The Most Confused Fitness Questions Answered!

Fitness is all about knowing yourself better, which means how far you can push your body, how much calories you should take etc. Here are your answers to 4 questions that you generally ask your trainer or look for on different websites or are more often confused about. 

1. What is the preferred method of exercise for weight loss?

Answer: Well, it’s a myth that doing just exercise will help you in losing weight. Exercise is for healthy living. Yes, it surely helps you burn calories but it's of no use without the right diet. The preferred method of exercise for weight loss is doing both the weight training with a good amount of cardio plus the right diet. You can run for an hour and lose calories equivalent to a burger and fries you have had. So, the calorie count is necessary. Check out theses 5 easy ways to lose weight.

2. What is the ideal weight training repetition range for weight loss?

Answer:  Some say doing more reps will help you burn more calories but it’s a myth. What you need to do is build more muscle which will take place of that fat (more muscle = Faster metabolism). According to me, more compound exercises like squats, chin-ups etc. should be added in order to burn more calories as these exercises involve bigger muscle groups. The ideal weight training repetition range for weight loss is 12-15 reps with increasing the amount of weight (you lifted first) after some time. It also depends on the client whether he or she is wanting to increase strength or endurance. Check out the guide to exercise.

3. How to calculate your BMI (Body mass index)?

Answer: To calculate your BMI, just apply this formula.

BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height² (m²)

Where your weight should be in Kg and height in meters. For example, if your weight is 75 Kg and height is 1.8 meters then

BMI = 75 ÷ (1.8 × 1.8)

BMI = 75 ÷ 3.24

So your BMI is 23.15

BMI Categorization

The World Health Organisation (WHO) regards a healthy adult BMI to be between 18.5 and 25. This BMI categorization will help you figure out your weight category.

4. How to calculate your heart rate without any equipment?

Answer: You can easily calculate your heart rate without any equipment. You can use your index finger and third finger to find the pulse. Generally, the pulse can be found on the wrist under the thumb and side of the neck just below the jawline as shown in the image below.

Press those points until you feel the pulse. Move your fingers around (if necessary). Check and record your heart rate by counting the number of times you feel a throb/push in one minute/60 second or you can count it for 15 seconds and then multiply it by 4.

Know your range

The following chart shows your average target heart rate range and maximum heart rate range according to your age.

Stay tuned for more in-depth information about these questions in my upcoming articles.

Eat Healthy, Live Healthy.

If you have any further health and fitness questions, feel free to ask via comments!