Many people wonder whether it's possible to lose weight at the gym. Experienced trainers say this method is entirely possible, but it requires knowing and following certain rules. We'll discuss these in this article.
Weight loss is often the goal of going to the gym. The desire isn't simply to lose weight and look skinny, but to build lean muscle and achieve a more attractive physique.
Exercises should not only be strength training
It's no secret that strength training is aimed at increasing muscle mass and overall body weight, while aerobic exercise (cardio) is aimed at burning fat and reducing overall body weight. These workouts, then, are designed to achieve two completely opposite processes.
Power aerobics is a type of physical activity (training) where strength exercises are performed with weights, but at a fairly intense (aerobic) pace.
Strength training alone won't produce the desired results. Therefore, to lose weight, you should combine strength training with aerobic exercise.
Strength training accelerates muscle and fat growth, which promotes mass gain. However, if you do rhythmic exercises (like running on a treadmill) at the same time, fat deposits will be burned, making way for muscle. Therefore, only strength training will produce both muscle and fat, while rhythmic training will produce neither. This is why it's important to combine the two types of exercise. This way, you'll be able to both lose weight and build muscle.
We offer two options for combining strength and rhythmic loads.
Option 1. You dedicate two days to strength training and two days to rhythmic training. Of course, this training schedule will require a lot of free time, but trust me, the results are worth it. First, you build muscle, and then you lose excess weight. You can also burn fat in the gym using barbells and dumbbells.
Option 2. All workouts take place in the gym. However, they should be performed using multiple sets of moderate or light weights. Rest periods between sets should be minimal. These methods include two training formats:
Circuit training. This is a form of strength aerobics. Exercises should be performed in a circuit (3-5 times). However, this method requires good physical fitness and endurance, so beginners may find it challenging to master right away.
Superset. This method involves performing at least two sets of different exercises. The trick is that all sets are performed without rest.
You can also combine strength training and cardio in one workout.
For those who have recently started going to the gym with the goal of losing weight, a superset is best. The results won't be immediate, as the exercises aren't intense enough. However, it's a good start.
What happens to the body in the second training option? The emphasis is on rhythmic exercises. Muscles are toned, but since it's done in a gymnastics-like manner, fat is burned.
A significant advantage of combining rhythmic and strength training is that you can tailor the process to your needs. If you want to lose weight, try going to the gym once a week and doing aerobic exercise three times a week. If your goal is to build muscle, the opposite is true.
The secret to creating a beautiful, athletic figure lies in this ability to find balance.
The body's resources during training
Fats. There are two types: visceral (covering internal organs) and subcutaneous. Subcutaneous fats are lost through exercise, while visceral fats can be eliminated through a balanced diet.
Carbohydrates. Found in muscles and the liver. During exercise, they are burned first, followed by fat.
It's also important to remember that even when muscles are passive, they stimulate the body to expend energy. This means that when they're working, energy is expended at twice the rate. However, as mentioned above, muscle is built only through strength training, but fat remains. This is why it's important and beneficial to combine strength and rhythmic exercises.
