To lose weight you need to take in fewer calories than you put out. How much time you need to spend at the gym to lose weight depends on what exercises you are doing, what you are eating, your metabolic rate, and your age, weight and gender. Technically, you do not need to set foot in a gym to meet all your exercise requirements for weight loss, but if you have a membership, use it.
Guidelines
The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association have joined together to release specific guidelines for how much exercise a healthy adult should be doing. The minimum requirements to maintain good health are five days a week of cardio activity for 30 minutes. However, for weight loss, 60 to 90 minutes may be necessary. Work in periods of no less than 10 minutes. If you are serious about losing weight, consider using the gym six days each week; when it comes to exercise, more is better.
Options
Each gym has its own set of equipment and classes. Most have different kinds of cardiovascular machines including treadmills, elliptical trainers, stationary bikes, stair-steppers and rowing machines. Resistance options include muscle-specific machines, free weights, bands and kettle bells. Add variety to your workouts by choosing several options per week or even per day. Work for 10 minutes each on the elliptical, stair-stepper, treadmill and rowing machine, followed by 10 minutes of weight lifting and 10 minutes of stretching. This method is termed "cross-training" and is recommended by the American Council on Exercise.
Calories
Calories count when it comes to losing weight. Your calorie expenditure per workout varies depending on several factors, including your age and current weight. A factor you are able to control is your exertion level. If you spend 30 minutes on the treadmill at 2.8 mph, painting your fingernails, sending text messages or reading a magazine, you will only lose weight if you choose this activity over eating a meal. The harder you work, the faster the pounds will drop. During your cardio workout, you want to work up a sweat and breath hard enough so that you are able to speak, but unable to sing.
Resistance
The American College of Sports Medicine also recommends including resistance training in your exercise routine, at least two times per week. ACSM recommends doing eight to 10 different strength training exercises with eight to 12 reps of each. Your gym will have a lot of options for weight lifting. If available, sit down with a trainer and plan out your schedule to ensure you are spending your time wisely. Building muscle may seem counterproductive to your weight-loss efforts, but the muscles you build will increase your metabolism and help you burn calories even faster.
Sample Schedule
If time permits, allow yourself an hour or more at the gym, six days per week. Sample schedules can provide you with an example of how to spend your time, but you can mix and match routines that interest you. Monday, take an indoor cycling class, then work your biceps and triceps using free weights. Tuesday, use cardio machines. Wednesday, try a boot camp class. Thursday, swim for 30 minutes or take an aqua aerobics class, then work your chest and back using weight machines. Friday, take an aerobic dance class then spend time focusing on your core with crunches. Saturday, bring a friend and play a game of tennis or racquetball. Rest on Sunday.
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