Along with diet, stress management and sleep quality, exercise is one of the pillars of any weight loss strategy. And if movement is essential and particularly beneficial for maintaining overall health and the proper functioning of the body, there are some tips to make your workouts more effective in losing those extra pounds:
What sport helps you lose the most weight?
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Don't overdo cardio: Too much cardio can cause a substantial increase in cortisol, which can inhibit fat loss (even if you're burning calories). Furthermore, over time the body adapts to aerobic exercises like running or cycling by becoming more “efficient”, meaning that gradually you will burn less energy (calories) for the same amount of physical activity. Finally, your body may begin to burn muscle for energy during cardio exercises that last 90 minutes or more.
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If you want to use cardio to lose weight, try the interval or split sports program: it alternates during a session the work phases at high cardiac intensity and the recovery moments. It is known as HIIT (High Intensity Training) and it appears to result in a 30% greater reduction in body fat than that achieved by continuous moderate-intensity exercise.
- Otherwise, favor muscular resistance exercises: there are several benefits you will burn more energy during the workout, but also after! The reason is the nature of the recovery process: When you overload a muscle, you cause micro-tears in your muscles (the muscle fiber). During the recovery process, the body requires energy (i.e. calories) to repair these tears. Furthermore, you will stimulate the maintenance of your muscle mass which in turn prevents your metabolism from slowing down.
How to lose weight effectively by doing sports?
- If you want to burn fat: exercise on an empty stomach
Exercising before breakfast after an 8-10 hour fasting period can help you burn more fat than exercising after breakfast. This is because your glucose stores are relatively empty in the morning and your body must use fat for energy instead. If you eat an early (low-carb) dinner the night before, you'll further maximize the fat-burning potential of your morning workout.
- If you want to limit weight gain: move after meals
Good practice can help you burn excess sugar from foods ingested during meals, in the same way that it will therefore limit its conversion and storage in the form of body fat. Research has shown that a 10-minute walk after meals can improve digestion and help maintain stable blood sugar levels and energy levels, thus helping you maintain your figure.
How often to exercise to lose weight?
According to Dr. Michel Gaillaud: "To lose weight quickly, you should, ideally, practice physical activity (swimming, rowing, running, etc.) twice a day between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. and between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., five days a week" alongside a balanced diet. However, not all schedules are compatible with this intensive pace. The right program is then to practice physical activity at least three times a week, alternating sessions of cycling, brisk walking and jogging lasting at least 30 minutes to work the thighs, legs and figure in general but above all work on endurance.
The doctor also mentions that you must maintain a certain regularity to stabilize your weight. Some sports coaches will give you the same advice: it is better not to interrupt a training program for at least a week, because an interruption can disrupt the metabolism and weight loss mechanisms and cause an imbalance.
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