Lose Weight - Work Smarter NOT Harder

So, it's time to get off the couch and actually start doing something...physical. Chances are you probably haven't lifted a dumbbell since before the first broadcast premier of American Idol, and that spare you've been carrying around for the past seven years has slowly inflated into a fully functional backup. The most important thing is that you've made the decision to get off the couch and finally do something about it, and bring your sexy back. Now that you've peeled yourself off the comfy couch, let's get dressed and ready to head out and face fitness destiny. Choosing the right gear is just as important as choosing the right fitness program to achieve your goals.

One piece of gear that most often fall under the necessity radar is a heart rate monitor. Using one could shave valuable personal time off your workout, and make the workout itself not nearly as grueling. All heart rate monitors come with setup instructions, which basically is required for calculating your proper target heart range. You'd be amazed at how quickly you hit your target heart rate zone when you first start working out after being dormant for a while. Workout in your target heart range for a minimum of 10 minutes, and up to 30 minutes, at least 3 times per week.

If your workout involves running, walking, or jogging, choosing the wrong footwear could end up being your Achilles heel. Start with the basics, wear the right shoe engineered for the task at hand. Shoe manufactures spend millions of dollars, and an equal amount of time is dedicated to perfecting the perfect shoe for your sports activity. Brands such as Nike, Rebook, and New Balance are few of the industry leaders. Buy the correctly engineered shoes for the task at hand. Buy running shoes for running and walking shoes for walking.

A great way to burn fat in a relatively short time and still have both an efficient and effective workout is to use a technique called Interval Training. Interval training involves a period of high exertion, and then followed immediately with a short cool down period. The interval is immediately repeated for 10 to 30 minutes with a rest period in between each set. Interval training is very time specific; therefore you would need a way to monitor your progress. Use a waist watch if it has a second hand, or a seconds display. If you don't already own an appropriate wristwatch, you'll have to go out and purchase one. Most heart rate monitors are wristwatches and will work just fine otherwise, go out and purchase a stopwatch. Stopwatches are perfect for interval training because all of your stop and start controls are right at your finger tips. The stopwatch also allows you to start and stop your interval workout at will without relying on waiting for your second had or digital seconds to have to get to an even number for your computing convenience. When you buy a wristwatch or stopwatch make sure it's waterproof. Although interval training can be done indoors it's almost always done outdoors and sometimes the weather can chance from dry to wet in a heartbeat. Getting waterproof equipment also helps to eliminate one more excuse from your reasons of why you aren't out there getting physical.

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