Daily Workout Weight Loss Tips

A total of 3,500 calories equals one pound of fat. To lose one pound a week, you need to create a 500-calorie daily deficit. In other words, every day you need to burn 500 more calories than you consume. The most successful weight loss programs accomplish this by combining lifestyle changes, dietary modification and an increase in physical activity.

Daily Aerobic Exercise

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate or intense aerobic activity on most days of the week. Because some forms of high-intensity exercise potentially cause joint stress, it's best to alternate high-impact and low-impact activities. If you run on Monday, for example, take a long, hilly walk on Tuesday.

Activity Increase

The President's Council on Fitness Exercise and Weight Control pamphlet details potential lifestyle changes that enhance weight loss. The authors suggest walking and taking the stairs in lieu of driving and taking elevators, and substituting active entertainment activities, such as dancing and bowling, for movies and television. When you do plan sedentary diversions such as dinner, movies or theater, try to squeeze in exercise between activities. For example, eat dinner at least five blocks from the theater and walk after your meal. At work, bring your own lunch to avoid high-fat, high-calorie foods, but don't eat at your desk. Go out for a walk or join a lunchtime exercise class. A short walk provides more energy than a late-afternoon coffee break.

Resistance Training

A study published in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise detailed the effects of resistance training on metabolic rate. Lead author E.P. Kirk reported resting and sleep metabolic rate increases in people who performed nine resistance training exercises three times weekly. While weight training exercise routines require 48 hours of rest between sessions, body weight resistance exercises such as Pilates and calisthenics can be performed daily. Resistance training has another side benefit: Stronger muscles have better endurance and provide enhanced joint and bone support. This support and endurance enables you to increase aerobic exercise duration and intensity.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking six 8-ounce glasses of water throughout the day decreases your appetite and increases your energy level. Len Kravitz, an exercise physiologist at the University of New Mexico suggests drinking water and consuming foods with high water content, such as fruits and vegetables, 24 hours before a workout. Then, drink two 8-ounce glasses of water before your workout. Re-hydrate every 15 minutes throughout your workout. Water also aids in digestion, which in turn hastens weight loss.