Exercise takes weight loss efforts to the next level. If you're interested in losing weight quickly, you'll need to supplement your healthy eating regimen with regular physical activity. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, adults under 65 should get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, five days a week. Exercise increases basal metabolic rate, improves sleep and builds muscle, which will have a dramatic impact on weight loss, according to MayoClinic.com,
Choose Something Fun
Exercise is only effective at helping you lose weight quickly if you actually do it. You have to keep yourself interested in your workouts if you want to keep up a reliable fitness routine. Pick activities you enjoy doing that you might not associate with weight loss, like joining sports teams, taking dance classes or learning scuba diving. As long as you're moving at a moderate intensity, the activity will help you shed pounds. If you have trouble committing to workouts even when they're fun, a workout buddy can keep you on track.
Go Slowly
If you're trying to lose weight quickly, your instinct might be to go hard. While exercising at full intensity does burn more calories, an article published by the American Council on Exercise points out that slower, longer activities like walking or bike-riding yielded more fit participants than vigorous exercises like running. This is partly because people who perform moderate exercises can usually perform them longer, while people who perform vigorous exercises for shorter periods of time spent more time being inactive during the day.
Add Weight Training
More muscle burns more calories and helps you lose weight faster. You'll increase muscle through exercise, but you'll build it more quickly if you add weight training to your routine. Walking also counts as a weight-bearing exercise and will increase the muscle mass in your legs, back, abs and arms depending on your form. MayoClinic.com recommends weight training at least twice per week.
Member Comments