Sixty-four percent of American women are overweight or obese, according to the Weight-Control Information Network. For women who want to lose weight, it can be overwhelming to choose from the endless array of diet and exercise programs on the market. By following a commonsense healthy eating plan and incorporating certain types of exercises into your lifestyle, however, you can put yourself on the path to weight loss success.
Weight Loss Basics
If you want to lose weight, you will have to burn more calories than you consume each day. A pound of fat is equal to about 3,500 calories, so if you burn 500 more calories than you eat each day, you will lose about 1 lb. in a week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends losing 1 to 2 lbs. a week for a healthy, sustainable rate of weight loss. Exercise increases the amount of calories you burn, which will facilitate weight loss.
Cardio Exercise
Cardio exercise should be the backbone of your exercise program. Cardio activities boost your heart rate, strengthen your heart and cardiovascular system and burn calories. Aim to do at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise five days a week, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends. Some popular cardio workouts to choose from include walking, cycling, running, hiking, tennis, soccer, dance and basketball. If you already follow a cardio workout plan, you can add intensity or duration to your sessions to burn more calories.
Resistance Training
Weightlifting is not just for men who want bulky, rippling muscles. Resistance training can benefit women as well, as it raises your metabolism and increases your lean muscle tissue, which burns more calories than fat tissue. Resistance training also strengthens bones, helping prevent osteoporosis. You can do a strength training program using free weights such as dumbbells, weight machines or your own body weight. ACSM advises strength training twice a week by performing eight to 12 reps of eight to 10 exercises. Do exercises that work your major muscle groups, including your arms, chest, back, abs and legs.
Considerations
Your metabolism is affected by uncontrollable factors, such as genetics, and environmental factors, such as exercise. You can control about 25 to 50 percent of your metabolism, according to the "Women's Health" article "How to Speed up Your Metabolism." Your metabolism slows down about 5 percent per decade of age as you lose muscle mass, according to Madelyn H. Fernstrom, Ph.D., director of the Weight Management Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, in "Good Housekeeping" magazine. As a result, you will need to maintain a workout program that includes strength training and a mix of cardio workouts to keep your metabolism going strong as you grow older.
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