Bob: “What sport should I do if I want to lose weight (fast)?”

When Bob was about 30 years old, he was the strongest person in his skin. “I’ve eaten healthy and can be in the gym about three times a week or even more often. Family life is swallowing me up now and I’m overweight a lot. I’m definitely not tight anymore and that’s not surprising: I hardly exercise Sports anymore.”

Bob (now 39) would like to know what exercise he should do in order to lose weight – preferably within a short period of time. “I’m open to everything, but I really have no idea what’s better and faster.”

Dietitian and diet psychiatrist Evelyn van de Waterlatt This question is asked regularly, because “if we want to lose weight or be leaner, we prefer seeing results yesterday”. “I understand that very well. But my answer was initially disappointing to many people, even though in the end it gives the best result and the least effort. That answer is: the sport that works best is the sport you play the longest. In other words, the sport that works best. You enjoy doing it the most.”

If you only look at the amount of calories you burn during exercise, Van de Waterlaat recommends running. Although it is difficult to determine how many calories you burn, it depends on several factors such as your weight, speed, and the temperature at which you run. on me this site You can roughly calculate how many calories you burn through certain activities.

Strength training vs cardio

However, a dietitian recommends strength training exercises if you want to see the fastest results. “With strength training, you burn fewer calories than you do with aerobic sports like swimming, running, and cycling. But the less muscle tissue you have, the lower your so-called ‘basal metabolism.’ Basal metabolism is the energy your body uses at rest (because even that Then you burn energy to keep your body at the right temperature and to keep your heart beating.) With strength training, you increase your muscle mass, which also increases your basic metabolism.”

“This means that your burns during the day (and at night) are higher and you burn more calories. Strength training also makes you tighter than cardio and this result can be motivating in the short and long term. That’s why I better recommend strength training than cardio if You like to work on your body. A combination of cardio and strength training is absolutely optimal,” says Van de Waterlat.

“But the question Bob has to ask himself is: Do you want quick, short results or do you want to feel comfortable in your skin over the long term? Because if you exercise only for the sake of the result, you will come up with very convincing excuses at some point for not having to. Exercise, such as “I’m tired and don’t have the energy to exercise right now,” “I’m too busy to exercise,” “Tomorrow will be better,” “It’s raining” or “I deserve an evening sofa.”

More chance of success

If you play a sport that you like or like the social context of it, then according to a nutritional psychologist, the chance is much greater that you will actually start exercising and that you will last longer, which also increases the chance of results. “You have no idea where to start? Ask people in your area what they do about the sport and suggest you come with you. Or do a few different trial lessons; these are often given free of charge.”

Van de Waterlaat also advises Bob to check for himself if he prefers a team sport or just a sport. “The game element of team sports can make sports more fun. If you only play sports, you can track your performance in an app like Running with Evie Or using a sports watch.

Whatever Bob chooses, the dietitian advises him not to raise the level too much. “Sure the old saying ‘runners are dead runners’ also applies to other sports. I regularly see people start exercising a lot and for a long time. But the likelihood of this going on for a long time is very small. You don’t. You don’t have to do it six times. a week right away. Work out for an hour and a half. Then you get injured faster, don’t keep that next to your busy schedule and then you lose your goal entirely, because you throw in the towel and we’re back to square one.”

More sports only = less results

Van de Waterlat says that Bob should also not only focus on sports, but also pay attention to his diet. “Exercise alone often gives much less results. Moreover, there is a possibility that you will eat more when you exercise. This means that you may see little or no result, as you compensate the extra calories consumed with the extra calories consumed. For nutrition, such as MyFitnessPal or eating meterOr seek advice from a dietitian.

Intense exercise is also important

If the exercises do not fit into your schedule, you can also ensure that you are doing more exercises in your daily life. This is how you do it:

• Take a walk during lunch.
• Instead of sitting down to discuss with a colleague, go out for a walk together.
• Schedule the movement on your calendar.
• Looking for a workout buddy.
• Take part in a different event every month a challenge. For example, think of board challenge or the squat challenge.
• Put on an exercise bike (used) or crossfit in front of your favorite TV and series and before you know it’s over.

Source: Eveline van de Waterlaat

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