A complete exercise program should have cardiovascular, strength and flexibility components. The design of each of these components will be different from individual to individual depending on specific goals. And because approximately two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese as of 2010, it is not surprising that one of the most common fitness goals is to lose weight. Traditionally, many people focus on cardiovascular exercise to lose weight, but strength training is also beneficial in a weight loss exercise program.
Weight Loss Principle
The key to weight loss is simple: You must create a caloric deficit of 3,500 calories to lose one pound of fat. Eliminate 500 calories a day to lose the American Council on Exercise's recommended one to two pounds per week. Nutritionally, you can cut the number of calories you consume each day to contribute to that deficit. Increasing your calories burned through exercise will also help you create that deficit.
Cardiovascular Exercise
Cardiovascular, or aerobic, exercise involves using the large muscle groups of the body in a rhythmic nature for a prolonged period of time. The American College of Sports Medicine, or ACSM, says weight-bearing, aerobic exercise burns the most calories because of the number of muscles involved. This includes activities such as walking and jogging. The American Council on Exercise, or ACE, estimates that jogging burns more than 600 calories an hour in a 150-pound person. With weight training, that same 150-pound individual will burn just less than 500 calories per hour.
Strength Training
Burning 500 calories per hour is not something to sneeze at. Remember that creating a deficit of 500 calories every day will result in one pound of weight loss each week. In addition to the calorie burn, MayoClinic.com cites increased muscle mass and a decrease in body fat as benefits of consistent strength training. Another benefit in regard to weight loss is that muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue. Therefore, if you increase your muscle tissue with regular resistance training, you will burn more calories at rest.
Combination
Most health practitioners agree the best way to lose weight is through a combination of diet and exercise. The National Weight Control Registry found that 89 percent of their registrants used a combination of diet and exercise to lose weight. Those individuals were also able to maintain that weight loss for at least one year. In regard to exercise program design, a study performed by fitness research director Wayne Westcott found that those individuals who combine aerobic and strength training lost more weight than those who relied on aerobic exercise alone. He found that the actual weight lost by the subjects was more than double in the group that combined resistance and cardiovascular training, and that the actual fat loss was more than doubled.
Recommendations
The American College of Sports Medicine, or ACSM, has specific exercise prescription guidelines for those whose goal is weight loss. The group recommends exercising at least five days per week to maximize calorie burn. It also recommends choosing moderate to vigorous exercise for a duration of 30 to 60 minutes. The primary mode of exercise should be cardiovascular, with resistance training incorporated two to three days per week.
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