Gym Myths Buster – ‘The only way to lose weight is to run miles on a treadmill’
Weight loss, it’s all around us; do this, try that, take this. It can all become very confusing. Fortunately we are here to try and take some of that confusion away!
When it comes to weight loss there numerous approaches to set you on your way to reaching your goals, but there are just as many that will have you wasting your valuable time and energy. What is of the utmost importance is that you find an approach you can enjoy after all the more fun you have doing an activity the better chance of adhering to it.
One of the most common misconceptions is: you need to do endless hours on a treadmill to lose weight, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Although cardio is a great way to get fit and burn off some of those calories, it’s certainly not the only way.
Other ways to lose weight could be:
- Aerobic Cardio – any activity that permits you to talk but makes it difficult to carry out long conversations.
- Spend about 40% of your gym time on cardio and 60% on weight bearing exercise.
- Putting your all into each session. If you don’t feel winded and you have the capacity to step it up, you should be moving faster.
- Alternate between four minutes of steady-state cardio in the aerobic zone, and one minute of unsustainably intense cardio.
- Stand on something besides the floor. When you stand on a balance beam, or step on and off a bench or box, your body needs to adapt. All of this results in a greater calorie burn.
- Vary your workouts. Perform familiar exercises in a different order, try new moves with equipment you’re used to, or incorporate a new fitness machine into your routine.
DO NOT FEAR WEIGHTS! Don’t be put off just because ‘weights don’t burn fat’, they do and weights still build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns after you leave the gym. Weight training keeps your muscles in shape, so when you shed the fat that’s covering them, they look toned.
Helio are a health community that welcomes everyone. Our friendly and experienced team of PTs are on hand to offer any advice you may need to achieve your goal. Our clean and affordable training environment, features all of the facilities you could possibly need. Don’t let the stigma around going to the gym, put you off from signing up. Check out our membership packages today in Blackpool, Bolton and St Annes!
