Any type of exercise can help you lose weight, some just not as quickly as others. The key to maximizing your weight loss is your workout intensity. Choose high-intensity exercises designed to tighten your body in the shortest amount of time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a maximum of 2 lbs. per week for safe weight loss.
Interval Training
High intensity interval training, or HIIT, is a type of exercise regimen involving shorter "rest" and "work" intervals that keeps your body from getting accustomed to the same old workout -- this is the premise behind the concept of muscle confusion. HIIT is a vigorous training technique that can use any type of aerobic exercise, such as running, swimming, biking or elliptical training. The benefits of interval training, according to the Mayo Clinic, are greater calorie burns, improved aerobic capacity and no need for special equipment.
Circuit Training
Circuit training is a lot like HIIT, but instead of aerobic training, you use resistance-training exercises completed one after the other with little rest between each station. You can pick up to 10 resistance-training exercises to get a full-body workout during each circuit. Circuit training helps you build muscle and burn calories at the same time. Since muscle tissue burns more calories than fatty tissue, the more muscle you have, the more efficient your body becomes at burning fat. A sample circuit-training regimen could include bench press, deadlifts, squats, pullups, crunches, rows, calf raises, tricep dips and bicep curls.
Workout Duration/Frequency
The CDC's recommendation for adults is 30 to 60 minutes of moderate aerobic activity on most days of the week. However, increasing the intensity of your workout to a more vigorous pace can help cut down your workout time. The CDC says that a 60-minute workout performed at a moderate pace is equivalent to a 30-minute workout completed at a vigorous pace. Both HIIT and circuit training are considered vigorous workouts, so 30 minutes per day is enough for you to lose weight at a safe pace.
Considerations
Although high-intensity exercise can help speed up your weight loss, vigorous training may not be an appropriate choice for everyone. The Mayo Clinic suggests that people with chronic health conditions speak to their doctor before starting a vigorous training regimen. Also, if you have not exercised on a regular basis, start out at a lower intensity until your fitness level progresses. This will help you avoid injury and symptoms of over-training, such as nausea and dizziness.
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