Intensity: Upping the Ante

Posted May 18, 2008 at 03:00 PM by Donnell Peavy

Section: His Fitness, Cardio Training, Strength Training, His Health, Physical Health, Lifestyle Health

You worked hard to shed those extra pounds. You changed your eating habits as part of adopting a healthier lifestyle. In some cases, you may have even changed your sleep patterns. You attempt remain dedicated to your new lifestyle, but yet the weight seems to be creeping back. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone according to an article on That’s Fit.

A study conducted at Brown University concluded that 90 – 95 of all obese people who successfully lost their weight gained it back within five years, despite the consistency of their workouts. One way to prevent this from occurring is to intensify your workout sessions. This means that gone are the days of strolls on the beach at a tortoise-like pace so you can enjoy the ocean breeze.

No more slow pedaling sessions on the exercise bike while you watch your favorite episodes of Lost on DVD. You have to get serious; you have to pump it up. One excellent means of doing this is Tabata intervals. Power lifting and Olympic style lifting are also an excellent means for increasing workout intensity. Pedal to the floor, red line effort is what the doctor ordered to keep the fat away. This will rev up your metabolism and ensure that you are burning calories for hours, even after your workout has been completed.

On the bright side, the data from the studies indicates that twenty five minutes of said exercise is all you need per day. Of course, if you are working at a much higher level than you are used to, twenty five minutes may be all you can stand at any one time anyway. So, there you have it. Stick with your regimen, remain consistent and up the intensity level. With enough hard work, you can ensure that you will not become a statistic.