Losing weight is all about burning more calories than you take in. One pound is equal to 3,500 calories, so doing enough physical activity to burn 3,500 calories will result in weight loss. Exercising can help burn fat and keep it off. Always speak with a physician or health care provider before starting any exercise routine.
Aerobic Exercise
Walking, running swimming and biking all are aerobic exercises that burn fat while also helping with lowering cholesterol, releasing stress and improving sleep in adults, according to the Cleveland Clinic. A 160-lb. person doing low-impact aerobics can burn up to 365 calories an hour while that same person can expend almost 600 calories per hour by jogging. The Cleveland Clinic recommends participating in aerobic activities for 30 minutes a day five to seven days a week for weight loss.
Strength Training
The Cleveland Clinic says that strength training can increase your metabolism, making your muscles more efficient at burning calories. To get the benefits of strength training, try a class such as Pilates or other calisthenics-based course, use weight machines or hand weights or try using an exercise ball. A 160-lb. person burns up to 219 calories an hour lifting weights on a machine or free weights.
Interval Training
Change your aerobic activity up through interval training to increase the amount of calories you are burning. Begin by warming up. After the warm-up, increase your intensity for 30 seconds before bringing it back down to your normal workout intensity. For instance, if you normally jog at six miles per hour, increase your speed to 8 mph for 30 seconds every two minutes. Or, if you often take walks in your neighborhood, begin to include shorts bursts of brisk walking or jogging every few minutes in your routine.
Yoga
"Yoga Journal's" Dr. Timothy McCall suggests practicing yoga can help you lose fat through burning calories while performing the various poses, or asanas. McCall also states that yoga fights fat through nontraditional ways, such as reducing stress. Yoga minimizes the storage of fat-building hormone cortisol in the body. The practice may also help you become more aware of your body and when you are full, causing you to eat less and consume fewer calories. While consuming fewer calories, you may also find yourself meditating on your food differently than before, which fights the temptation to overeat.
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