fat loss – No Myth Fitness

Determining your Body Type

Before embarking in an elaborate workout plan, it is important to know your body type. Most people already have a vague clue of the category in which they would fall. Factors such as easily taking on weight or difficulty in bulking up are good giveaways.

However, to be on the safe side, it is important to counter check that information. Here are the 3 main body types that people generally fall into. Keep in mind that you might fall in between those types, and that would be perfectly normal.

Ectomorph

These are usually thin individuals with long limbs and small joints. They are often blessed with a rather weird quality which makes it easy for them to lose fat. Naturally ectomorphs will require less cardio to get in shape. However, gaining muscle is hard for ectomorphs. Some even have have to abandon cardio training to concentrate on strength to stand any chance of bulking up.

Mesomorph

Mesomorphs are naturally muscular and tend to gain muscles, as well as lose fat, easily. No wonder this is considered as the most lucky body type. Since they already have a natural balance, mesomorphs may alternate cardio and strength to achieve desired body shaping results.

Endomorph

Endomorphs are characterised by their wide clavicles and blocky look. They gain fat easily and have a harder time losing them. This means that endomorphs need to do quite a bit of cardio before seeing any fat loss. As for bulking up, it will only be possible if the cardio sessions are continued.

Steady Cardio Versus Interval Training

Article by Blythe Flake

There are different ways to do cardio workouts. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Put simply, it often boils down to what you want as end goal. The difference between the two main types of cardio workouts are explained below.

Steady-state cardio

This is the traditional way of doing cardio. You do a repetitive action for a prolonged period, over a steady pace. One example would be running at a steady speed for 30 to 60 minutes. The advantage here is that the runner is running at a comfortable pace, meaning that the same workout can be done every week for years. The disadvantage is that it is not as effective as it can be, especially in the long run. Doing something at a steady pace means your muscles will adapt so as to burn less calories.

Interval training

Interval training is a more effective approach to cardio. It requires the cardio exercise to be done with more vigour, at the expense of rest times in between. One example would be to sprint for 30 seconds and rest for 3 minutes, for a total time span of 30 to 60 minutes. The advantage here is that the workout is more efficient. By fluctuating the workouts, your muscles have a hard time adapting and end up burning calories every time the workout is repeated. The disadvantage here is the recovery time. Interval training is much more straining, especially for the joints. This makes interval training quite tricky to keep up with.

The Effects of Strength Exercises on the Body

Strength exercises are those where you either lift an artificial weight, or you use your own body as resistance. The more obvious example is weight lifting, while the less obvious examples include crunches and pushups. These exercises suit both men and women, and they are effective in weight management and in shaping the body.

It makes the body look better

The benefits of strength training do not just involve losing excess body fat. Strength training will also tone up your body, leaving you with tighter arms and legs. This is where it differentiates itself with cardio. While cardio will help you lose weight faster, it will leave you feeling rather flab. This depends on how much weight you are losing, but a little strength is guaranteed to make you look tighter.

It burns calories even after the workout

A recent study has seen that strength training exercises actually burns up to 120 calories, 24 hours after the workout. All that while doing your daily activities. Another benefit comes in the fact that your body’s metabolism gets boosted by regular strength training.

It makes you stronger

By regularly applying resistance to your muscles, a person will undeniably end up being stronger, but there’s more to it. By strengthening your body muscles, you are actually making your body more efficient. This means that your body will use more muscles for your daily activity. In turn, this ensures that less strain is applied to your individual muscles, therefore helping to alleviate chronic pains in certain parts of the body.