Fat Burning Exercise for the Middle Aged

Well, if walking is good a good fat burner, wouldn’t running be better? Strangely, no. To burn fat you need to activate your body’s glucose reserves which are stored in fat cells. If you run – which is hard exercise – you will place an immediate demand on your body for glucose that can only be filled fast enough by taking it directly from the blood. Only after twenty minutes of running – when the glucose in the blood stream runs out - does your body start to burn fat.

By walking at a good pace you will immediately draw from your reserves because your body tends to save the glucose in your blood for emergencies. When you run – part of the fight or flight response – your body thinks it’s in trouble and uses the ready glucose present in the blood stream. After twenty minutes, it runs out and you “crash” or “hit the wall”. This uncomfortable feeling is the signal your body has started to draw on its reserves. But by walking - which uses glucose a slower rate - your body can convert the glucose in its fat cells fast enough and leaves its “emergency” supply intact – no wall, no crash. This also means you burn fat during your entire workout.

Don’t forget to take the time to do some stretches. Warm up for a few minutes by walking for 5 minutes get your muscles warm – not good to stretch cold – then spend at least 5 minutes to stretch your hamstrings and thighs. You may want to do the same after your workout if you feel really tight after your walks.

Walking is not the complete answer and should be combined with other forms of exercise – resistance training, for example. And don’t think that just exercising – however you choose to do it – will do it all. You need to look at the way you eat as well. And if you start to really get serious, you may want to add the right supplements to your diet. These topics will be covered in other articles.

If you find walking too boring, there are plenty of alternatives – go with something that is of relatively low intensity but makes you sweat continuously for the same 30 to 40 minutes. The activity should also activate your largest muscle group – your legs - for ideal fat burning. Spinning, dance, low impact aerobics, zumba, cycling, cardio machines… the list is as varied as your interests. Mix it up – keeps it interesting and gives you better overall conditioning.

Meanwhile, toss the scale, ditch the measuring tape and stop looking in the mirror. Give yourself at least three months to see results. You’ll find that you will have more energy and feel better about yourself much sooner, however. Don’t think about it – just do it. Just as you no longer agonize over washing the dishes or cleaning the house, so to will you automatically workout once it becomes a habit. You may find that it’s the most enjoyable part of your whole day – it certainly is for me.