Working out for short periods of time can help anyone lose weight, but in most cases, people need to follow structured and consistent exercise plans to continue losing pounds and avoid gaining the weight back. Regular, moderate exercise over a period of years is most effective for staying trim through the aging process, and vigorous workouts work well in the short term.
Pacing
Losing weight slowly often proves to be more effective than losing it quickly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who lose one or two pounds per week are more likely to keep off the weight for longer periods of time than those who rapidly lose weight. Consequently, it can help people who want to lose a lot of weight to pace themselves gradually and aim to lose the weight over a period of months or years with consistent exercise.
Duration
In general, longer exercise sessions encourage quicker weight loss and more dramatic results. However, intense exercises can deliver similar results in shorter periods of time. The Mayo Clinic notes that activities such as tae kwon do, jumping rope and running all burn more than 700 calories per hour for a 160-pound person, but milder exercises such as walking and tai chi burn fewer than 300 calories per hour.
Guidelines
The American College of Sports Medicine suggests that healthy adults exercise five days a week for at least 30 minutes per session to maintain weight and stay healthy. Usually, losing weight requires more activity. Depending on daily caloric intake, it may be necessary for people to exercise for 45 minutes or more on most days of the week to steadily lose weight.
Results
It's important to realize that the process of losing weight can and often does take months or years. Before beginning an exercise plan, the Mayo Clinic urges people to include more physical activity in their daily lives, not just choosing temporary changes that aren't likely to yield lasting results. Whatever the length of the fitness plan you pick, weigh yourself and calculate your body mass index, or BMI, before beginning. Repeat the procedure after every couple of weeks, and you'll begin to get an idea of how long you need to keep up your plan to lose the amount of weight you want.
Considerations
One pound is equivalent to about 3,500 calories, so it's necessary to burn or save that many calories to lose each subsequent pound. Exercise is a crucial factor in weight loss, but it's not the only factor. A healthy, low-calorie diet can help people lose weight faster and is also important for improving health. As with exercise, eating healthfully for years and keeping up the habit has more benefits than adopting temporary changes.
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