When choosing a fitness program geared toward weight loss, let safety and effectiveness be your guide. To prevent injury and stick with your routine until you reach your goals, the AARP and the U.S. Surgeon General suggest choosing a form and intensity of exercise that match your physical ability and personal tastes, not fads.
Setting reasonable goals will help you stay motivated and leave room to raise the workout intensity as you become fitter. How many pounds you lose depends in part on your age and activity level, but daily exercise plus a low-calorie diet equal the basic formula for everybody to lose weight.
Kids and Teens
Weight loss takes time, so exercise safely to stay in the game. The Nemours Foundation counsels you to warm up and cool down before and after your fitness program. This means raising your heart rate and easing your muscles into workout mode. If you jog, begin in place or run a few slow laps. If you play basketball, dribble and shoot a few free throws.
Next, gently stretch all your major muscle groups, including shoulders, arms, thighs, calves and back. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends at least 60 minutes of daily exercise for your age group. To fit the hours into your weekly schedule, add up how long you spend sitting at your desk, the television or computer. Then subtract your workout time from your screen time.
Seniors
Whether you've grown more sedentary over the years or have a history of daily exercise, you should set out to make gradual changes toward weight loss. The American Heart Association suggests that you start by increasing the amount of fruit, vegetables and whole grains you eat. This will ensure you get adequate vitamins and minerals as you reduce fat and sugar.
Walking is an effective cardiovascular exercise that makes a good activity for beginners or as an additional component to an existing fitness program. To get started, the AHA advises using a pedometer to help you add 250 steps a day to your normal total. Safely increase the pace until you reach the USDA recommendation of at least 30 minutes per day for older adults.
Adults
Adults ages 19 to 50 may have less time and more trouble focusing on a fitness program long enough to lose weight. Write down your goals and calculate a time frame. According to AARP, you'll have to sustain your activity level and reduce your dietary intake by 500 calories per day to lose 1 lb. per week.
The USDA acknowledges that you may need between 60 and 90 minutes of daily exercise or more to drop and maintain lower weight, especially if you are greatly overweight. If you are time challenged, try working out in 10-minute increments, walking on your lunch hour or cycling to work.
Member Comments