How Much Exercise Needed In A Week To Lose Weight?

Weight loss is one of the top factors in motivating people to begin an exercise program. Unfortunately, many go into it blindly, not really knowing how often, how hard or how long to exercise to achieve weight loss. One tool many fitness professionals use is the FITT --- frequency, intensity, type and time --- principle. Exercising appropriately in regards to these factors will help you be successful in your weight-loss journey. Consult your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen.

Frequency

Frequency refers to how many times a week you should perform your selected exercise routine. For weight loss, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends exercising at least five days per week. In addition to exercise, find ways to be more active every day of the week. Examples include taking the stairs rather than elevators, or parking farther away from your destination.

Intensity

Intensity is how hard you work during your exercise routine. Generally speaking, the higher the intensity, the more calories you burn. Intensity can describe the resistance setting on a stationary bicycle, for example, or the speed on a treadmill. The Sports Fitness Advisor website also notes that intensity can be measured as a percentage of your maximum heart rate, which you can determine by subtracting your age from 220. For weight loss, the ACSM recommends that you aim for 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. If you are a new exerciser, start at 40 to 60 percent and gradually work up to the higher intensity.

Type

The types of exercises you choose are also crucial in your weight-loss journey. Cardiovascular exercise involves large muscle groups, and therefore should be the primary type of exercise you participate in. It has more potential to decrease fat because it can be sustained over a longer period of time. But don't count out the benefits of strength training. Strength training builds muscle mass, and muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue. If you build muscle, Sports Fitness Advisor explains, your caloric burn will increase, even when you aren't exercising. And because most overweight individuals have poor stamina and work capacity, strength training aids in both those areas. You should aim to strength-train two to three times per week in addition to your cardiovascular workouts.

Time

The time component describes how long you exercise per day. The ACSM recommends starting out between 30 and 60 minutes daily, for a total of 150 minutes per week. Work up to 300 or more minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week --- 60 to 90 minutes per day --- to maximize your weight-loss efforts. Those numbers may seem daunting, but the ACSM notes that you can accumulate your minutes throughout the day with short bouts of exercise.

Deficit

The American Council on Exercise reports that 89 percent of those who have lost weight and kept it off for more than a year use a combination of diet and exercise. The easiest thing to remember about weight loss it that it's all about creating a caloric deficit. You must expend more calories than you consume. Burning more calories through exercise along with smart dietary changes will assist you in maximizing your weight-loss efforts.