Medical experts, including those with the American Heart Association, recommend that healthy adults exercise 30 minutes per day, five days per week. This time commitment to exercise might not be enough to help you lose weight, however --- rather, it might be just enough to maintain your weight and get fit. Losing weight with 150 minutes of exercise per week requires that you do certain types of exercises at a fat-burning level of intensity. Consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise regimen.
Cardiovascular Exercise
The simple recipe for losing weight is to burn more calories than you consume. Vigorous cardiovascular exercise such as running, speed walking, rollerblading, jumping rope, backpacking, playing basketball and doing high-impact aerobics burns more calories than lower-intensity exercise such as walking, bowling, ballroom dancing, downhill skiing or canoeing. Depending upon your weight and fitness level, 150 minutes of vigorous exercise burns around 2,000 to 3,500 calories per week; burning 3,500 calories equals losing one pound, or up to 4 lbs. per month. The same amount of moderate exercise burns about 1,000 to 1,500 calories per week, or about 2 lbs. per month.
Strengthening and Flexibility
Make strength and flexibility training part of your weekly workout as well. While this type of workout burns fewer calories, it helps build muscle and fitness, which support weight-loss goals. Do a round of sun salutations or yoga stretches as part of your warm-up for your workout. Pump light hand weights while doing cardiovascular exercise such as running, using a treadmill, climbing a stair machine or walking. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends doing eight or 10 different strength-training exercises for a couple sessions per week.
Interval Training
If you find yourself at a weight-loss plateau, look to interval training to intensify your workout and help you burn more calories quickly. Begin your 30-minute workout by warming up, then maintain a vigorous pace. Every five minutes, break into a sprint by running fast, jumping rope, doing fast jumping jacks or some other intense activity. After 30 seconds, reduce to a recovery pace, then your vigorous pace. Your heart rate stays higher longer, National Public Radio reports, burning more calories than working out at a consistent pace for half an hour.
Boot Camp
Boot camp-style workouts, like circuit training, target major muscle groups while elevating your heart rate. Many boot camp routines incorporate traditional calisthenics with floor work and cardiovascular exercise. Try a 30-minute session alternating between running or jogging and doing abdominal crunches, lunges, squats, triceps dips, biceps curls, pushups, pullups and lateral raises.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Exercise for Weight Loss: Calories Burned in One Hour; Dec. 1, 2009
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity Guidelines
- National Public Radio: Interval Training: Good Excrcise for All Ages; Allison Aubrey; Aug. 24, 2009
- Oprah: The Moves: Basic Training; Bob Greene; July 15, 2006
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