Effective weight loss exercise is based on a principle called progressive resistance. To see good results, we must increase the intensity of our workout when our body adapts to the previous load. It is a simple concept, and to carry out progressive resistance and make it working, we only need a degree of self discipline and invest our time doing it.

There are number of ways doing progressive resistance and strength training, as stated below:

1) Increase the Weight Being Used
If you are just about to start or a beginner in the resistant and strength training, this type of progressive resistance is probably the simplest and most effective way for you.

There is always a good rule to follow with any new exercise movement to minimize muscle injury possibility and to progress consistently.  Always start with minimal weight at your first workout session.  After you can accomplish 10 repetitions of a movement without achieving failure, it is the time to increase the weight or tension because you can only build lean muscle when you go through 3 stages in strength training: Working repetition, fatigue and muscular failure.  Bear in mind, always increase with the smallest increment possible in progressive resistance training.

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If you want to succeed in any program for weight loss, you must include both dieting and exercising in your weight loss plan.  Dieting alone does not work, neither exercise alone.

In a healthy weight loss program, we need to apply our weight loss plan to both variables in our body weight workouts equations:  the calories consumed and calories expended.  Here we need to revisit the Harris Benedict equation posted in my BMR calculation article.  If you have never been calculated the calories needed to support your daily life activities, now it is the time to plug in your current age, weight and activity level for your weight loss plan.

Let’s use an example for illustration purposes.  A man of 45 years old with 90kg in weight and 175cm will get his original BMR calculation figure of 1,868 using the Harris Benedict equation.  I do hope you still remember BMR or basal metabolic rate refers to number of calories that our body requires on a daily basis if we stay in bed all day and do nothing.  After 4 months on the program for weight loss, this man now weighs 76kg.  His BMR equation now is 1,676 .
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Some people refer cardiovascular exercise as aerobic exercise, or cardio as simplified term.  It has been shown that cardiovascular exercise brings a number of health benefits when performed on a regular basis. However, please beware of cardio if you are being overweight and joining a program for weight loss.

An article “Baby Boomers Stay Active, and So do Their Doctors” published in The New York Times in April 2006 stated that baby boomers today, who are the first generation to embrace cardiovascular exercise as the main exercise, break down much earlier in life.  It is hard to believe but it is true to say that the number 2 reason that baby boomers visit a doctor’s office is because of sport injuries.

A famous orthopedic surgeon compiles all exercise-related injuries cases.  It has been found that knees, hips, shoulders and lower back have vulnerabilities that surface over time, and it is exactly these vulnerable joints that are used and abused when we do most of the cardiovascular exercises.  Why does this happen?  In fact, intensity must increase for cardiovascular exercise in order to burn the same number of calories over the time, as your heart becomes more fit.  Normally, an increase in intensity will lead to overuse which cause the sport injuries.

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You might join various weight loss programs previously in losing weight.  Your weight went down and bounced back in short while like roller coaster.  Now you start to wonder whether you are naturally born as obese people because you just cannot slim down.

If you or your friends are the person I mentioned about, please invest few minutes in my article before you decide giving up in losing weight.  If you understand correct weight loss concept as recommended in healthy weight loss program, you will find that losing weight and keep it off is not a mission impossible.

Below are 3 main reasons why you cannot slim down according to a healthy weight loss program:

1) Mental health
I know this might sound funny to you.  But if you have already tried few times in any weight loss program and yet want to lose weight now, you need to consider seriously about this important reason.  In fact, you need to take a moment to evaluate how READY your mental state is to meet the demands of the weight loss program action plan.
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