Reasonable exercise and weight loss methods

　　Since there are many shortcomings in drug weight loss, you can only try exercise and change your diet. When it comes to exercise to lose weight, especially to eliminate the fat in the waist and abdomen, the first thing people think of is to do sit-ups.

　　You can also see a variety of advertisements for abdominal fitness equipment on TV and in newspapers. The models on display all have very beautiful figures and enviable abdominal muscles.

　　So everyone uses equipment to train their abdominal muscles and does sit-ups on the ground in the morning and evening. What is the result after a period of time? Most people will not find any obvious changes in circumference except for strengthening the muscles under the fat.

　　In order to confirm this phenomenon, four professors from the Department of Exercise Science and the Department of Physical Education at the University of Massachusetts and the University of Kansas conducted an experiment in 1981.

　　13 men with an average weight of 76.9 kilograms and an average height of 1.75 meters without exercise habits performed sit-ups for 27 days. Each stage was performed every five or six days, starting from 10 groups of 7 reps on the first day to 14 groups of 24 reps on the last day. Each man did a total of 5,000 sit-ups in 27 days.

　　The final measurements of the experiment showed disappointing results, as their average weight dropped from 76.9 kilograms to 76. 1 kg; the fat content decreased from 11.6% to 11%, while the waist circumference increased from 83 cm to 84 cm. From a statistical point of view, these changes are insignificant.

　　Why can't sit-ups eliminate abdominal fat? The reason is that the energy supply of the human body is a very integrated overall system. The muscles in any part cannot "take local materials" to obtain energy from the nearest fat accumulation. The necessary blood transports the glycogen stored in the blood, liver, and even body fat. The prerequisite for using fat energy is to exercise continuously for at least 20 minutes and keep the heart rate at more than 55% of the maximum heart rate (the maximum heart rate is 220 minus age). At this time, the glycogen in the blood and liver has been used up, and fat can be used.

　　Understand this truth, we will know what is the most effective weight loss exercise - low-intensity and long-term aerobic metabolism endurance events, such as fast walking, jogging, swimming, climbing steps, cycling, aerobics, etc., all exercises that can last for more than 20 minutes and keep the heart rate at a certain level.

　　What is the ideal weight loss rate? The average person consumes about 15 kcal per minute of jogging (the heavier you are, the more you consume), and one kilogram of fat consumes 3,500 kcal. If you jog for 30 minutes every day, you can lose one kilogram a week without changing your diet. Of course, this is just a theoretical calculation. In fact, you will eat a little more after exercise. The weight loss rate recommended by experts is half a kilogram a week, so that the weight lost is not easy to rebound.

　　So do you still need to do sit-ups? Yes, but two sets of sit-ups twice a week are enough. Strengthening the abdominal muscles can prevent lower back injuries, which is very beneficial.