Weight-loss math is simple--burn more calories than you consume. Reducing calories is the first step in any plan for weight loss, but you also need to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. In addition to burning calories, exercise increases your body's metabolism and muscle mass, helping you burn calories more efficiently. There are several types of workouts that will help you maximize your weight loss.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise, which is any activity that increases the heart rate and keeps it at a fat-burning rate for at least 20 minutes, is especially useful for weight loss because it quickly burns calories. For people with slow metabolisms, it is especially essential to perform regular aerobics at a high intensity. The easiest way to judge your intensity is to try to talk or sing during your workout. If you can do either of these things, you are not working at a high enough intensity. If you are just beginning to exercise, start with 20-minute sessions three times a week. Work your way up to 30 to 60 minutes five times a week. Examples of aerobic activity include running, swimming, bike riding or step aerobics.
Interval Training
You can do interval training while running, swimming, biking or walking. During interval training, you work at a moderate level of intensity for two to five minutes, alternating with working at a high level for two to five minutes, depending on your current level of fitness. Use the perceived exertion rating scale to determine the intensity at which you are working. On a scale from zero to 10, zero is no exertion and 10 is the most exertion you can handle. During your moderate intervals, work at a four or a five, increasing your intensity to an eight or a nine during your high-intensity intervals. According to the Epigee website, interval training helps increase metabolism and burn calories more efficiently, and improves endurance and speed. A June 2007 Science Daily article reported that after interval training, the amount of fat burned in 60 minutes of continuous moderate cycling increased by 36 percent.
Cross-Training
Cross-training is an effective workout strategy because it includes many different exercises to keep your interest. It may include activities that enhance muscular fitness, as well as aerobic conditioning, done on different days or even during the same day. If you work out at a gym, for example, spend 20 minutes running on a treadmill, 20 minutes riding a bike and 10 minutes lifting weights. You could also go for a run or brisk walk one day and attend an aerobics or yoga class the next day. According to the American Council on Exercise, the variety of cross-training prevents boredom and also helps avoid injury because there is less repetitive stress on the same muscles and joints.
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