There are many opportunities to create calorie-burning routines that fit your schedule, interest and lifestyle. Aerobic exercise is based on your heart rate and the duration of your workout. Exercising at 70 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate for 15 minutes or more will help you start to shed pounds. Just subtract your age from 220, multiply that number by .7 and .8, and keep your heart rate in that range with one of your favorite physical activities.
Cycling
Whether you use an exercise bike or cycle outdoors, riding is a low-impact way to burn calories aerobically. Vary your workouts by changing gears or resistance settings. The harder it is to peddle, the more muscular effort you'll have to use, raising your heart rate. Alternatively, the easier it is to peddle, the faster your leg muscles can go, making more revolutions per minute and increasing your heart rate with the increased speed of your pedaling.
Vary your pedaling technique by standing on the bike, lowering your gears and using long, slow strokes or decreasing resistance so you can make quick movements. Riding up and down hills challenges the muscles you use and the intensity with which you use them. On flat terrains, or with a lower resistance setting on a stationary bike, pick up the pace with sprints. Make sure you can talk during your ride; if you can't, you may have left the aerobic zone and could fatigue yourself too soon with too much intensity.
Swimming
Swimming is another low-impact aerobic workout that lets you use more muscles, since you engage your arms, back, chest and shoulders to pull you through the water. Swim at a steady pace that lets you continue without getting fatigued. To prevent muscle fatigue, switch strokes every lap. If you are not a strong swimmer or begin to fatigue, use a kickboard, which will support your weight and allow you to swim using only your legs to propel you through the water. If the pool is not divided by lane buoys, walk or run as fast as you can across the width of the pool in the shallow end; the water will provide resistance.
Jumping Rope
Skipping rope also helps keep your heart rate up. To vary muscle movements and delay fatigue, do skips with one leg or two legs together, alternating legs and landing on your toes, which works the calf muscles. Learn to cross your arms with the rope. Jumping rope can be challenging and may be better suited as part of a cross-training or circuit training routine of exercises.
Skating
Another popular childhood activity, skating allows you create an aerobic workout. It works best if you have a suitable route and terrain that lets you skate at the correct intensity without frequent stops. Skating faster on flat terrain or harder going up hills will elevate your heart rate. Consider skating with a dog for company and pacing yourself.
Exercise Machine Circuit
If you have access to a gym or fitness center, create an aerobic workout that uses a variety of muscles. Moving from exercise machine to exercise machine, rather than using only one piece of equipment for 30 minutes, will help with this. Start with an elliptical machine, then an exercise bike. Move to a treadmill and add upper-body work via a rowing machine to create a more wide-ranging muscle workout than single-machine training.
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