So let us see
what are those things that we CAN change about our body.
Weight
Your normal weight depends first of all on YOU (your dietary habits), and then on your bone structure/ body type. It is of course ideal to a have a normal and stable weight. No one person is classified entirely on one body type. We usually have the dominant body type which combines certain features of a second type. Recognizing which category you fall in, will enable you to better organize your workout program for better results as far as weight reduction is concerned. Always in combination of course with a good healthy diet.
Body proportions
As I mentioned, the general appearance of your body is determined by your body type, from the physiology of the muscular system to the overall distribution of fat on your body. The more sleek your body is, the closer you will be to the desired proportions that you will set as your goal.
Body Fat
Our total body
fat exists in two “tanks” or storage areas in our body.
Essential Fat
The first storage
area, also called necessary fat consists of the fat that is present in the bone
marrow, the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, the kidneys, intestines, muscles, and in
the rich in lipids tissues of the central nervous system. This fat is essential
for the normal functions of the body. In
women, necessary fat also includes additional fat for specific functions. This
extra fat plays an important biological role during pregnancy and in other
hormone-dependent functions.
Stored Fat
The other big
reservoir, is the fat that accumulates in the adipose tissues. This energy
reserve includes the fat that protects the various internal organs, as well as
the largest volume of subcutaneous fat.
Women’s bodies, not only contain more fat, but this fat is also unevenly distributed - around the abdomen, buttocks and thighs.
Women’s bodies, not only contain more fat, but this fat is also unevenly distributed - around the abdomen, buttocks and thighs.
Fat cells that
are distributed in the body can neither “break-up” nor dispersed. Their numbers seem to be set by heredity (genes)
and remains unchanged from the first year of our life. Nonetheless, even if a healthy and correct diet
can not reduce their numbers, it can certainly reduce their size!
Exercise
Exercise strengthens the body, tones the muscles, reduces stiffness in joints, strengthens the heart and respiratory system, reduces cholesterol, reduces stress, and in general plays a very important role in our wellbeing. Apart from the positive changes brought about in the physiology of the body, the end result is also a firm and shapely body.
Exercise strengthens the body, tones the muscles, reduces stiffness in joints, strengthens the heart and respiratory system, reduces cholesterol, reduces stress, and in general plays a very important role in our wellbeing. Apart from the positive changes brought about in the physiology of the body, the end result is also a firm and shapely body.
Systematic
exercise with or without dietary restrictions, brings about significant changes
in the composition and weight of the body.
As a basic rule ,
obese people lose weight and fat more quickly through exercise than people with
normal weight. Furthermore, exercise provides significant improvement by
changing the composition of the body in such a way as to maintain or slightly increase
the basic metabolism. This in turn reduces
the tendency of the body to store calories.
If you do plan to follow through with your exercise regime to control body
weight, it is important to take into account factors such as frequency of
exercise, intensity, duration and type of exercise.
Finally, you should plan your exercise in such a ways as to bring together the three key elements of exercising: strength, flexibility and endurance.
Finally, you should plan your exercise in such a ways as to bring together the three key elements of exercising: strength, flexibility and endurance.
Other, important
elements during exercise are intonation, the exercise rhythm, balance, agility
and dexterity. Choose exercises where all these elements are combined and complement
each other.
Power
Power
Your physical strength and dexterity, is largely determined by your muscle activity. Well exercised muscles are tight and firm, and define the body contour. The size of muscle fibers, in each muscle is determined by the genes and cannot be altered by exercising. What can be improved though is an increase in their diameter and consequently in their overall strength.
One of the main
advantages of an organized exercise program, is that you exercise evenly
throughout the body. As a result, after a certain period of time you will
increase your muscle strength and endurance.
Flexibility
Flexibility is the ability to perform a wide range of movements, while arthritic capacity is a measure of the maximum amplitude of the motions of a joint. Muscle stretching is the lengthening state of the muscle, and it plays the most important role in articular mobility. It is defined by the ease with which you use your joints throughout their range of motion to reach for something, to stretch, bend, etc, with ease.
Endurance
Endurance or stamina is the human capacity to resist fatigue. Endurance strength depends primarily on the level of functioning of the respiratory, circulatory, metabolic and nervous system and, secondly, from the combined activities of the organs and systems of the body.
Any form of aerobic exercise that increases oxygenation in the body will also increase your stamina, if it is repeated over a period of a few weeks or months.
There are several studies available which show that, with regular exercise, the heart muscles become more powerful, and can increase performance up to 20%.
OK ladies….with this second installment we are finished with the necessary “prerequisites” that we should be know before we begin our exercise program.
Flexibility
Flexibility is the ability to perform a wide range of movements, while arthritic capacity is a measure of the maximum amplitude of the motions of a joint. Muscle stretching is the lengthening state of the muscle, and it plays the most important role in articular mobility. It is defined by the ease with which you use your joints throughout their range of motion to reach for something, to stretch, bend, etc, with ease.
Endurance
Endurance or stamina is the human capacity to resist fatigue. Endurance strength depends primarily on the level of functioning of the respiratory, circulatory, metabolic and nervous system and, secondly, from the combined activities of the organs and systems of the body.
Any form of aerobic exercise that increases oxygenation in the body will also increase your stamina, if it is repeated over a period of a few weeks or months.
There are several studies available which show that, with regular exercise, the heart muscles become more powerful, and can increase performance up to 20%.
OK ladies….with this second installment we are finished with the necessary “prerequisites” that we should be know before we begin our exercise program.
In the next installment,
we will Finally start with the first exercises….
Until the next
post…Be Beautiful!
Excellent information. Will we need any particular exercise aids to follow the next articles? ie dumbbels, etc?
ReplyDeleteDear Helen,
DeleteThank you so much for the nice comments. In fact yes, you will need a pair of dumbbells. In the pictures showing the exercises I am using 2 dumbbels - 1 kilo each -aprox 2.2 pounds each. Of course you can use ones with less weight. Basically you use a weight that is comfortable for you.