If you are battling too hard following an extreme exercise routine to get into shape, you need to rethink. While you might shed those extra kilos faster, pushing your body too far will have repurcussions.
Everyone wants to be in shape and many are rigorously into various levels of extreme fitness activities. But these are actually causing more harm than good to you, in your quest to lose weight. Says fitness expert, Jivesh Shetty, "People who want to shed weight soon or are enthusiastic about following an extreme exercise routine to stay fit and in form, should be cautious about the kinds of exercises they are opting for. For example, marathon running is said to cause cardiac problems."
Jumping with weights and dumbbells
In group classes, you are advised to do the plyometrics (a type of exercise designed to produce fast and powerful movements) with light weights. Hopping on step-up benches, lunges and other movements include holding dumbbells or light weights strapped on your ankles. Though jumping is good to burn calories, jumping with weights on might end up in a tissue or muscle rupture or a ligament tear.
"If you are enthusiastic about jumps, you should opt for the kettleball swing," says Althea Shah, fitness expert. Dumbbell and barbell movements can be done in a more specific resistance training programme, where each movement is monitored by an instructor.
Training on an empty stomach
If you believe training on an empty stomach in the morning will help you burn the calories you consumed last night, then you are wrong. Says Shah, "When you wake up in the morning, your glycogen levels are low in the body and though you tend to burn more calories, you don't realise that there is a high probability of your body deriving calories from your muscle tissue." Have a light meal before you start your workouts in the morning.
Stretching before a workout
Stretching is ideally done during or after a workout or as a separate individual exercise routine. Says Shetty, "A warm up is done basically to exercise your muscles before you start with your regular workout routine. This can be done on a treadmill for about 10 minutes and a few warm-up sets for the first few resistance exercises." Stretching a muscle before a workout may lead to ligament tear or painful muscle pull.
Know your limits
It's okay to push yourself when you are working out at the gym to lose weight, but when you tend to go overboard with your exercise routine, it is not good. Especially when you tend to push yourself beyond your limits, you are most likely to injure yourself.
But as fatigue starts to set in while you are pushing yourself more than required, your form starts to falter. Fitness experts are of the opinion that this causes overload to joints and soft-tissues and makes it susceptible to injuries.
Marathon running Running a marathon to shed extra kilos is a definite no-no. Says Shetty, "Marathon running can certainly help you burn more calories but at the cost of losing out on your muscle mass." If you are keen on running, make sure the session is no longer than 60 minutes, with regular water breaks in between. Make sure you have an energy booster before you start with your run. If you stretch longer than 60 minutes, you might end up with a muscle pull or a backache.
Make sure to practice with a trainer for at least 45 minutes every day to help build stamina and capacity before you go for the longer duration run.
Fad diets
"A detox diet is not recommended for weight loss. Losing weight too quickly can be dangerous at times. While fad diets may help you reduce the numbers on the scale, they can cause severe health complications and you might end up putting on more weight than before," says Shah. To lose weight in a healthy manner, plan your diet with your nutritionist so that you lose weight in the right way.
Pills and powders
"Pills and powders for weight loss are highly hazardous," says Shah. Diet pills are said to cause nutrient deficits, organ damage and increase cholesterol.
Dietary supplements in the form of pills and powders do not help rev up your metabolism. Eating a healthy breakfast increases your metabolic rate in the day and keeps your energy levels high. It helps you lose weight faster during the course of the day.
Everyone wants to be in shape and many are rigorously into various levels of extreme fitness activities. But these are actually causing more harm than good to you, in your quest to lose weight. Says fitness expert, Jivesh Shetty, "People who want to shed weight soon or are enthusiastic about following an extreme exercise routine to stay fit and in form, should be cautious about the kinds of exercises they are opting for. For example, marathon running is said to cause cardiac problems."
Jumping with weights and dumbbells
In group classes, you are advised to do the plyometrics (a type of exercise designed to produce fast and powerful movements) with light weights. Hopping on step-up benches, lunges and other movements include holding dumbbells or light weights strapped on your ankles. Though jumping is good to burn calories, jumping with weights on might end up in a tissue or muscle rupture or a ligament tear.
"If you are enthusiastic about jumps, you should opt for the kettleball swing," says Althea Shah, fitness expert. Dumbbell and barbell movements can be done in a more specific resistance training programme, where each movement is monitored by an instructor.
Training on an empty stomach
If you believe training on an empty stomach in the morning will help you burn the calories you consumed last night, then you are wrong. Says Shah, "When you wake up in the morning, your glycogen levels are low in the body and though you tend to burn more calories, you don't realise that there is a high probability of your body deriving calories from your muscle tissue." Have a light meal before you start your workouts in the morning.
Stretching before a workout
Stretching is ideally done during or after a workout or as a separate individual exercise routine. Says Shetty, "A warm up is done basically to exercise your muscles before you start with your regular workout routine. This can be done on a treadmill for about 10 minutes and a few warm-up sets for the first few resistance exercises." Stretching a muscle before a workout may lead to ligament tear or painful muscle pull.
Know your limits
It's okay to push yourself when you are working out at the gym to lose weight, but when you tend to go overboard with your exercise routine, it is not good. Especially when you tend to push yourself beyond your limits, you are most likely to injure yourself.
But as fatigue starts to set in while you are pushing yourself more than required, your form starts to falter. Fitness experts are of the opinion that this causes overload to joints and soft-tissues and makes it susceptible to injuries.
Marathon running Running a marathon to shed extra kilos is a definite no-no. Says Shetty, "Marathon running can certainly help you burn more calories but at the cost of losing out on your muscle mass." If you are keen on running, make sure the session is no longer than 60 minutes, with regular water breaks in between. Make sure you have an energy booster before you start with your run. If you stretch longer than 60 minutes, you might end up with a muscle pull or a backache.
Make sure to practice with a trainer for at least 45 minutes every day to help build stamina and capacity before you go for the longer duration run.
Fad diets
"A detox diet is not recommended for weight loss. Losing weight too quickly can be dangerous at times. While fad diets may help you reduce the numbers on the scale, they can cause severe health complications and you might end up putting on more weight than before," says Shah. To lose weight in a healthy manner, plan your diet with your nutritionist so that you lose weight in the right way.
Pills and powders
"Pills and powders for weight loss are highly hazardous," says Shah. Diet pills are said to cause nutrient deficits, organ damage and increase cholesterol.
Dietary supplements in the form of pills and powders do not help rev up your metabolism. Eating a healthy breakfast increases your metabolic rate in the day and keeps your energy levels high. It helps you lose weight faster during the course of the day.
