How Much Exercise Is Needed To Lose 20 Pounds?

As a crucial component of weight loss, exercise is recommended to shed pounds and keep them off, but the specific prescription for how much activity one needs to lose weight varies by the individual. Factors include your starting weight, how many pounds you wish to lose, the rate of weight loss, and your diet. Design your exercise program around principles set by authorities such as the American College of Sports Medicine, but with an individualized approach for your weight-loss goals. Consult your doctor before beginning any weight-loss program.

Exercise for Weight Loss

Weight loss requires negative energy balance, or consuming fewer calories than you expend. To lose 1 pound, you need to create a 3,500-calorie deficit. Exercise is an important part of this weight-loss equation because it increases your daily calorie burn. Long-term physical activity also changes body composition, and losing fat while gaining lean muscle increases your metabolism, meaning you burn more calories even at rest.

Exercise Recommendations

A person who weighs 180 lbs. burns approximately 250 calories during 30 minutes of swimming. If that same person does not consume calories in excess of that 250-calories-per-day deficit, swimming or engaging in an equally vigorous activity for half an hour every day should result in a weight loss of 1/2 lb. per week. It would take that person 40 weeks to lose 20 pounds --- a rate deemed safe by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Established Guidelines

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that most adults under 65 perform moderately intense cardiovascular exercise 30 minutes a day five days a week or 20 minutes of vigorously intense cardio a day three days a week. The organization also advocates resistance training, urging adults to perform eight to 10 strength-training exercises, with eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise, twice a week. Keep track of your calorie burn by using a heart rate monitor or an online tool such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Recommended Exercise Calorie Counter.

Nutrition

Exercise without diet is not a prescribed solution for weight loss. The National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute recommends making physical activity and healthy eating part of an overall lifestyle change to maintain a long-term healthy weight. A healthy eating plan should monitor portions and include whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean protein sources such as chicken, fish and beans.