The Role of Exercise in Fitness and Weight Loss

1. Introduction

Exercise is the single most important factor when it comes to gaining fitness, durability, energy, and overall well-being. It is essential to adopt healthy habits and incorporate exercise into daily life to achieve fitness and maintain it. Exercise can take different forms, including jogging, running, swimming, cycling, and playing sports, and it can be performed outdoors or in fitness centers, gyms, and parks.

Today, the focus will be on the importance of incorporating exercise into a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle includes avoiding junk and unhealthy foods and taking healthy, nutritious food. Physical inactivity is one of the major causes of weight gain, so it is essential to exercise regularly to achieve weight management goals.

Regular exercise is essential to control weight, reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, maintain blood sugar levels, and keep cholesterol levels in check. Exercise increases the energy level in the body and keeps it active throughout the day. It prevents fatigue and laziness and helps to stay fit and strong. Therefore, necessary steps should be taken from the present day to incorporate physical activity into life and improve fitness. 1 ; 2

2. Types of Exercises for Improving Fitness and Weight Loss

The best weight loss approach combines a nutritious diet with physical activity. Exercise is a vital component of a successful weight loss strategy. There are three main categories of exercises that help improve fitness and promote weight loss. These are cardiovascular (aerobic) exercises, strength training (resistance) exercises, and flexibility and balance exercises.

Cardiovascular exercises elevate the heart rate, helping to burn energy. Walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, aerobics, playing basketball, playing soccer, completing fitness classes, and using fitness machines can be considered cardiovascular exercises 1. These exercises can be done alone or with peers, and they are effective weight loss solutions.

Strength training exercises involve the use of body weight, weights, machines, or constraints to enhance body strength 2. They can aid in preserving fat-free mass in case individuals lose weight. Strength training can be performed with the help of fitness instructors or at home with the use of books or videos. Flexibility and balance exercises involve yoga or gymnastic practices. These exercises enhance overall body posture and flexibility while reducing muscle tension and stress.

2.1. Cardiovascular Exercises

To achieve improved fitness and weight loss, regular exercise should be part of a person’s daily routine. Exercise can be classified into three types, i.e, cardiovascular exercises, strength training exercises, and flexibility exercises.

Cardiovascular exercises are commonly used for improving cardiovascular health, burning calories, and reducing fat. They are activities that cause people’s heart rate to accelerate, such as running, cycling, swimming, and others. Most of these exercises use and engage the major muscle groups, increasing the overall energy expenditure. According to general guidelines, a person should exercise at least 150 minutes a week doing moderate intensity exercise or at least 75 minutes a week vigorously 1.

2.2. Strength Training Exercises

Strength training exercises involve using weight for resistance, building muscle mass, and enhancing fitness. These can be done in various places and ways 3. Weight lifting is done with machines, free weights, or elastic bands. Resistance training is a technique that uses resistance to strengthen muscles.

Strength exercises build muscle, boost metabolism, and burn fat. They can be done at home, in gyms, or outdoors using different equipment or no equipment. They enhance overall fitness and include squats, pushups, leg raises, planks, and lifting weights 2.

2.3. Flexibility and Balance Exercises

Strength, endurance, aerobics, and other high-impact activities are traditionally the preferred means of fitness training. Flexibility and balance exercises, on the other hand, may seem too specialized for the general public. They are typically associated with older adults or elite athletes.

This perception is misguided. Flexibility and balance are equally important aspects of overall fitness. Many people do not have enough of either to meet daily needs. Flexibility exercises can improve, restore, and maintain flexibility. Balance exercises improve coordination and stability.

For this reason, they are also called coordination exercises 4. Balance exercises can be very basic and easy, such as standing on one leg. Many activities have flexibility and balance components, including gymnastics, many sports, and some dance genres. Yoga, Tai Chi, and other martial arts are focused primarily on flexibility and balance.

Yoga, Tai Chi, and similar activities are beneficial efforts in many regards, including general fitness, relaxation, self-discipline, strength, and coordination 5. For these reasons, one or more flexibility and balance activities should be included in the weekly fitness regimen. Flexibility and balance exercises should target both the upper and lower body and emphasize major muscle groups.

Flexibility and balance exercises are often overlooked or not addressed due to limited time. High-impact strength and endurance exercises may be better at burning calories; however, flexibility and balance can help improve overall fitness and avoid injuries. Flexibility and balance exercises may also be beneficial because they can be done with different people or groups (e.g., family, co-workers, exercise classes, senior citizens, etc.).

3. Designing an Effective Exercise Program for Fitness and Weight Loss

In order to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and to improve fitness levels, it is necessary to engage in regular physical activity. Starting an exercise program can be daunting, but by following some simple guidelines, it is possible to develop an effective, safe, and enjoyable routine.

There are a number of factors to consider when starting a fitness program, including fitness level, current weight, prior physical activity experience, and self-confidence. It is important to take the time to evaluate these factors before setting goals and determining the type of exercise program to follow. In general, fitness goals should be realistic and specific.

Research shows that people who maintain a healthy weight are more physically active than those who are overweight, even those who have a similar occupation and lifestyle. Therefore, a great way to start working towards a healthy weight is to examine the amount of activity that is currently done.

There is a simple equation to determine the number of calories expended in physical activity. The amount of weight in pounds multiplied by 0.36 gives the number of calories expended per hour of activity. This figure can be multiplied by the average amount of time in minutes that a given activity is done per week to gain an understanding of the total amount of calories expended.

Once a clear picture of current physical activity levels has been gathered, it is possible to consider setting fitness goals. If currently exercising, a reasonable goal might be to maintain existing activity levels. For others, it may mean starting an exercise program.

Walking is a great way to begin a fitness program. Walking is easy and inexpensive. One only needs a good pair of shoes and weather-appropriate clothes to start. It also requires little planning and is convenient to do. Almost everyone can do it. Walking can be done at home, in a park, at the office, in the mall, etc. Most importantly, it can be made social and fun.

It may take several weeks or even months to get in shape. Therefore, it is important to stick with a regular routine until it turns into a habit. Consider doing the activity at the same time each day. Walking in the afternoon can be a great way to relax after a busy day and is also a good opportunity to catch up with family members or friends.

There can be many barriers to exercising. Unexpected events may come up that make it difficult to stick to a routine. If this happens, remember it is important not to give up. It is okay to miss an evening walk to attend a family gathering or a workout class due to an illness. Just be sure to go back to the routine as soon as possible. Exercise is just like any other part of life, things will get in the way. It is important to plan around it instead of letting it get in the way.

3.1. Setting Realistic Goals

In any fitness program or weight loss regimen, there is one essential component to sticking with it: setting realistic goals. It is all too common to hear about or even fall prey to the marketing tactic of fitness companies and gyms claiming, “Get fit fast!” or “Get your beach body in just 2 weeks!”

There are countless films and newly published articles about quick fixes that will supposedly be the magic cure-all for any and all fitness problems. All these quick fixes have one thing in common: they are all unrealistic goals that are not achievable. Thousands of years of accepted science—an overwhelming amount of evidence—shows that the only effective and sustainable way to lose weight and keep it off is to slowly and steadily change overall lifestyle behaviors 6.

Maybe a few exceptional individuals have succeeded with the quick fixes portrayed in popular media; however, those exceptions are what they are—exceptions.

Instead, realistic and achievable fitness and weight loss goals should be focused on with exercise programs. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that any fitness program should first be completed at the 2-3 day a week level for 30 minutes per day. This amount and frequency of exercise can be easily accomplished by most. Once 2-3 days a week for 30 minutes has been achieved, the goal should be to then progress to dancing, walking, or swimming at least 4-5 days a week at 30 minutes a day 7.

SMART goals, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely, are then a good strategy to utilize when setting fitness goals. By defining each of the components of SMART goals, one can see how the goals set match the components. This will help prevent the mistake of stating vague goals, which leave room for misinterpretation and subsequent noncompliance.

3.2. Creating a Balanced Routine

Addressing just one aspect of exercise will have limited effects and may lead to boredom and burnout. A well-balanced programme should incorporate cardiovascular, strength-training and flexibility exercises. There are numerous ways to integrate these varied activities into your daily routine 1. By varying the types of exercise performed, it helps ensure a more complete workout and reduces the risk of overuse injury.

Many activities can be classified as cardiovascular or aerobic exercise. These exercises raise the heart rate and include walking, jogging, biking, dance, swimming and group-fitness classes. Cardiovascular exercises can be done with or without equipment. Some household chores or jobs like lawn mowing, raking leaves and cleaning the house can also be classified as aerobic activities.

Four to five days of cardiovascular exercise is recommended to lower weight and improve overall fitness 2. Since these activities can be high-impact, it is recommended to alternate days with low-impact exercises like swimming or cycling. Although low-impact aerobic exercises are considered easier on the joints, they can still be intense workouts. Gradually increasing the intensity will prevent injury and enhance commitment to a new program.

3.3. Progression and Variation

Progression refers to the gradual increase in the intensity of the exercise program over time. Movement is the primary component of exercise that is targeted for increase, but the challenge can come from the frequency, duration, or type of movement as well. An increase in exercise intensity is important to all fitness programs; an increased intensity means the body is placed under greater amounts of stress, and it is the adaptation to this increased stress that develops fitness improvements.

However, it is not necessary to increase every exercise variable every week. Rather, an exercise program could focus on progression in only one area, for example duration, for several weeks to create changes in body function and composition before concentrating on increasing other aspects of the exercise program 8.

Variation refers to the introduction of diverse types of exercise routines within an exercise program. This can be in the form of exercise type, intensity, duration, frequency, or environment. This is particularly important for the improvement of aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, and other performance components that are highly adaptive. For weights, a regular change in the routine performed will relieve the stress placed on commonly used muscle groups by recruiting new groups.

Progression and variation are also important to help maintain motivation and interest in the exercise program, in addition to the benefits to fitness improvement 9. A lack of changes in an exercise program can make it very tedious and monotonous, and it is not unusual for many individuals to become bored and discontinue a previously enjoyable routine.

4. Nutrition and Hydration Strategies to Support Exercise for Weight Loss

Proper nutrition and hydration are essential to support exercise and aid weight loss. Nutrition guides the questions of what to eat, when to eat and how much to eat before, during and after exercise, while hydration addresses what and how much fluid to drink before, during and after exercise. Nutrition and hydration together influence performance in exercise.

It is essential to appreciate the role of good nutrition in enhancing exercise performance for good health and effective weight management. Exercise has a direct and positive impact on the energy balance of an individual . The amount of energy expended over and above the resting metabolic rate is dependent upon exercise mode, intensity and duration. It is important to understand that nutrition must be considered in order to maximise the gains from training.

Nutrition guidelines are essential to those embarking on an exercise programme for the first time or resuming a programme after a break, particularly during weight loss programmes 2. Clear, practical dietary advice to support exercise for good health is necessary to help in the achievement of individual goals. Nutrition and hydration must be integrated in order to maximise both nutrition and hydration in terms of exercise benefits.

Also Read: The Intersection of Exercise and Health Sciences

 

5. Monitoring Progress and Adjusting the Exercise Plan

Once an exercise plan is implemented, it is important to see if it is working as intended. However, fitness progress often occurs slowly or not at all, but some developments do take place with time. To find them, it is necessary to monitor the results of the fitness programme.

It can be done, for example, through regular weighing, taking body measurements, or just evaluating the quality of clothes that are wearing. It is important to write down the results, as only those who write down their achievements usually keep track of progress successfully 1.

There are four kinds of results that can be written down:

1. Direct results of the exercise plan. These are the outcomes the exercise plan is supposed to achieve. 2. Undesired results of the plan. Occasionally, the exercise plan leads to unwanted side effects that might indicate some mistakes in the program. 3. Indirect results of the plan. An exercise plan might lead to positive outcomes that were not directly intended. 4.

Recognizing desires and values. The most important changes regarding lifestyle take place slowly through a growing understanding of what is considered personal importance 10.

It is important to appreciate even the smallest positive results because they are all steps forward. For example, walking for 10 extra minutes should be celebrated the same way as increasing time spent walking by 30 minutes. If strength training successfully aims to lift weights 5 kg heavier then initially found important, it is the same achievement as finding exercising for an extra half hour three times a week important.

References:

1. Dalle Grave R, Calugi S, Centis E, El Ghoch M, et al. Cognitive-Behavioural Strategies to Increase the Adherence to Exercise in the Management of Obesity. 2011. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

2. Oppert JM, Bellicha A, A. van Baak M, Battista F et al. Exercise training in the management of overweight and obesity in adults: Synthesis of the evidence and recommendations from the European Association for the Study of Obesity Physical Activity Working Group. 2021. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

3. Anne Weary K. THE 12-WEEK EFFECT OF CHANGE ON BODY WEIGHT AND BODY COMPOSITION ON MUSCULAR STRENGTH AND FUNCTION IN OVERWEIGHT ADULTS. 2005. [PDF]

4. Żukowska H, Krygowski D, Szark-Eckardt M, Zając M. Flexibility Programme among Lower Secondary School Students and Physical Fitness Indicators Assessed in the Convention of Health-related Fitness (H-RF). 2016. [PDF]

5. Batrakoulis A. Role of Mind–Body Fitness in Obesity. 2022. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

6. Avery A, C. Langley-Evans S, Harrington M, A. Swift J. Setting targets leads to greater long-term weight losses and ‘unrealistic’ targets increase the effect in a large community-based commercial weight management group. 2016. [PDF]

7. L. Segar M, A. Updegraff J, J. Zikmund-Fisher B, R. Richardson C. Physical Activity Advertisements That Feature Daily Well-Being Improve Autonomy and Body Image in Overweight Women but Not Men. 2012. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

8. Gelman R, Berg M, Ilan Y. A Subject-Tailored Variability-Based Platform for Overcoming the Plateau Effect in Sports Training: A Narrative Review. 2022. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

9. Gropper H, Mattioni Maturana F, M. Nieß A, Thiel A. Does Becoming Fit Mean Feeling (f)it? A Comparison of Physiological and Experiential Fitness Data From the iReAct Study. 2021. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

10. M Johnson F. A NATURALISTIC STUDY OF EXERCISE ADHERENCE AMONG A COMMUNITY BASED SAMPLE AT A FITNESS FACILITY. 2010. [PDF]