Exercise intensity and weight loss and are often discussed together because losing weight is simply about burning more calories than you consume, and intense exercise burns calories faster than moderate exercise. So while any exercise will burn calories and help you lose weight, you can drop those pounds faster with more time spent doing intense exercise. Of course, you have to be careful not to exercise too intensely for too long and risk injury, which can set back your weight-loss plans or, worse, lead to serious health problems.
Intensity vs. Duration
If your goal is to burn 300 calories, you can do that by walking or running. As you can imagine, you'll reach your 300-calorie goal faster with a more intense exercise, such as running. So your choices for exercise are shorter bursts of intense exercise or longer sessions of moderate exercise. For example, a 150-lb. person who runs at 5.5 mph for an hour would burn approximately 660 calories, while that same person would burn just 320 calories walking at 3 mph for an hour.
Types of Intense Exercise
In addition to running, other exercises can be done at intense pace to burn more calories and help you lose weight faster. For example, an hour of competitive basketball, as opposed to casually shooting baskets, can burn about 563 calories in a 155-lb. person. That same person would burn the same number of calories in an hour of cross-country skiing and would use up about 457 calories in a general, hourlong aerobics class. Other intense exercises include jumping rope, boxing, circuit training with minimal rest, rowing and cycling, if you can average at least 12 mph.
Warnings
Intense exercise can help you burn more calories in a shorter amount of time, but with greater intensity comes greater risk. Your odds of twisting an ankle or hurting your knee are greater in a basketball game or when you're out running than talking a walk or a moderate swim. And if you have heart-related issues, such as valve disease or high blood pressure, discuss with your doctor what level of exercise is safe for you.
The Role of Diet
If you don't change your diet but you ramp up your time spent exercising, you will eventually lose weight. But your efforts to lose weight through intense exercise can be aided if you also pay attention to your diet. A morning run that burns up 400 calories can immediately be negated if you consume 400 calories with a bagel and cream cheese when you get back home. Eating smaller portions and reducing the number of high-calorie, nutrient-deficient items, such as bagels, cookies, alcoholic beverages and soda, will help you reach your weight-loss goals much more quickly.
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