If you've been struggling to lose weight but do not have an exercise program, you will find that the excess pounds come off much easier once you begin working out. Becoming active can help to increase your metabolism, even when you are not exercising. Even better, you will become stronger and healthier as you lose weight.
Limitations of Dieting
While you can lose weight by dieting without exercise, you won't lose as quickly. You must burn 3,500 more than you eat to lose one pound. If you eliminate 500 calories from your diet each day, you will lose a pound each week. Working out can help to speed your weight loss while building muscle that will give you a more attractive appearance. Add a workout that burns 500 to 750 calories to your daily routine, and you can lose from 2 to 2 1/2 pounds each week. Keep in mind that you will need to watch calories when you work out regularly, lest you inadvertently begin to eat more.
Aerobic Exercise
Get your heart rate pumping to burn calories and lose weight. If you are just starting an exercise program, walking and other gentle exercises are a good way to begin, but increase your level of intensity as soon as you are able. A 180-pound person who cycles for an hour can burn 650 calories. Running burns approximately the same number of calories, as does swimming laps. Do these activities every day for one week, and you will lose more than a pound.
Weightlifting
When people talk about losing weight, they are usually talking about eliminating fat. You can help your body to burn fat even when you are at rest by building more muscle. Muscle is more compact than fat, so when you gain muscle, you may not see a change on the scale. You are likely to see a change in how your clothes fit, however. Do at least two strength-building sessions per week, the minimum amount recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine.
Routine
If you want to lose weight by working out, commit to exercising on a regular basis. Plan to exercise for at least one hour every day. Don't limit your activity to formal exercise, however. When you are not working out, engage in activities that get you off of the couch and moving around. Walk to the corner store, work in the yard or engage in a hobby that requires movement.
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