Another study by researchers at the University of Maryland reinforces that exercise is one of the best methods to lose weight. In the study, the researchers suggests that physical activity may help to reduce the risk of obesity in people with a genetic mutation that predisposes them to a high body mass index, BMI. This study is motivated in part by a gene that has been linked to a high body mass index.

In the study using Amish participants, researchers discovered that those with the gene were no more likely to be overweight than those without the gene as long as they exercised 3 to 4 hours every day. This doesn’t mean you have to stay in the gym for that length of time though. In fact the exercises include moderate activities such as housecleaning, gardening and taking a brisk walk.

What makes this more appealing is that British scientists reported last year that more than half of all people of European descent have one or two copies of a variation of this high BMI gene. In the report, those who had two copies of the genes were on average 7 pounds heavier and were 67 percent more likely to be obese than those who didn’t have it.

So if you need further convincing of the importance of exercising to lose weight, this is it. In addition to this fascinating news, those who thought that they could not lose weight because of genetics should now feel encouraged, for as the report suggests, “bad” genetics can be overcome. In addition to proper eating habits, it will take several hours of moderate exercising for you to be successful. And as stated before, this can include structured activities such as walking and even riding a bike, or household activities such as cleaning your house or raking leaves. The important point to remember is that you need to get your blood pumping and your body moving.

Bookmark with:

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Burn calories. Burn calories. Burn calories. That is what the voice in your head is saying whenever you remind yourself that you need to lose weight. Persistent as this voice may be, sometimes it may not be enough when part of you would like to know exactly how many calories you’re going to burn. After all, you may not always have a treadmill around to tell you that you just burned x-amount of calories. Well here’s some help.

The following is a list of exercises, found in 2008 Encyclopedia Britannica Almanac, that you can do that will burn 150 calories. Some activities take as little as 15 minutes, others take as much as 60. Hopefully, by knowing what you’re going to get from your time spent exercising, you’ll be more motivated to get moving and burn some calories.

Climbing stairs for 15 minutes
Shoveling snow for 15 minutes
Running 1.5 miles (10 minutes/mile) for 15 minutes
Jumping rope for 15 minutes
Bicycling 4 miles for 15 minutes
Playing basketball for 15–20 minutes
Playing wheelchair basketball for 20 minutes
Swimming laps for 20 minutes
Performing water aerobics for 30 minutes
Walking 2 miles (15 minutes/mile) for 30 minutes
Raking leaves for 30 minutes
Pushing a stroller 1.5 miles for 30 minutes
Dancing fast for 30 minutes
Bicycling 5 miles for 30 minutes
Shooting baskets for 30 minutes
Walking 1.75 miles (20 minutes/mile) for 35 minutes
Wheeling oneself in a wheelchair for 30–40 minutes
Gardening (standing) for 30–45 minutes
Playing touch football for 30–45 minutes
Playing volleyball for 45 minutes
Washing windows or floors for 45–60 minutes
Washing and waxing a car or boat for 45–60 minutes

If you are in pretty good shape, you can increase the intensity of the exercise to burn more calories in a shorter period of time or you can exercise for a longer duration to burn even more calories. Good luck and have fun.

Bookmark with:

Powered by Bookmarkify™

When you see a protruding midsection staring back at you in a mirror, you remind yourself again of your need to lose some weight, especially around your belly. In fact, if you could just lose around the belly, that would make you happy. Unfortunately belly fat can be the most difficult to lose if you don’t understand how you got it in the first place. Here’s some facts and advice to start you along the way.

Belly fat, also known as central obesity, has been shown to be the most dangerous type of fat. It is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, hypertension, and insulin resistance. In fact, it is insulin resistance that is believe by many health professionals to be the primary cause of belly fat accumulation.

What exactly is insulin resistance? Insulin resistance is the condition that occurs when your body insulin receptors become resistant to the effects of insulin. Insulin is the substance that carries glucose throughout your body. If some of your cells become insulin resistant, excess glucose occurs. Your body senses this and starts to produce excess glucose. In the worse case scenario, you can develop type 2 diabetes.

According to Anthony Haynes in his book Insulin Factor, 80 percent of the population has some degree of insulin resistance, 22 to 25 percent having full blown insulin resistance.

The increase in insulin leads to more storage of fat, much of which is stored on your belly. So if you want to get your belly fat down, you need to manage your insulin levels.

Exercise is a great start, as it provides a means to burn some of the excess fat. However, to efficiently gain control over it, you need to eat healthy. In a nutshell, this means cutting out refined sugars and over-processed foods. These types of food are primarily made of simple carbohydrates. When you digest a large amount, this causes your insulin level to spike. In contrast, by eating complex carbohydrates, you get a gradual rise of insulin.

So, if you want to lose that belly fat, you need to work on controlling your insulin levels. By starting to eat healthy and getting off your rear-end, you’ll be making the first steps necessary towards dropping pants sizes.

Bookmark with:

Powered by Bookmarkify™