When you eat more calories than your body needs, the extra calories are stored as fat, which results in weight gain. There are two ways to combat weight gain, including a reduced-calorie diet and exercise. Select activities that burn the most calories per session to get the most from your workout. Regular exercise has other benefits, too, such as stress reduction, improved mood and better sleep, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Best Cardio Exercises
At a minimum, you need 30 minutes most days of the week to accomplish weight loss. How you spend those 30 minutes, however, makes a different in your weight loss. There are several activities that burn large amounts of calories each session. For example, rollerblading sheds 913 calories for a 160 lb. person an hour, according to the Mayo Clinic. Another high calorie burning activity is tae kwon do, which burns 730 calories an hour. If you enjoy sports, try playing singles tennis, which burns 584 calories an hour.
Interval Training
Professional athletes have used interval training for years to burn more calories and increase endurance. This activity is also effective for people who want to lose weight faster. With this method of exercise, you rotate short bursts of cardio activity with less intense bursts. For example, you might walk at a slow pace for a few minutes and then pick up the pace for a few minutes. As you get faster, select activities with more calorie-burning potential, like running. Jog for a few minutes, then run for a few minutes. Aim to complete at least 30 minutes of activity most days of the week.
Circuit Training
Like interval training, circuit-training rotates activities. However, instead of two cardio activities, you rotate an intense cardio activity with a strength-training move. For example, you might complete two minutes of jumping rope with leg lunges. Then, alternate back to jumping rope for two minutes and select a new strength-training move. With circuit-training, you have the potential to burn 30 percent more calories per session, according to "Fitness" magazine.
Weight Training
As you age, muscle naturally decreases. If you don't schedule strength-training sessions, fat will replace muscle, resulting in weight gain. Improving your muscular fitness will also help boost your metabolism. If you aren't using circuit-training, schedule two weight-training sessions weekly. Each session is about 20 to 30 minutes and focuses on working your major muscle groups like the back, hips, legs and abdominals. You can use resistance tubing, weights or your body weight to build stronger muscles.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Weight Training: Improve your Muscular Fitness
- Mayo Clinic: Exercise for Weight Loss: Calories Burned in 1 Hour
- Mayo Clinic: Interval Training: Can It Boost Your Calorie-burning Power
- Fitness: Circuit Training Workout: Burn 30 Percent More Calories
- Mayo Clinic: Exercise: 7 Benefits of Regular Physical Activity
- MayoClinic.com: Strength Training
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