By Niña Bianca Sayson
Train insane or remain the same – that has been my motto
these past 3 months, religiously hitting the gym to lose the excess weight I
have gained over the summer. Losing weight is a familiar goal that most people
want to and try to achieve, but only a few are successful in doing so.
It takes serious motivation, willpower and determination
to get your ass off the couch and get moving. It also requires discipline and a
change in lifestyle and accustomed food habits. Yes, it’s not easy, but after
all you have a choice to either throw in the towel or use that towel to wipe
the sweat off your face.
During my summer internship with ABS-CBN Cebu, I have
gained a massive 15 lbs. on my petite 5”2 ½ feet frame. As an event and print
model, I normally don’t go beyond my 100 lbs. limit and maintain it by running
and boxing three to four times a week, doing yoga when I have spare time and eating
a very balanced diet.
Losing track of my usual workout habits over the summer,
it was hard to go back to my accustomed routine formed since. I couldn’t
workout straight for an hour without panting like a stray dog in the middle of
it and couldn’t even run 5 km in one go. My body couldn’t cope with the excess
weight it is carrying, thus affecting my cardiovascular endurance and strength.
The extra pounds even made me look more bottom- heavy than I normally was. So I
was determined to get back in shape, as soon as my internship was over. Yeah,
game face on.
It is common knowledge that in order to lose weight,
your calorie intake should be less than how much you are burning. Average
caloric requirement per person is around 2000 to 2500 calories and take equal
or less, you will be able to reach your target weight. To be able to burn more
calories, aside from your usual daily activities (yeah, even sleeping burns
calories), one should do light to moderate intensity workout at varying
durations depending on your routine.
Hitting the gym and doing physical exercise shouldn’t
feel like a chore or a burden, in fact, you should be able to enjoy it. I know
it sounds ridiculous (I mean who would ever consider going to the gym as fun?)
but there are actually ways to make physical exercise pleasant.
There are some gyms that offer classes such as zumba
(combines latin and international music), kickboxing, Latin rhythm and step
aerobics which usually burn around 300 – 500 calories, depending on intensity.
Other classes such as Plana Forma, Vinyasa Yoga, Pilates and Core Barre burn
more calories, about 400 – 600 calories, depending again on intensity. Joining
classes are often considered more fun because the group can motivate each
other.
There are also gym equipments that could help you
achieve your desired weight, such as the treadmill, elliptic machines,
stationary bikes, stair steppers and rowing machines. The treadmill is your
best friend when you want to burn the most calories, because you can expect to
burn 100 calories per mile, walking briskly. Elliptical machines and stair steppers
are pretty good alternative to treadmill but pack a little less punch on the
joints, burning almost the same calories as the treadmill. Those recovering
from injury can also choose the stationary bikes and rowing machines because it
offers the least impact on joints.
Gym machines that help with strength training such as
dumbbells, weights, cable towers and the like can help in body building or in
gaining muscle mass in general. It is suggested that you gradually increase the
load as you progress in your workout. One benefit of the strength training,
aside from acquiring a lean body, is that it speeds up your metabolism, thus
resulting to you burning more calories in your usual activities.
According to Joemer Lamina, Holiday Gym and Spa fitness
instructor, “cross training” or combining different exercises and equipments
every week is the most effective workout because not only does it prevent
injury and boredom, it also keeps the body guessing thus intensifying calorie
burn rate. It is also ideal that you do both cardio and strength training, not
skimping on one or focusing on cardio/ strength alone. Both exercises benefit
each other because while the cardio pumps up your heart rate, doing cardio
training before strength training can help in burning more fat in your body.
However, if you don’t have the luxury for gym fee
membership or simply find going to the gym a hassle, you can always incorporate
workout in your daily activities. For example, why not take the stairs instead
of the elevator or park a little bit farther than your usual parking space and
brisk walk to your office. Another suggestion could be if your workplace or
school is of walking distance, you can also walk instead of commuting or
driving your car; that way, you can save the environment and your body as well.
You can also creatively integrate other workout routines while watching TV,
doing the household chores or even while walking your dog.
To be realistic, you won’t drop two jean sizes in a day
nor will you lose fifty pounds in a month. You will always be tempted to binge
and overeat here and there which will cause your weight fluctuate every now and
then. There will be days you will go on a day or two without working out and
you’re going to try new techniques which may not work for your body. We are all
human beings, and at some point we are bound to fail. But nothing great is ever
accomplished without a few obstacles getting in the way. The secret is, just
keep going and don’t ever stop. After all, as Jane Fonda puts it – no pain, no
gain.
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