The Basics of Aerobics

Aerobics is one of the basic exercises that one can dabble in to help lose weight. As a fat burner, it is important not to do too much. Any form of aerobics like walking, jogging, or stationary biking should be used only as a supplement to an effective weight training program. Aerobics is just an aid and not a substitute to any weight training program as it does not possess the capability to re-fit the body.

To get most out of the aerobics exercises, one needs to do it inside one's fat burning zone- an area in which one is engaged in sufficient work to burn the fats. There is a formula to determine your fat burning zone (FBZ), here it is:

FBZ = 220 - (Age) x (.75)

Whatever figure or number that comes out from the solution is an approximation of what speed your pulse rate should be in the burning zone. If your heart beats in addition to or less than 10 from the FBZ formula result, you can be confident that fat is being burned from your body.

Another way to ensure the effectiveness of aerobics as a means to lose weight is to do it in the most fitting time. There are two fitting times that aerobics exercises work best: (1) in the morning upon waking up, with an empty stomach and after drinking at least 16 oz of water to avoid being dehydrated, and (2) soon after your weight training since the body takes about 20-30 minutes to begin burning fats when aerobics is not done first thing upon waking up.

The recommended frequency for aerobics varies between sexes. For males, the recommended frequency is around two (2) to four (4) sessions of about 20 to 30 minutes each session per day, seven days a week, while for females, they will benefit more on a four (4) sessions of about 20 to 40 minutes per day seven days a week. Females need more of aerobics because of the estrogen in their blood and as compared to the males; females have less muscles in the body. Refrain from doing aerobics more than 45 minutes in one single session as this can do more harm than good.

The various form of aerobics exercises aside from walking, jogging, and stationary biking are: stairs climbing, rowing, sprinting, any other forms of cardiovascular action that will elevate the pulse rate to the fat burning area.

You also have to make the aerobics exercises encouraging and varying to keep your body from adapting to a pattern. If the body learns to adapt to a particular pattern, it will be difficult to get to the fat burning zone. If such happens, the aerobics may not be an effective tool to help burn body fats.

Getting the most from your aerobic exercises may mean listening to a good music during the activity. It will make your session more encouraging and pleasurable while you burn all those fats. Just refer to the basics of aerobics and you can never go wrong.