Effective weight loss and muscle toning comes from a combination of healthy diet, cardiovascular workouts and strength training. A healthy diet fuels the body for workouts, but should be within the calorie range based on gender, height, body type and desired weight loss goal. Cardiovascular workouts performed at an aerobic level burn the fat, but some options provide additional muscle building to maximize fat burning. Strength training not only tones, but builds muscle that in turn burns more fat.
Burn the Fat
While all movement is good, exercises done at the aerobic level are the ones that burn the fat. You can measure whether or not you're in the fat-burning range of your workout by your heart rate. Ideally your target heart rate during a workout should be 65 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. If you're using a treadmill or elliptical, you can use the sensors and the chart printed on it to determine your target range and whether or not you've reached it. You can calculate your target heart rate by subtracting your age from 220 (i.e. 220-30 = 190), subtract 65 (i.e. 190-65 = 125), and then multiply your answer by .65 (.65) and then 85 percent (.85), and add 65 (i.e. 125X.65 = 81.25 + 65 = 146.25 and 125X.85 = 106.25 + 65 =171.25). In this case your target heart range would be between 146 and 171 beats per minute. The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a day for healthy living. To lose weight, you may want to increase your workouts to 45 to 60 minutes.
Engage the Core
While all activity done in the target heart range will burn fat, some exercises offer additional core conditioning benefits. Activities such as running, rowing, kickboxing and swimming all engage the core, including abdominal muscles. This gives the added benefit of core strength and sculpting the highly coveted six-pack abs. Other activities that increase heart rate and tone abs include tennis, skiing, squat thrusts, mountain climbers and knee lifts.
Interval Training
Studies show that interval training, which involves short bursts of high energy with equal or slightly longer sessions at a lower activity produce more benefits than sustained mid-level activity. According to the Mayo Clinic's website, interval training can burn more calories and improve aerobic capacity. Plus, because the activity changes frequently, it can keep you from getting bored. Interval training can include the same activities done for cardiovascular conditioning. The difference is in the speed and intensity. For example, if you normally run for 30 minutes at 6.0 pace on the treadmill, in interval training you might run for 1 minute at 7.0 or 8.0 pace and then another minute or 2 at 5.0, for a total of 20 minutes.
Weight Training
Many people don't believe there are cardiovascular benefits to weight training, but in fact, increasing muscle mass increases the amount of fat you burn. In essence, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, not just during a workout, but in your everyday activities as well. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend at least two days of strength training per week. Weight training should cover the major muscle groups such as thighs, abs, back and arms.
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