If you're overweight, you likely already know what a challenge it can be to build a successful weight-loss plan and stick to it. If your exercises haven't been effective in the past, it can be helpful to develop a new fitness routine or write down what you already do and share it with a physician, who can offer comments and suggestions to help make your plan as effective as it can be.
Physical and Mental Benefits
Exercise has physical and mental benefits that can help you keep up the habit and maintain a healthy weight once you establish a plan that works. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise activates your endorphins, helps you relax and reduces your risk of many serious diseases. Thus, even if you begin an exercise plan that seems difficult or unpleasant at first, it's worth sticking to it for several weeks to give the physical and mental benefits time to take effect.
Seek Variety
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a complete and effective exercise routine requires stretching and flexibility exercises, aerobic activity and anaerobic activity. All three components contribute to successful weight loss, and you might not find that you're able to slim down as easily if you leave even one of them out. Stretching and flexibility helps define your muscles and prevent injury, and aerobic exercise burns calories and helps you maintain a healthy metabolism. Anaerobic exercise builds muscle, which burns more calories at a resting heart rate than body fat.
Slow Down
Though it can be tempting to over-exert yourself with exercise and crash diets, pills or other quick weight-loss methods, pace yourself with a new fitness plan. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that people who lose weight at a moderate pace of one to two pounds per week are more likely to keep the weight off than others who lose it more rapidly, so start with light or moderate exercise and work up to more vigorous activity.
Meet the MInimums
Generally, you should be as physically active as possible when you're trying to lose weight. However, there are some minimum requirements for good health and weight maintenance. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, healthy adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 60 minutes of vigorous exercise per week in addition to strength-training activities. Keep in mind that you might need to exceed the minimum requirements to lose weight rather than simply maintain it.
Other Considerations
Though exercising regularly is one of the most important parts of a healthy weight-loss plan, it might not be effective unless you also work to establish and stick to a balanced, varied diet. The National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders notes that the best way to lose weight is to combine diet and exercise and recommends following a diet that features whole grains, vegetables, fruits, low-fat or nonfat dairy products and lean proteins.
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