To lose one pound, you must either burn off, or cut back, 3,500 calories every week. Many people find doing a combination of both works. The American Academy of Sports Medicine recommends that healthy adults under 65 do at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, five days a week, for minimum fitness. To lose weight, you need to do 60 to 90 minutes of cardio. Start slow with short walks, and gradually increase their duration. Include resistance training to burn more calories, and therapeutic stretching to help prevent injuries.
Do Cardio Most Days
Record your physical activity in a notebook or computer. If you're out of shape, begin by walking 10 minutes, twice a day. Build up to 15-minute walks twice a day. Even on busy days, build this short cardio into your schedule by walking during your lunch hour, or while doing errands after work. Wear shoes that allow you to take the stairs whenever you can. Also, "take a lap" down a hallway or around the block during your breaks. The idea is to be physically active throughout your day, every day. Eventually, your goal is to do cardio for at least two and a half hours, divided over seven days.
Intensify Cardio Workouts Twice a Week
Increase the length of your cardio, and its intensity, two to three times a week. If you have more time on weekends, consider biking or walking through your neighborhood for an hour. Add hills, as you get stronger, to burn more calories. If you're a parent, take your children with you to the park and jog its perimeter. Your goal is to do the minimum of 30 minutes, three times a week, and one to two longer cardio workouts on the weekend, of 60 minutes or longer.
Lift Weights at Least Twice a Week
Learn to do resistance training with a certified trainer. It's easy to injure yourself -- even using very light weights -- in the gym. Most gyms will provide you with one session with a trainer, so you can learn a realistic weightlifting program that you can sustain long enough to lose weight. Among the important things you can learn is how to protect your neck, lower back, and your joints and wrists --all areas prone to injury if you lift weights improperly. Once you have the basics down, you'll get better results. Resistance training will give you lean muscle mass that increases your metabolism, since muscles have a larger "energy need." Do resistance training at least twice a week: one session for the upper body and abs, and the other for your lower body. Stretch after every workout to reduce muscle soreness and to improve recovery.
Get a Workout Buddy
Recruit a reliable workout buddy who's as motivated as you are to lose weight. You might have a cardio buddy for three of your cardio workouts at the gym, or for walks after work, and a different workout buddy who can lift with you at the gym twice a week. Promise each other that you can chat while you exercise, so you get your workouts underway.
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