Exercise in addition to reducing calories helps advance your efforts to lose weight. To lose weight quickly, you must burn significantly more calories than you consume. You can trim your caloric intake only so much. Women should consume at least 1,200 calories a day, while men need at least 1,500 calories, according to MedlinePlus.com. Exercise gives you the ability to achieve a larger calorie deficit than you can achieve through dieting alone.
Step 1
Perform moderate intensity aerobic activity five days a week for at least an hour. Work out longer to burn more calories. Work hard enough to elevate your heart rate into an aerobic zone and sweat, recommends the American College of Sports Medicine. A brisk walk is an example of moderate intensity exercise.
Step 2
Break your aerobic activity up into short spurts if you're pressed for time. Exercise for at least 10 minutes to count toward your cumulative hour of moderate intensity work.
Step 3
Cross train among machines or types of workouts. Jog if you usually cycle or take a kickboxing class if you usually swim. Changing your mode of exercise makes you less efficient, which means you'll burn more calories. This also helps prevent injuries that can result from overuse.
Step 4
Incorporate your exercise plan into your schedule. Make exercise a non-negotiable appointment with yourself.
Step 5
Strength train two times a week to build lean muscle mass. Perform a total body routine that hits every major muscle group, including your back, chest, shoulders, arms, legs and abdominals. Complete just one set of eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise, as this is sufficient to build strength and definition in most people, according to the American Council on Exercise. Add bouts of cardio activity, such as rope jumping, between strength training exercises to increase your calorie burn during the session by as much as 30 percent, recommends "Fitness" magazine.
Step 6
Complement your efforts at the gym with a healthy, reduced-calorie diet. Practice portion control and skip foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and excess sugar.
Tips and Warnings
- Remember that exercising doesn't give you permission to eat anything you want. Even if you burn 1,000 calories during a workout, you can easily undo your progress with one fast food lunch. While you may be eager to burn plenty of calories to lose weight quickly, listen to your body. Don't do too much too soon--doing so may result in injuries that can sideline you for weeks.
References
- Mayoclinic.com: Weight Loss: Better to Cut Calories or Exercise More?
- PubMed.gov: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise: Physical Activity and Public Health
- Harvard School of Public Health: How to Get to Your Healthy Weight
- "Fitness" magazine: Circuit Training Workout: Burn 30 Percent More Calories
- MedlinePlus: Tips for Losing Weight
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