Today we are going to talk about weight loss. It is well known that overweight people have excessive fat. Why does excess fat lead to obesity? Because fat is a reserve energy substance! When there is an excess of energy, it converts into fat and is stored in the body.
Obesity is divided into two types. One is multi-cell obesity, which means there are too many fat cells. This situation generally occurs when individuals were overweight during childhood growth or absorbed too much fat while in their mother’s womb, causing an excess of fat cells and resulting in obesity. Therefore, prospective parents preparing for a baby must exercise early on, control fat percentage and body weight.
Another type is large-cell obesity, where individuals tend to become overweight in adulthood. Fat cells continuously store energy, leading to an increase in size and consequently obesity.
So how can we burn fat?
Burning more than consuming is the rule for weight loss. Engaging in muscle exercise increases energy expenditure, while reducing calorie intake helps burn excess body fat. However, many people increase their energy expenditure through exercise but also increase their calorie intake, making it difficult to succeed in weight loss. Therefore, it is important to reduce food intake, control eating habits, increase physical activity to enhance energy expenditure, and then monitor food consumption for successful weight loss.
Muscle exercise can significantly burn fat. To succeed in weight loss, it is essential to engage in muscle exercises and allow muscles to burn the stored energy in the body. Do not worry about “developing excessive muscles through muscle training.” Usually, it is not easy to build excessive muscle.
Moreover, muscle training does not necessarily mean heavy weight strength training. Even with just a mat, you can engage in muscle training. Here are 5 recommended bodyweight exercises for you.
Exercise 1: Modified Push-up
Procedure: Place hands shoulder-width apart on the mat, knees on the ground, cross lower legs, tighten core, inhale lower body towards the mat by bending elbows, exhale push up engaging chest muscles. Do 15-20 repetitions to work chest muscles.
Exercise 2: Inverted Row
Procedure: Lie face down on the mat, chin tucked in, extend arms forward, exhale engage back muscles, retract shoulder blades, and bring elbows towards the body. Do 20 repetitions to work deep back muscles.
Exercise 3: Seated Shoulder Press
Procedure: Sit upright, tighten core, raise fists beside head, quickly perform shoulder press motion, spreading fingers when extending upwards and closing when lowering down. Perform for 30 seconds to work deltoid muscles.
Exercise 4: Jump Squats
Procedure: If regular bodyweight squats feel easy, switch to jump squats. Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulders apart, tighten core, squat down pushing hips back, jump up and down 3-5 times. Do 10-20 repetitions to target leg and glute muscles.
Exercise 5: Frog Hip Bridge
Procedure: Lie on your back on the mat, soles of feet together, knees opening outwards, keep hips contracted, lift hips up, slowly release down while inhaling near the mat. Do 15-20 repetitions to work hip muscles.
By performing these 5 simple exercises, you can target major muscle groups in the body, burn fat, and achieve your desired physique with consistent exercise and dietary control. It’s just a matter of time.
