To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume, and the larger the difference between what you take in and how much you burn off, the bigger your weight loss will be. You should exercise six days a week and eat a healthful diet. Combining exercise with a calorie-restricted diet will help you lose weight even faster.
Weight Loss
To lose 1 lb. of weight, you must burn 3,500 calories more than you consume. No magic exercise will help you lose a lot of weight; it all depends on how hard you work and how long you exercise for. If you have the time, you do not need to be super fit to burn a lot of calories. A 200-pound man can expect to lose 1 lb. if he ran at 8 mph for three hours or he could go on a day's hike and lose the same amount.
How Much to Lose
If you burn 1,000 calories more than you consume on each of your six exercise days, you will lose about 7 lbs. each month, and if you can increase that to 2,000 calories, you will lose 14 lb.
The Right Exercises
According to tables compiled by Nutristrategy, the top-calorie burning exercises per hour are running up stairs, cycling at 16 mph, running at 10 mph, using an exercise bike or rowing machine vigorously, and swimming a fast breaststroke or butterfly.
You should choose exercise that you enjoy, have the time to fit into your schedule and that will make you work hard. The number of calories that you burn will depend on your starting weight. If you weigh 130 lbs., you will burn 590 calories per hour when you are cycling fast but could burn 930 per hour if you weigh 205 lbs. Working out on gym equipment will often mean the on-board computer can calculate how many calories you have burned.
Starting Out
Because you are going to exercise regularly, you need the right clothing and footwear. If exercise hurts or is uncomfortable, you will be less likely to do enough to lose weight. Don't spend a lot of money on clothing, but it is worth seeking expert advice in a sports store to get well-fitting, suitable shoes. If you are going to exercise outside, you might also need waterproofs, a hat and sunscreen. If you are going to workout to DVDs, you need a suitable screen and enough floor space to carry out the routine and, wherever you exercise you will need a water bottle. If you have not exercised regularly for a while or are overweight remember to start gradually and build up your speed as the weeks go by.
Hidden Extras
Don't forget to increase the number of calories that you burn during your normal day. Take the stairs rather than the elevator, walk round briskly when doing your chores and walk round the block on your lunch break. It might not seem like much but if you walk briskly up two flights of stairs four times a day for a week, you could lose another 2 lb. each month and that lunchtime walk could mean you drop another 1 lb. each week.
References
- "The Calorie, Carb and Fat Bible"; J. Kellow, L. Costain, L. Beeken; 2010
- Nutristrategy: Calories Burned During Exercise
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