Weight is gained by eating more calories than your body can burn. Weight is lost by burning more calories than you take in. Exercise is an integral part of the weight loss solution. It is even more effective when you clean up your diet and consume only high-octane fuel. As far as the best exercise routine for weight loss goes, it comes down to do two things--cardio and weight training.
Step 1
Go for a run. Do 5 minutes of dynamic stretching, then run for 45 minutes at a moderate intensity. Finish with a 5-minute fast-paced walk to cool down.
Step 2
Walk up hills to increase your intensity. Start out walking on a flat stretch for 10 minutes. Find a hill that is about 50 yards long and walk up it. Walk back to the bottom and repeat walking back up and down 10 to 12 times. Finish with a 10-minute walk on a flat stretch.
Step 3
Do 30 to 45 minutes of cardio where your arms and legs are both working at the same time to incorporate more of your body. Do something like elliptical training, rowing, swimming, jumping rope or kick boxing.
Step 4
Perform high intensity interval training with any form of cardio. Start out with a light intensity for 5 minutes. Go all out for 20 seconds then come back down to a light intensity for 40 seconds. Alternate back and forth 10 to 12 times and finish with a 5-minute cool-down at a light intensity.
Step 5
Build muscle that is metabolically active tissue. Perform 10 to 12 reps and three to four sets of bench presses, upright rows, one arm lateral rows, triceps dips, incline biceps curls and lunges.
Step 6
Be disciplined with your workout schedule. Do your weight training three times a week on alternating days and do your cardio three times a week on alternating days. Add some variation to your cardio routines by doing hill walking one workout, elliptical training for another workout and high intensity sprinting for the next one. Mix it up however you like.
Tips and Warnings
- Dynamic stretching moves the body through a range of motion. This type of stretching should be done before any exercise bout that involves movement. Spinal rotations, squat and reaches, side bends, knee lifts, alternating toe touches, leg swings and arm circles are examples of dynamic stretches.
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