The energy demands of dance have received little empirical attention. This may be due to the belief that dancing is more consistent with performance than sport. Given that many dance forms are noncompetitive, it’s not surprising that exercise scientists have infrequently studied this activity. When the energy requirements of dance have been examined, the typical area of focus is dance fitness classes in which the activity is performed at a moderate intensity for approximately one hour. The conclusions of these studies are that dancing depends primarily on the oxidative (aerobic) energy system. [Read more…]
The Psychology of Fat Loss
This is the final article in my three part series on how to lose body fat. Parts one and two covered exercise and diet. I will provide brief summaries below, but it may be useful to review both before reading on.
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Fat Loss Nutrition for Athletes
This is the second of my three-part series on how to lose body fat. My previous article addressed the most effective exercise strategies for reducing body fat. As I mentioned before, fat loss occurs in response to a negative energy balance. This means that excess body fat is oxidized when energy intake is less than energy expenditure.
Anyone who intends to lose excess body fat must make a decision about how to achieve a negative energy balance. The choices are to eat less, exercise more, or both. [Read more…]
Exercise to Lose Fat: The Right Way
This is the first of my three-part series on how to lose body fat. In this section, I’ll cover exercise strategies. The next two articles will cover nutrition and program adherence, respectively.
Anyone who’s struggled with fat loss has thought “I just need to eat less and exercise more.” Maybe it’s not that simple.
The two problems with most fat loss programs are 1) “exercising more” can lead to exhaustion, frustration, and overeating, rather than fat loss, and 2) adherence to a fat loss program can be extremely difficult to maintain long term.
So Why Exercise?
I’ve addressed the issue of exercise for fat loss before in this article. Traditional “cardio” is a poor strategy for fat loss for four reasons: the impact on fat loss is minimal when compared to caloric restriction, it’s time consuming, it may be exhausting, and it can enhance appetite. Then why exercise? [Read more…]
What Are Your Athletic Goals?
For the sedentary individual or poorly conditioned athlete, an awareness of physical limitations may lead to a desire to modify exercise or dietary behaviors. The goal identification and program planning phase of training is often neglected by those who respond to this sudden surge in motivation by engaging in a generalist training program to “get in shape” without defining athletic goals.
The generalist approach may incorporate endurance, strength, agility, and mobility training performed daily, at random, or possibly in the same workout. Coupled with a broad dietary goal of “eating healthy,” the athlete who employs this strategy is likely to become exhausted or dissatisfied with the results and discontinue training. The frustration of excessive effort with limited results has been experienced by many athletes. The solution is to establish a highly specific goal for training and follow a systematic path to achieve it. [Read more…]
Does Eating Wheat Contribute to Excessive Body Fat?

Limitations of Exercise for Losing Body Fat

Strength Training is Beneficial for Dancers

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