Fat Burning Exercise program:

Fat Burning Exercise program:
Go and grab your own fat burning exercise program here which fits best on your lifestyle. Here this article will explain your all about fat burning exercise program like - how often and how long you need to train, facts on high-intensity versus low-intensity cardio, shatters the popular myth of the 'fat­burning zone' and reveals the true fat-burning formula. This article also summarizes the risks of excessive cardio for strength trainers and much more...
Fat Burning Workout:
Fat Burning workouts best suited for your needs. Three entirely different workouts given to suit the needs of different people. And tips are also provided like which type of persons should perform which workout and a person aiming at a particular thing should go for which workout and more..
How much and how often should I perform cardiovascular exercises for fat burning?

For cardiovascular fitness, the Health Education Authority recommends 20 minutes of high-intensity aerobic activity repeated three times a week. As this level of training can only be managed by very well­conditioned athletes, an alternative recommendation of 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity repeated five times a week would be suitable for beginners and intermediate fitness participants. Both fat burning workout 1 and fat burning workout 2 in the fat burning workouts section involve a high level of intensity for 20 minutes, while fat burning workout 3 is a low-intensity workout suitable for beginners, in which cardio is maintained for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Should I use High or Low-Intensity Cardio Exercise for Fat Burning?

Whether you choose a high or low-intensity cardio program for fat burning depends on your goals, fitness level and time available. Both types will develop cardiovascular fitness and bum fat but high-intensity cardio (over 70% of your V02 max) is more effective. If time is a premium, shorter periods of high-intensity cardio will give you the same results in terms of fat loss as longer periods of low-intensity cardio.
Is Low-Intensity Cardio Exercise best for Fat Burning?

It's been a long-held belief that low-intensity cardio is the best way to burn fat. While this may be appropriate for beginners and is certainly more attractive for many casual exercisers, serious fitness trainers and athletes will reap greater benefits from training at a higher intensity. In fact, it is a myth that training in the so called 'fat-burning zone' (around 60-70% MHR) is optimal for fat burning.
The theory about the fat-burning zone came from a study that showed that low­intensity exercise burns a greater percentage of calories from fat than from carbohydrate. When high-intensity exercise is practiced, the percentage of fuel from carbohydrate is increased. However, the amount of fat burned is greater than or equal to that burned during low-intensity exercise. When it comes to fat loss it is not the proportion of each fuel metabolized but the total calorie expenditure that is most important. For the same workout time, you will burn more calories and more fat with high-intensity cardio. For example, walking (low-intensity cardio) for 60 minutes will burn about 270 kcal, of which approximately 60% (160 kcal) come from fat, while jogging (high-intensity cardio) for 60 minutes will burn about 680 kcal, of which approximately 40% (270 kcal) come from fat. Thus, the higher intensity exercise results in a greater fat loss over the same workout time.
Exactly how does Cardio Exercise Reduce your Fat Stores?

Regular cardio training enhances the body's ability to burn fat for energy both at rest and during activity. Not only do you burn extra fat calories during aerobic exercise but regular training has a long-term effect on your body's metabolism.
For example, regular cardio training increases the body's production of the enzyme lipoprotein lipase, which breaks down fat into its component fatty acids. These fatty acids are released into the bloodstream and transported to other tissues such as muscle where they are taken up by the cells, transferred into the mitochondria and broken down to release energy. Thus, cardio training increases the body's ability to break down fat. The more aerobically fit you are, the greater the percentage of fat you burn at any given exercise intensity. Just as you can train your muscles to become stronger and bigger, so you can train your aerobic system to burn fat more efficiently. Including aerobic training in your strength-training program will therefore help you to achieve and maintain a lower body fat percentage and better muscle definition.
However, the benefits of high-intensity training don't end with your workout. Following exercise, your metabolic rate remains elevated above resting levels for some time as your body replenishes its energy systems. This 'excess post-exercise oxygen consumption' (EPOC) is fueled almost entirely by fat. Following low-intensity training, the EPOC is very small. On the other hand, the EPOC following high-intensity training may be quite large. Also, high­intensity cardio can lead to a significant increase in the resting metabolic rate (RMR), when performed at least three times a week. That means you continue burning more calories throughout the day, even when you are at rest.
What is the Best Fat Burning Exercise?

While all forms of aerobic activity burn fat, the best method for burning fat - and simultaneously increasing cardiovascular fitness - is high-intensity interval training. Performing a series of intervals at 80-90% MHR (maximum heart rate), or an RPE (Rating of perceived exertion) of 8-9 (very hard), as opposed to maintaining a steady intensity, burns up to 50% more fat than low-intensity exercise. But before you rush into it, you must be aware that this type of training is only suitable for very well-conditioned athletes and should not be attempted by beginners.
Once you have built up to it, high-intensity interval training is a very effective way of improving your body composition. Not only does it burn more calories during your workout compared with low-intensity training, it produces the greatest EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) and speeds up your metabolic rate for some time after your workout.
Interval training can easily be applied to any mode of exercise - e.g. running, cycling, stationary bike, stepping machine or any other cardio machine. During the interval phases, you increase either your speed or the resistance of the machine (e.g. the incline of a treadmill or the 'level' setting on a stationary bike) in order to reach the required RPE (rating of perceived exertion) level of 8-9 or 80-90% MHR (maximum heart rate). This is maintained for 15 seconds-3 minutes, depending on the intensity, followed by a recovery period at an RPE of 4 (somewhat hard) or 60% MHR for 30 seconds to 3 minutes. An interval training workout is detailed in our fat burning workouts section.
Is it Possible to do too much Cardio Exercise?

More isn't always better, as excessive cardio can result in muscle breakdown and a loss of muscle size and strength. During cardio training, small amounts of protein can be used for energy, although the misconception that it significantly depletes muscle mass relates more directly to poor dietary habits. Click for information on Protein.
The biggest problem is the combination of dieting - or an inadequate calorie intake - and excessive cardio. Dieters who go overboard with cardio training don't realize that a large proportion of their weight loss may be due to muscle loss. When the body doesn't get enough calories it draws upon its reserves, mainly in the form of fat (click for information on fat) but also from protein, which is found in muscle. Too much cardio takes calories away from muscle growth and you can end up literally canabalising your own muscle tissue to help your body meet its energy needs. That's the last thing a strength trainer wants.
For this reason cardio should be done in moderation, as per the guidelines detailed above. As we have seen, moderate amounts of cardio will help you lose fat, and give you numerous cardiovascular health benefits.

Fat Burning Food:

You may have good muscle size but your muscles won't look very impressive if they are hidden under a thick layer of fat. Developing well-defined muscles requires paying as much attention to your fat burning food and diet as to your fat burning training program. No amount of training in the gym will give you a rippling six-pack unless you combine it with the right sort of fat burning eating program. That does not mean 'dieting' though. The term 'dieting' is often laden with negative advice and creates a negative mind-set, setting you up for failure rather than success. Use the nutritional advice from our Diet and Nutrition Section on the basis of your eating plan. In addition, through this article we will help you decide on your body-fat goal and make a plan of action to achieve it. This article gives you a clear fat-burning strategy to shedding body fat without losing muscle. To help you devise your fat-burning eating plan, we also provide step­by-step guidance - based on cutting-edge science - to calculate your calorie, carbohydrate, protein and fat requirements. Finally, we will provide you three nutritionally balanced fat burning eating plans that you can use as the basis for your personal fat burning diet plan.
What is my optimal body-fat percentage
It is impossible to set an optimal body-fat percentage that applies to everyone. The body-fat level that your body comfortably reaches without strict dieting is dependent on your genetic make-up as well as your diet and activity. Your natural body type dictates to some extent how much fat you carry and how readily you store it. For example, if you are an ectomorph (narrow frame, long limbs) or mesomorph (athletic frame, well muscled), you are naturally lean and will be able to achieve a lower body-fat percentage than an endomorph (stocky frame, rounded build) who stores fat easily. But, whatever your natural body type be, you can still achieve a lower body-fat level and more defined physique through consistent hard training and healthy eating. The important point is to decide on a level that is realistic for your build and shape.

How low can I go?

Healthy ranges for the general population are 18%-25% for women and 13%-18% for men. But if you are a strength trainer or bodybuilder, you may desire lower levels. Between 10 and 20% for women and between 6 and 15% for men are common among well-trained athletes - levels that are generally associated with peak performance - but these percentages should be regarded with some caution. If you try to attain a low body-fat percentage that is unnatural for your genetic make-up, you may encounter problems.
For women, a body-fat percentage that is under their individual threshold for menstruation (14-20%) can be risky. Below this, a deficiency of oestrogen and progesterone similar to those levels experienced during and after the menopause can result in amenorrhoea (cessation of menstruation). This can lead to infertility, a loss of bone density, stress fractures and premature osteoporosis. Most experts therefore recommend a lower limit of 14% body fat for women.
If a man's body-fat percentage dips too low, there are health risks too. Studies have shown that when men reach a body-fat level of 4-6%, their bodies start to feed on muscle tissue as a
source of energy and to allow them to maintain their fat stores at a minimal level. It is definitely unwise, if not impossible, to reduce your body fat below this level. Other studies have found that testosterone levels plummet below 5% body fat, causing reduced sexual drive and fertility!

Fat Burning Cardio Workouts:
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Three Fat burning workouts follow which have been designed around the latest cardio research and which have been proven to get great results.
For maximum fat burning and time efficiency, use either fat burning workout 1 or fat burning workout 2, which are both high-intensity sessions. Fat Burning workout 3 is a low­intensity program that may be more appropriate for beginners or at certain times when you are easing back for various reasons - e.g. following illness or injury.
For each fat burning program, select the pace or machine resistance according to your individual level of cardiovascular fitness. If you have a heart rate monitor, you can work out the appropriate intensity needed to bring your heart rate to the prescribed level. Alternatively, use the Borg RPE to ensure you are exercising at the right intensity.
As you adapt to cardio training and your cardiovascular fitness improves, you will need to increase the machine's resistance or your pace to continue gaining benefits. When the exercise feels a little easier, it's time to make it harder again! For example, if you started at level 2 on the stationary bike with an RPE (rating of perceived exertion) of 5 (hard) , you may need to increase to level 3 after a few weeks to elicit the same RPE. Alternatively, keep changing the type of cardio you do to keep your body guessing

Cardio Terms involved in Fat Burning
Before going any further, here are the key terms associated with cardiovascular exercise.

Maximum heart rate (MHR)
This is the highest heart rate value you can achieve in an all-out effort to the point of exhaustion. It remains constant from day to day and decreases only slightly from year to year ­ by about 1 beat per year beginning at 10-15 years of age.

To estimate your MHR, subtract your age from 220. For example, if you are aged 30, your MHR would be estimated at 190 beats per minute (bpm).

MHR = 220 - 30 = 190 bpm

Maximal oxygen uptake, or maximal aerobic capacity (V02 max)
This is the maximum amount of oxygen that can be consumed per minute during exercise. It is regarded as the best single measurement of cardiovascular fitness.

Training heart rate (THR)
When prescribing exercise intensity, it is appropriate to establish a THR range. This is the intensity at which you would need to exercise to gain a training effect. The general guideline for improving cardiovascular fitness is 65-75% of your MHR. For example, if you are aged 30, your THR zone would be calculated as follows:

THR zone = (65% x 190)-(75% x 190) = 123-142 bpm

This is equivalent to about 55-65% of your VO2 max, since oxygen uptake values are approximately 5-10% lower at any given intensity than those predicted using MHR values. A heart rate monitor is a valuable tool for performing the cardio workouts below.

Rating of perceived exertion (RPE)
This is a subjective rating of how hard you feel while you are exercising. The most popular rating scale is the Borg scale. The 10-point scale ranges from 0 (nothing at all) to 10 (very, very hard) (see table below ), although there are 15-point scales that may be used. Used correctly, this is a very accurate system for monitoring exercise intensity.

High-Intensity Cardio Exercise for Fat Burning
This is generally accepted as an intensity corresponding to more than 70% of VO2 max, or approximately 80% MHR.

Low-Intensity Cardio Exercise for Fat Burning
This is generally accepted as an intensity corresponding to less than 70% of VO2 max, or approximately 80% MHR.

Losing Weight Safely - Tips and Tricks for Obesity Related Problems:

In the modern times where the concept of slimming and being low on weight is quite a phenomenon, there seems to be an unhealthy practice often followed for the reduction of weight of the Body beyond control. Of course, there is nothing wrong in controlling one's body weight, but that must not result in under-nourishment of the Body.

According to an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, millions of people in the United States take dieting at any given time and spend over $33 billion per year on weight reduction plans.

People who are over-weight are at an increased risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. It is necessary that the weight be monitored at regular intervals to avoid any illness or malfunctioning of the Body.

There must be realistic goals and that must not lead to over-exertion or dehydration. The body must not be starved and a rich, balanced and nutritive diet must be taken to ensure that the Body get its required demand.

Normal man and women requires upto 2,500 calories per day. There must be proper diet and sleep and a minimum of 30 minutes of exercises daily to be in a good shape. The purpose is to utilize more calories than you eat.

Eating up of less Fat and Sugar would help to cut on the intake of calories. Fried foods, fizzy drinks and fatty desserts are not advisable and moreover these foods are unable to provide the daily dose of nutrients required by the Human Body.

Tips & Precautions:
Balanced diet plan must be adopted.
Exercise must be made a routine affair.
Consultation from a Health expert before commencing weight loss plan.
Intake of essential elements and making sure the body is not dehydrated or over-exhausted.
Avoid alcohol, smoking, caffeine, sedatives and drugs.
If already suffering from a disease, please consult your doctor to make sure the plan is not likely to cause any side-effects.
Junk foods or frozen food must be avoided.
Eat several small meals than large meals.
Eat high-protein and high calorie enriched food.
Aerobics exercises are beneficial.
Side Effects of Abnormal Weight:
Blood pressure is lowered.
High levels of blood glucose are reduced abnormally.
Irregular breathing during sleeping hours.
Reduces the risk of osteoarthritis of the joints
The person who wants to lose his weight must aim to lose no more than 1-2lbs in weight each week. There is also a loss of both lean tissue and body fat during loss of weight and that must not be neglected. The target must not be unrealistic and the diet must include food of your choice and it must be in accordance with the advice of your doctor or trainer.

What must I do to lead a Healthy Lifestyle?

Eat regular meals.
Take bread, potatoes, rice or pasta
Have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables
Avoid spreading fats and vegetable oils
Use low fat varieties of dairy products, fish and meat.
Reduce the quantum of chocolate, biscuits, cakes, instant puddings.
Avoid intake of nicotine, drugs, alcohol and sedatives.
It is medically considered safer to wait for at least two months postpartum to purposely take on losing weight as by that time, the body is accustomed to recover from childbirth and begin a good supply of milk.