Any exercise plan to lose weight quickly must have two components: aerobic activities that elevate your heart rate while working large muscle groups for extended periods, and a diet in which you decrease the number of calories you are consuming. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most weight is lost when people reduce the number of calories they consume. But the CDC says the only way to keep the weight off is to exercise regularly. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts say it's best to lose weight slowly--about a pound a week is recommended--because losing it faster increases your risk of regaining the weight.
How Much Exercise Do I Need?
Doctors and health experts recommend that you exercise often, even if you're not trying to lose weight. The CDC and the American College of Sports Medicine both recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, but experts at the University of Maryland say the more you do, the more calories you will burn and the more weight you will lose. To lose a pound a week, University of Massachusetts researchers say, you'll have to consume 3,500 fewer calories, burn off 3,500 extra calories or do a combination of both.
How Hard Should I Exercise?
The harder you exercise, the faster you'll burn calories. The CDC says a 154-pound person burns about 140 calories walking about 3.5 miles per hour for 30 minutes, but the same person jogging at 5 mph burns nearly 300 calories in a half-hour. If you boost your heart rate to 60 percent to 90 percent of your maximum rate while you exercise, you are working hard enough to burn calories and lose weight. (Estimate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220.) You'll still burn calories at a lower heart rate, but it will take you longer.
Don't Go All-Out Every Day
Most people, even world-class athletes, shouldn't do vigorous exercise day after day. Your body needs time to recover from hard workouts. The CDC recommends alternating between moderate and vigorous days. For instance, you might run one day and walk the next.
The Best Calorie-Burners
According to the CDC, the best calorie-burners include jogging, lap swimming, cycling and cross-country skiing. Many exercise machines--such as stair machines and elliptical trainers--provide high-intensity workouts if you use them correctly. Calories burned while cycling depends on your speed--cycling at less than 10 mph burns about 300 calories an hour, but cycling faster than 10 mph burns nearly 600 per hour-- and cycling uphill burns calories faster than that.
Other Elements of a Good Exercise Program
The American College of Sports Medicine also recommend adding strength training--such as weight-lifting or push-ups--to your workout regimen at least twice a week. Simple stretches before or after workouts will maintain your flexibility. Strength training elevates your metabolism and even continues burning calories after your workouts.
How to Accumulate Exercise
You can increase your calorie-burning with short bursts of exercise throughout the day. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park on the outskirts of the parking lot, and walk to the store. Three 10-minute walks burn as many calories as one 30-minute walk.
References
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity and Public Health Guidelines
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Physical Activity for Everyone
- University of Massachusetts: How to Lose Weight
- Centers for Disease Control: How Much Physical Activity Do I Need?
- Centers for Disease Control: Healthy Weight
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