A consistent and well-rounded exercise routine is the key to losing weight over time. Without a personal trainer or a professional fitness consultation, though, it's tough to know which exercises to choose and how to get the best results from a routine. By striving for variety, moving at a gradual pace, fitting physical activity into every day and combining workouts with a healthful diet, it becomes easier to get significant weight loss results.
Get Variety
Aerobic exercise is very effective at burning calories, but it won't tone muscles well without the addition of strength training. Similarly, the Mayo Clinic notes that core and abdominal exercises can strengthen stomach muscles but won't result in weight loss without aerobics. The Cleveland Clinic recommends that any complete exercise routine combine aerobics, strength training and flexibility exercises for the best results. It's also important to vary activities instead of doing the same things each day. Variety helps you to work different muscle groups, maintain motivation and ultimately, accelerate weight loss.
Pace Well
Incorporating vigorous calorie burning exercises into a routine can be effective, but it may be a better long term plan to move at a gradual pace. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who lost weight at a slower pace of one to two pounds per week kept the weight off more successfully over time than those who lost it more quickly. It's better to gradually build up the intensity and duration of the exercises in a routine instead of pushing past the point of comfort right away.
Be More Active
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that all healthy adults get a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 60 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week, in addition to several strength training sessions. To lose weight, however, it's important to exceed those minimum guidelines. The Harvard Health Letter suggests adding more physical activity to each day by parking far away from destinations and walking the distance, swinging your arms when you walk, regularly cleaning your house, walking a dog and taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
Eat Fresh
Another way to accelerate weight loss is to eat fewer calories on a daily basis. To do that, choose foods that are the most nutritious. A nutritious food provides a maximum amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients and a minimum amount of calories, fat, sodium and sugar. In general, the most nutritious foods are fresh, whole and unprocessed or minimally processed foods such as fruits and vegetables, grains, beans, legumes and low fat or nonfat dairy products.
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