Aerobic means "with oxygen". When you begin your warm up, you are beginning to elevate your heart rate. After five to seven minutes of warm up, your cardiovascular system will begin to demand more oxygen.  Your breathing increases, and after a 10 to 12 minute warm up, your heart rate should be somewhere between 60% to 75%  (80% for some) of its maximum cardiac output.  You should now be working at your target heart rate (THR).  Your long term objective is to work out at least 25 -35 minutes at your THR without stopping.  Start out slow.  At first you may only be able to work 5 minutes at your THR.  Over time, you will be able to work out at your THR for longer periods of time, as your cardiovascular system gets stronger and healthier. While working out at your THR you should be able to carry on a short conversation, giving someone the time of day, for example.  If you are listening to music, you should be able to sing along for a line or two, but if you can sing along with all the the lyrics, you need to bump up your effort a bit. 

Although both aerobic and anaerobic exercise are important in all exercise programs, aerobic must be your main goal if you want to burn fat. Aerobic exercise primarily uses the large muscles of the lower body.  Many activities provide aerobic benefit: brisk walking, jogging, or running are good examples.  Cycling, stair climbing,  jumping rope, and swimming are also good choices.  Aerobic exercise conditions the heart and lungs by not only increasing the oxygen supply, but it strengthens the heart so it can do its job with less effort. Aerobic exercise is key to weight loss.  In addition, an exercised heart is a healthier heart.  Long term success of your exercise program is consistency. The key element is to find something you enjoy, and one that gets you up and gets your body moving.

The fat burning process in your body is a complicated procedure.  To state it more simply, however, aerobic exercise is prolonged and consistent  movement which places an oxygen debt in your body.  Your cardiovascular system reacts by demanding large amounts of oxygen. You begin to breath deeply. As your oxygen intake increases, your body produces heat (thus you sweat).  The muscles utilize this heat source as it burns the fat from your fat cells. During the early part of your aerobic routine, glycogen which is stored in the muscle is turned to glucose and used for energy.  When this glucose store is gone, (depending in part on how long ago your last meal was), your muscles turn to body fat for fuel.  All body fat is burned in the muscle. Your muscles cannot burn fat without aerobic exercise.  (There is NO fat pill that will accomplish this task!)  If you want to learn more about the body fat burning process, visit your public library, find a credible physiology text book and read about the Krebs Cycle.  You may also do an internet search, but be sure you are using a credible source for information. Educate yourself about who is writing the article. For example, if the author or publication uses a secret formula that will burn fat without any extra work on your part, question the reliability.  If the author claims to have resources or pills available to you which the medical community can't even obtain, be cautious.  Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

If your aim is to burn fat and lose weight, aim for at least 4 aerobic sessions per week. To maintain your current weight, aim for at least three sessions a week.  And, don't forget to work in time for anaerobic exercise, or strength training.

Be sure to finish off each and every exercise session with at least 15 - 20 minutes of stretching.  Stretching provides flexibility, and helps keep your muscles long and lean.  When you work out aerobically, your muscles give off a by-product called lactic acid.  Lactic acid pools in the muscles and causes soreness.  Stretching helps remove the lactic acid from the muscles.

Anaerobic means "without oxygen".  That doesn't mean you hold your breath during muscle movement, or your body doesn't use oxygen when you work out in an anaerobic cycle. It just means your muscles provide the energy they need  to perform the task without a high level of oxygen. Instead of oxygen, the muscles use glycogen to provide energy and strength.  More simply, anaerobic exercise is quick and short term, so it doesn't have to rely on oxygen. When are you supposed to breath?  Always breath when you are moving from one machine to another.  During the lifting, experts recommend inhaling, and exhaling as you lower the weight.  But, do what works best for you!  Talk to your health care provider and abide by their instructions.

  Anaerobic exercise may not burn fat, but it does burn calories.  Plus, it raises your metabolism and causes your body to use more calories per hour for the next several hours.

It was once believed anaerobic exercise, or "strength training" was reserved for athletes or body builders. Not so anymore.  Everyone needs strength training.  In addition to building strong muscles, a strong body will carry you up a flight of stairs without being winded, or help you lift that box down from the top of your closet without undue strain.   It makes it easier to carry in that load of groceries and put them away. 

The concept of strength training is simple. You use progressively heavier resistance to build up muscle, or allow you to keep the level of strength you now have.    Muscle is an active tissue, meaning you use muscles for every act of life, even turning over in your sleep.  Experts believe that muscles are responsible for over twenty five percent of your calorie use.  As you increase your muscle mass, you increase your ability to effectively burn calories. 

What do you use to do this strength training?  You have many choices.  Gyms or physical fitness centers offer resistance machines, which help you control the amount of weight you use to strengthen your muscles.  Free weights, or barbells and dumbbells are another choice. Used properly, they take your muscles through a full range of motion. You must learn how to use free weights correctly, however.  Lifting improperly can cause pain and injury.  If you are new to lifting,  spending the money for a few sessions with a certified weight trainer is wise. They can teach you proper form and help you determine how much weight to lift. If you choose to buddy up with someone who lifts regularly, make sure they really know what they are doing. A knowledgeable lifter can "spot" lift with you and help you learn good form. After you learn what to do, and how to safely lift weights, watch your form in a mirror as you work out.  Keeping your body alignment correct is vital. Don't want to use free weights? You can use your own body weight for resistance with floor exercises, leg lifts, push ups, etc.  Exercise bands are another choice. Don't forget outdoor activities, hiking is a great strength training workout.

Experts recommend strength training two or three times per week.  It may be combined with your aerobic workout, or it may be done on alternating days. Be sure to do a 10 minute warm up  prior to your routine, and flexibility exercises (stretching) for 10 - 15 minutes after you finish your routine.