Aerobic or Anaerobic?
by Sherali Bharwani
http://www.freeweightlosscenter.com
To lose weight, you have to burn calories at a higher
rate than you consume for some time. But the type of
calories your body burns is very important: either
aerobic or anaerobic calories.
Aerobic calories burn fat as your body breathes in oxygen.
Low-intensity activities up to and including walking are
mainly fat burning. However, as your body's need for energy
becomes greater than your rate of oxygen intake, your body
begins burning anaerobic calories.
Anaerobic calories burn glucose by converting a starch
stored in your muscles known as glycogen. Since this
doesn't require oxygen, anaerobic calories are used in very
strenuous activities for short periods.
The accumulation of lactic acid as a by product of
anaerobic activity produces a burning sensation in the
muscle. This symptom means you are burning glycogen, not
fat. You can't feel fat burning!
So it's pretty obvious that in order to lose fat to the
maximum, you must concentrate on aerobic activities rather
than anaerobic activities. The big question now is which
activities are aerobic and which are anaerobic.
The word aerobic literally means 'with oxygen' or 'in the
presence of oxygen'. Aerobic exercise is any activity that
uses large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously
for a long period of time and is rhythmic in nature.
Aerobic activity trains the heart, lungs and cardiovascular
system to process and deliver oxygen more quickly and
efficiently to every part of the body.
As the heart muscle becomes stronger and more efficient, a
larger amount of blood can be pumped with each stroke.
Fewer strokes are then required to rapidly transport oxygen
to all parts of the body.
An aerobically fit individual can work longer, more
vigorously and achieve a quicker recovery at the end of the
aerobic session.
Think of aerobic activity as being long in duration yet low
in intensity.
Aerobic activities include: brisk walking, biking, jogging,
swimming, aerobic classes and cross-country skiing.
Anaerobic activity, on the other hand is short in duration
and high in intensity.
Anaerobic activities include: racquetball, downhill skiing,
weight lifting, sprinting, softball, soccer and football.