A diet can help you lose weight, but you can use body composition exercises* to keep the muscle along the way. It's not as complicated as it sounds. You just have to combine body composition activities and cardio exercise with a diet full of lean protein to encourage weight loss and shape a stronger body.
Smart dieters use lean protein for weight loss. Why? Because lean protein foods help you to feel full longer and help you to feel more satisfied. The result is that many dieters eat less during the day and slim down faster.
Cardio Exercise for Body Composition
All forms of exercise burn calories. But body composition exercises combine activities to burn fat. That way, as you slim down, you replace fat with lean, tight muscles that give your body a stronger appearance.
So what is the best way to burn fat? Aerobic exercise will do the trick. Aerobic activity, sometimes called cardio, is an exercise that gets your heart pumping. During an aerobic workout, you'll breathe heavier and begin to sweat. It is not necessary, however, to exercise to the point of breathlessness every day. In fact, you'll burn the highest percentage of calories from fat at a moderate intensity.
If you participate in body composition exercises, cardio exercises, and eat lean protein, these things will help you build and maintain muscle. Not only will a leaner, tighter body look better, but a strong body functions better throughout the day. Daily physical activities become easier to do. And when activity is easier, you're likely to do more of it—and burn more calories in the process.
Good luck!
*Sample Body Composition Exercises
- Modified push-up.
- Traditional push-up.
- Stability ball push-up.
- Front lunge or walking lunge exercise.
- Lunge variations (like Overhead lunge).
- Burpees.
- Squat exercises with an overhead press.
- Abdominal plank exercises.
*Sample Cardio Exercises
- Dancing (Zumba, MixxedFit).
- Cycling (Indoor Cycling/Spinning).
- Walking/Running (On your own).
- Jumping jacks (In a class setting or own your own).