Anyone trying to lose weight has probably done every plan, diet and exercise fad that is currently available on the market. There seems to be a compulsion to eliminate an entire food group, eat only one food group or take special pills and powders that promise instant weight loss. The truth is, everyone knows that the only way to lose weight is to eat less and exercise more. You have to burn more calories than you take in if you want to lose five pounds or 50. The math is simple, and there is no magic cure. If you are having trouble burning off more calories than you consume, you might want to make an adjustment to your exercise routine. This is often more appealing than shaving off even more calories from your daily diet.
One way to increase the number of calories you burn is to try an intense exercise program such as plyometrics. This type of exercise is done by athletes to increase their physical performance when they compete. You don’t have to be an athlete to benefit, though. In addition to making you strong, faster, leaner and more flexible, plyometrics will also help you lose weight. The number of calories you burn during a plyometrics training session will more than compensate for any foods you have eaten that you maybe shouldn’t have. The short, intense bursts of physical activity will burn calories quickly, helping you lose weight and turn fat into muscle.
Plyometrics involves jumping, lunging and squatting. You will be required to work your body to its limits, and to keep doing it until you feel the results. Many people who do plyometrics use equipment such as benches, boards and other raised surfaces. With these props, you can jump on and off of them, working your legs and your heart and burning calories with every move. If you do not have any raised surfaces, you can improvise. Run up a flight of stairs two at a time to give yourself a good plyometrics workout. You can also do huge jumps from a squatting position or practice lunges that stretch your leg muscles and require you to move yourself up and down quickly.
Squat jumps, lunge jumps and any other jumping motion that requires you to move quickly with sudden, intense bursts of strength will help you get a thorough plyometrics workout. Even jumping on and off a box is a good way to burn a lot of calories quickly. You will also notice an increase in your leg strength. You waist and stomach will get toned and your endurance levels will improve as well.
If your weight loss has hit a wall, or you find your basic walks on the treadmill are not doing much for your fitness routine, give plyometrics a try. It will be challenging, especially if you are not accustomed to intense and difficult physical movements, but the results will be worth it. You will lose weight more quickly than you would with other forms of exercise, and you can do it without cutting back on additional calories.
This post was written for Pretty Girl Fit by Dr. David Kulla. Dr. Kulla is a licensed Synergy Wellness and a nutritionist as well as owner of Synergy Wellness in Manhattan.
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