Losing weight is all about burning more calories than you consume. The calories you burn each day are the sum of your basal metabolic rate, the number of calories you burn fueling basic processes in your body and calories burned from your activity throughout the day. If you are obese and looking to lose weight, adding half an hour to an hour of low-impact cardio into your daily routine will significantly increase your calories burned throughout the day. Coupled with a balanced diet and caloric restrictions, these exercises will help you lose weight quickly. Always consult with your doctor for medical clearance before starting an exercise program.
Take a Walk
Walking is an efficient calorie burner that is easy on your joints and doesn't require a gym membership or special equipment other than a pair of good walking shoes. Walking also tones and builds muscle in your lower body, which will increase your metabolism to help you lose weight.
Start a walking workout program by walking for 30 minutes a day on a treadmill, a track or anywhere outside. Push yourself to get your heart rate up by walking briskly. As you get stronger, you will find yourself able to walk more quickly and tackle hills more easily. As your cardiovascular fitness increases, add time onto your walks until you are walking for 60 minutes, at least five days a week.
Eliptical or Arc Trainer
If you have access to a gym, using an eliptical or arc trainer will allow you to burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time. Both elipticals and arc trainers are low-impact forms of aerobic exercise, so they will not put stress on your joints. Using an eliptical or arc trainer to work out will also strengthen and tone your lower body, which will in turn boost your metabolism.
Begin an eliptical or arc trainer fitness routine by working out for 20 minutes a day, four days a week. When you are working out, monitor your heart rate using the settings on the exercise machine and aim to keep your heart rate in the range of 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. As you get stronger, adjust the resistance on the machine and work up to increasing your workout time to 45 minutes.
Swimming
Swimming is an excellent total body workout, since your arms and legs propel you through the water while your core works to keep you steady. It is also an efficient calorie burner and builds muscle to boost your metabolism.
There can be a bit of a learned curve associated with starting a swimming routine, and there are a few exercises you can do to get more comfortable moving in the water. Try holding onto the edge of the pool and paddling with your legs: your arms will be working to hold you in place while your legs work to propel you forward. As you get more comfortable in the water, work up to starting to swim laps. Start with 20 minute pool workouts, taking breaks as needed and work up to swimming for 45 minutes.
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