Losing weight means getting rid of excess fat, which means using that fat.

Exercise is one way to use excess fat, but it must be an exercise that is appropriate for the body to use up the fat. This means that not every exercise can use up the fat. So what kind of exercise should be done?

The answer is… We must exercise to keep our heart rate (HR) in ZONE 2-3 because this is the range where the body uses most of its energy from fat. If we exercise more than this, the body will use energy from other sources, such as protein and glycogen, which is not in line with the purpose of weight loss.

Cardio exercise is a recommended way to reduce excess fat, such as walking, running, swimming, cycling, or yoga. Many people may not be able to imagine that yoga can make the heart beat to Zone 2. The answer is yes. For example, the continuous sun salutation poses of yoga that make the heart beat at about 50-75% (or more) of the maximum heart rate are considered cardio.

In addition, cardio exercises also stimulate metabolism, improve the metabolism, strengthen the heart, and improve blood circulation.

If we don’t have a heart rate monitor, we can look at another indicator, which is our own breathing. Let’s do continuous cardio for 40-60 minutes (depending on each person’s physical condition) until we are extremely tired, but as tired as we can still breathe comfortably, not short, not frequent, not wheezing and not short of breath. Although it is not as accurate as a monitor, it can indicate that we are in zone 2-3.

Just by knowing these simple principles, we can lose weight effectively and sustainably.