It’s normal to want to lose weight quickly and get a toned body as fast as possible. However, people who lose a lot of weight rapidly are often unable to keep it off over time, and they may not enjoy the same health benefits that those who move at a more gradual pace do. For faster results that are still healthy, try more intense exercises or longer workouts, but keep progression at a pace that’s comfortable.
Pacing
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points out that people who lose weight at a moderate pace, between one and two pounds per week, are more likely to keep that weight off in the long term than people who lose weight at a faster pace. It’s possible to control your own weight loss pace by monitoring the number of calories you eat and estimating how many calories you burn through exercise. One pound of fat equals about 3,500 calories.
Intensity
More intense exercises will burn more calories and stimulate quicker weight loss than moderate activities. Most people aren’t able to engage in vigorous exercises until they build up their strength and endurance, however, so beginners should plan to start exercise programs with simple moves and gradually progress. Building up to more difficult activities will also help prevent injury and minimize stress on the body. According to the Mayo Clinic, a 160-pound person can choose dancing, bowling, tai chi or walking to burn calories at a moderate rate of 200 to 300 calories per hour. More vigorous exercise that burn more than 500 calories per hour include a stair treadmill, running, rollerblading, tae kwon do and tennis.
Variety
The Cleveland Clinic recommends devising an exercise schedule that involves strength training, aerobics and stretching. All three components are important for weight loss and enhance the effectiveness of one another. An added advantage of designing a varied workout routine is that it allows for scheduling flexibility. One day, a workout may include warm-up stretching and light resistance training, and the next day could consist of moderate cardio and a short cool-down period.
Sample Plan
One guideline to aim for in an exercise schedule is the American College of Sports Medicine’s recommendation of at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 60 minutes of vigorous activity per week, plus two strength training workouts. Consider taking one day to do 30 minutes of swimming, the next day to do a 20-minute strength training workout, the following day to rest, the next day to do 30 minutes of jogging, then 20 minutes of biking and 20 minutes of weight training on the next day, followed by a day of rest and finally a 30-minute pick-up sports game.
Tips
An exercise schedule should be flexible and should change through time, as your body and abilities adjust. The Mayo Clinic recommends starting workouts when you’re willing to make lifestyle adjustments for the long term and are fully committed to weight loss. Breaking the schedule or stopping the routine is fine as long as you make an effort to continue as soon as possible. Finally, consider following a healthy, low-calorie diet to gain more health benefits and make the weight loss process even more effective.
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