Exercise is an essential part of weight loss; exercise increases your metabolism, so you that your body burns more calories even when you're just sitting on the couch watching TV, according to nutritionist Andrea Wenger Hess, who was quoted by a University of Maryland Medical Center article on long-term weight loss. Fortunately, exercise doesn't have to be confusing, boring or expensive to be effective. Consult your physician before beginning any exercise routine, especially if you have been injured or have any health problems.
Beginning Cardio
"Cardio" is a general term for aerobic activity, or activity which increases your heart and breathing rate; cardio also is the cornerstone of an effective fitness routine. You don't have to shell out big bucks for a gym membership to do cardio; for example, assuming an average body weight of 150 lbs, walking up and down a flight of stairs for 20 minutes burns 183 calories, while a brisk 20 minute walk --- about 3 mph --- burns 99 calories, according to HealthStatus.com.
Intermediate/Advanced Cardio
If you're not new to exercise, and want to bump your calorie burning, you can take part in longer, more advanced activities. Assuming a body weight of 150 lbs., 30 minutes of high-impact aerobics burns 238 calories, while 30 minutes of Judo burns 342, according to HealthStatus.com. You can also take your workout outdoors; 30 minutes of mountain biking burns 288 calories, and cross-country skiing burns 387 calories.
Strength Training
When planning your weight-loss exercise routine, don't forget strength training. Strength training exercises help you build muscle, and muscle tissue burns more calories than fat. You can do strength training with weight machines, free weights or do exercises that use the resistance of your own body, such as squats or push-ups. The American Council on Exercise features an exercise library where you can get detailed instructions on how to do strength training (see "Resources").
Considerations
Exercise is important, but it may not help you if you're getting your lunch and dinner from a drive-through. The key to safe, sustainable weight-loss is to create a calorie deficit, which means burning more calories than you take in; exercise can help with this, but you also need to cut calories from your diet. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that cutting 500 calories from your diet every day will result in a weight-loss of 2 lbs. per week.
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