Joining a gym can help you lose weight. The best workouts for weight loss are those that you will do consistently. One advantage of joining a gym is that you have many different types of workouts available, so you're likely to find a workout that interests you and keeps you motivated. Most gyms also have personal trainers and fitness instructors on staff who will help you tailor a workout to meet your specific weight loss and fitness goals.
Working Out and Weight Loss
Working out is an important part of weight loss, but it isn't the entire picture. Exercise alone won't help you lose weight if you don't combine it with a healthy diet. Exercise can contribute to weight loss in several ways. First, exercising burns calories, but it is important not to overestimate how many. Calorie counters on exercise equipment frequently overestimate the number of calories burned, and exercising is not license to eat whatever you want. Another way that exercise helps you lose weight is that it changes your body composition, which can affect your overall metabolic rate. As you build muscle through exercise, you also increase your body's overall energy needs. This results in a higher rate of caloric burn.
Cardiovascular Workouts
Gyms have an array of cardiovascular workout equipment. They may also offer cardio classes as well. The keys to burning calories using cardio workouts are frequency, intensity and duration. Doing a cardio workout for 30 to 60 minutes at a high intensity most days of the week will help you burn more calories.
Strength Training Workouts
Strength training workouts can help you lose weight by increasing your muscle mass and changing your body composition. You also burn calories during the workout. Use free weights or weight machines and progressively increase your resistance over time to gradually build muscle mass. For best results, work all of your major muscle groups a minimum of twice per week using strength exercise. Leave at least 48 hours between workouts for your muscles to heal. Performing two to three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions to exhaustion will help you gradually increase your muscle mass. Work with a trainer to assure you are using proper form when lifting weights.
Interval Training
Interval training workouts can help you burn more fat, according to a study done at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. Interval training workouts alternate moderate-intensity cardio activity with short bursts of high-intensity activity. You can do interval training activities using any gym equipment, such as stationary bicycles, which were used in the University of Guelph study. You can also do the gym's power circuits--which alternate aerobic activity with strength training activity--or take an interval class if your gym offers one.
Other Workouts
Any type of exercise you do at the gym will help you burn calories. The gym may offer an activity that you will particularly enjoy, such as a rock climbing wall or a martial arts class. If you do these activities consistently and combine them with a healthy diet, you can burn calories and lose weight. Your gym may offer specific weight loss classes or specially designed weight loss workouts. Talk with gym staff about scheduling a session with a trainer who can tailor a gym workout to your specific weight loss goals.
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