Aerobic exercise does speed up weight loss, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The amount time you engage in aerobic exercise and the level of intensity significantly affect how much the activity can speed up weight loss. In addition, maintaining a regular aerobic exercise regimen improves your ability to keep a healthy weight.
Time Frame
The CDC recommends working out for 150 minutes per week at a moderate aerobic level to maintain your current weight. While this may seem daunting, you don't have to do it all at once. Five walks of 30 minutes each fulfills the requirement. If you work out vigorously -- so that you're breathless after a few words -- the time required for weight maintenance drops to 75 minutes per week. In addition, the CDC recommends twice weekly strength training to maintain bone density and build lean body mass.
Intensity
Your intensity level greatly affects the amount of time you need to work out aerobically. Intense workout options include jumping rope, jogging, lap swimming and skiing cross-country. All of these activities spike your heart rate and cause you to break a sweat. In addition, the Mayo Clinic states that interval training -- where you alternate a vigorous exercise with a lower-intensity activity during your workout -- increases the your caloric burn.
Other Factors
The CDC states that it may be necessary to significantly increase your aerobic exercise time and intensity unless you also adjust your diet. If your goal is to burn more calories than you take in and thus lose weight, the CDC recommends a healthy eating plan twinned with regular exercise. In addition, a long-term healthy lifestyle includes regular exercise, so find an exercise program that you enjoy and can stick with to get the most benefit for your weight and overall health.
Considerations
Before engaging in physical exercise, get your doctor's clearance. If you're heavily overweight or haven't been active in some time, your health care provider can best provide guidance about the activity level you should start at and how often you should work out to keep yourself healthy in the long term.
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