Exercise is part of a well-balanced weight loss regimen, because it helps you burn more calories than you consume. Additionally, exercise builds muscle, which burns more calories than fat does throughout the day, according to MedlinePlus. No single workout routine is best for all people, but you'll boost your chances of successfully losing weight if your routine includes some effective calorie-burning strategies, such as cardio and strength training.
Goal Setting
To begin with, you'll need to set clear weight loss goals. You can improve your chances of long-term success by setting a modest weight loss goal of 1 to 2 pounds each week, which amounts to a calorie deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories every day, according to the Mayo Clinic. Ask your doctor to help you gauge how much weight you should drop to reach your ideal weight range, and then set measurable, smaller goals to help you reach that range. For example, if he says you should aim to lose 20 pounds, you could set a goal of "lose 20 pounds, at a rate of 500 daily calories for five months, by eliminating two sodas and riding my bike 30 minutes every day." Log your results every week, to stay on track and measure your progress.
Recommended Weekly Activity
Get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five days per week, vigorous-intensity exercise for 20 minutes, three days each week, or a combination of both, recommends the American College of Sports Medicine. You'll know you're exercising at a moderate pace if your activity is causing your heart rate to increase and you're sweating, but you can still speak in full sentences. Your activity is likely vigorous if you've lost the ability to talk, without needing to pause for breath. If necessary, separate daily activities into smaller segments, such as a 10-minute walk in the morning, a 10-minute bike ride in the afternoon and another 10-minute walk after dinner. Also include at least two days of strength training. In each strength training session, do at least eight to 10 exercises, such as lifting weights and doing sit-ups on a stability ball, and perform at least eight to 12 repetitions of all exercises.
Calorie-Blasting Exercises
When considering what forms of cardio you want to include in your weight loss workout routine, keep in mind that higher intensity exercises demand more energy and thus burn calories at a faster rate than lower intensity exercises. By jogging at a pace of 5 miles per hour, you burn about 584 calories in 60 minutes -- but by picking up the pace to 8 miles per hour, you burn 986 calories, according to the Mayo Clinic. The amount of calories an exercise causes you to burn also depends on factors such as your weight. For example, a 160-pound person might burn off 913 calories after an hour of rollerblading, but someone who weighs 240 pounds would burn about 1,363 calories in the same amount of time.
Tip
Your chances of losing weight are increased if you combine a healthy eating plan with your exercise routine. You'd have about 150 fewer calories to worry about burning off through exercise, if you simply replaced one 12-ounce can of soda with a glass of water. A healthy low-calorie eating plan should include mainly fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains, according to the Weight-control Information Network. Also incorporate some lean meats and other healthy protein sources such as nuts, fish and eggs, and limit trans fats, saturated fats, salt, cholesterol and added sugars.
References
- Weight-control Information Network: Weight Loss for Life
- MedlinePlus: Exercise and Weight Loss
- Mayo Clinic: Exercise for Weight Loss: Calories Burned in One Hour
- Weight-control Information Network: Choosing a Safe and Successful Weight-loss Program
- Mayo Clinic: Weight Loss: Six Strategies for Success
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity Guidelines
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