talked about how this plays out in strength training, by working towards developing muscle. Here we talk about how this idea can be applied in cardio-focused activities. For example, focus on endurance development and/or speed development. That is, being able to run further or for longer or faster than you were able to the workout before. Start off with a manageable distance/time/speed with necessary rest periods and increase your intervals by a minute or two each workout (or decrease your rest period slightly).
For a beginner this might mean starting with the goal to be active for 30min. Maybe that’s walking, maybe it’s just keeping that stationary bike moving. If 30 min sounds too much – start with less time! After you complete your intended activity, acknowledge your successful completion of your goal and plan to increase your time and/or effort with each workout. The key is to start with something you can be successful at and gradually push the limits of that success. As you achieve success with your planned activity, you will be more likely to try it again. Make your increments small enough to allow for success, while trying to challenge your previous limit.
How does this contribute to weight loss?
Similar to strength training with weights, cardio-focused exercise not only consumes calories at the time, but it promotes muscle growth and increases your Healthy Body’s calorie consumption at rest. In addition, aerobic exercise increases the release of happy chemicals in your brain – so now you have a double dose of happy: some from achieving your goal of improving your endurance and some from the effect of aerobic exercise itself!
Jump into your exercise gear and start your progress today!
