How to Decrease Body Fat Through Exercise

Who doesn’t want to decrease body fat? In America today the answer is probably: very few. We all know that exercise will cause us to lose weight. Some of us probably even know the science behind weight loss. But for those of us just starting out on a fitness quest or a weight loss journey, the science can seem confusing and frankly overwhelming. With all of the information out there it can be hard to weed through it and find a simple explanation of how weight loss works.
 
You probably know that in order to lose weight your caloric intake must be less than your caloric output. In other words, you have to burn more than you eat. This doesn’t mean that if you eat 1800 calories you have to burn 1800 calories through exercise. Your body is burning calories right now. Your body requires energy to run. You burn calories simply by breathing and living, not to mention talking, reading, walking, and other daily activities. To find out approximately how many calories you burn on a daily basis, try this calculator.
 
In order to lose one pound of fat, you must burn 3,500 calories. Don’t’ get scared, this isn’t in one day! A healthy weight loss is considered about a pound a week. So, if you want to decrease body fat at a healthy rate, create a weekly caloric deficit of 3,500 calories. This can be accomplished through cutting calories to a reasonable level and incorporating exercise.

Exercise works to decrease body fat in a few ways:

• First, the immediate effects. When you exercise you immediately bun calories as your body accesses fat stores for energy. By elevating your heart rate you are requiring your engine to run in high gear which requires more energy, and therefore more calories. This immediate calorie burn is best accomplished through aerobic exercise, or exercise that increases your heart rate. Things like dancing, running, walking, biking, and swimming are all good aerobic exercises.

• Exercise can also burn calories in the long term. Your “metabolism” refers to the amount of calories you burn while resting, or simple living. Several things can affect your metabolism. One major influence on your metabolism is your muscles. Muscles burn through calories faster than fat. So, by increasing your muscle mass you will burn more calories, even when you are sleeping! Strength training to increase muscle mass is the second prong in exercising to decrease body fat.

Tracking Your Fat Loss

Incorporating both aerobic (also called “cardio”) routines with a strength training plan will maximize your fat loss. Keep in mind that while you are losing fat you will also be gaining muscle. So, while the number on the scale may not budge, your measurements surely will. To more accurately track your progress try taking your measurements. For even greater specificity on your progress, track your body fat percentage by using a body fat caliper.