Losing weight doesn't require spending hours and hours on the treadmill. In fact, you can be fairly flexible in your choice of exercise to lose weight. Weight loss occurs when you create a calorie deficit in your body. This means that your body is burning calories for energy at a faster rate than you are consuming them through food. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention notes that a deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories per day causes a person to lose 1 to 2 lbs. per week.
Running
Running is one of the most effective ways to lose weight. MayoClinic.com notes that people weighing between 160 and 240 lbs. can burn between 986 and 1,472 calories if they run for one hour at a consistent pace of 8 mph. This a higher calorie burn than any other form of cardio listed. The exact number of calories burned will depend on the fitness of the individual.
HIIT
High-intensity interval training is a strategy for burning fat that's often used by pro athletes and others serious about their fitness. With HIIT you divide your current cardio session, whether it be a run, swim or bike ride, into a series of high- and low-intensity work rate intervals. Each interval is normally between 30 seconds and two minutes long. The constant changes in intensity cause the body to increase calorie burn.
Active Hobbies
Its is possible to have fun, and even be social, while losing weight. MayoClinic.com lists a variety of active hobbies and sports that are effective ways of burning off the calories, including backpacking, rollerblading, dancing, tennis, volleyball and basketball. As long as you are being physically active, you are helping your body burn the calories and therefore create the deficit it needs to lose weight.
Muscle Burns Fat
By hitting the weight room and developing your muscles, you will help your body more efficiently burn fat. Muscles are needed for even the most minuscule of body movements, including facial expressions and even blinking. All of these movements burn calories. Therefore, the more you build and tone your muscles, the more effective your body becomes at burning calories. The speed of your metabolism increases the more muscle mass you build.
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