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21st June 2009
How Your Core Determines
Your Fat Burning Potential
Zeb Williams
Core.
Every apple has one. And do you know what's inside of it? Seeds. The very
stuff that life is made off.
Similarly
you and I each have a core as well. And . . . well, yes, I guess our core does
contain our seeds of life . . . it also holds the seeds to our vitality and our
robust health.
And more
doctors, researchers, public health officials and personal fitness trainers are
recognizing this more than ever before. That's why more medical and fitness
professionals advocate -- as part of a comprehensive exercise program --
concentration on the muscles located in this area that's vital to . . well, your
vitality.
Just what constitutes your core, anyway?
Dr. Mehmet
Oz suggests -- actually strongly urges -- that our primary concern in exercising
-- and fat burning -- start at the core of our bodies. He calls these the
"foundation muscles". They're responsible, he continues, for fat burning, waist
trimming and injury prevention. Indeed, it does sound like a vital area when
you view it in this light.
What are
these key parts of your health and vitality: your thighs, chest, back and
abdominals.
It doesn't
matter that other exercise you do, Dr. Oz explains, you absolutely positively
must pay special attention to these four regions of your body.
Do this,
and always keep in mind the fundamental reasons why you're exercising. The
reasons are simple and essential Your goals:
Add lean mass through strength training
Boosting
your heart health through cardiovascular training
Creating a
more flexible body through stretching
Decreasing
your waist line
In a
nutshell, your ultimate goals are to burn fat, reduce stress and improve your
over all health.
While this
may sound complicated, Dr. Oz assures you that is isn't. He insists the first
step towards having a turbocharged metabolism and a reduced risk of
cardiovascular disease is really as simple as taking that first step -- walking. If you're
just beginning your fitness regime, give walking your priority status. It's the
very first activity you do.
He's
serious about this, too. Walk, he says (or is that an order?). Thirty minutes
a day, seven days a week. Don't worry about anything else if you're just
starting and are out of shape. Can't walk for 30 minutes at a time?
No, you
don't get exemption from this mandate (whatever gave you that idea?) Break your
walk into smaller, more manageable 10 minute sessions, three times throughout
the day.
If you're
an old pro at exercising, have an established routine, then revisit your
habits. Is walking included in your daily regime? If not, now's the perfect
time to add a brisk 30-minute walk.
Stretching
is the other must-do daily routine that Dr. Oz emphasizes. A good stretch of
your muscles, once they're warmed up, of course, helps to elongate them. And
you'll also be extremely pleased with your new-found flexibility if you've
neglected this area lately.
Add to
this three times a week your cardiovascular workout (which no doubt you've
noticed is independent of your 30-minute walk!) as well as your weight training.
Now,
you're treating your body properly . . . right down to the very core!
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