Women should lose weight through diet and exercise. Diet alone can do it, but women are likely to lose muscle right along with fat when eating fewer calories. Since women already carry a higher risk for osteoporosis than men, they should include weight-bearing exercises like yoga and running on an elliptical trainer as part of their weight-loss program. These exercises both burn calories and combat osteoporosis through putting some stress on the skeletal system.
Step 1
Eat less and you'll lose weight, but sometimes less isn't more. Follow the advice given by nutritionist Andrea Wenger Hess in an article called "Common-Sense Strategies to Long-Term Weight Loss" that states that women should eat a minimum of 1,200 calories per day. Wenger Hess is employed by the University of Maryland's Joslin Diabetes Center. She says that eating fewer than 1,200 calories will make the chances of getting your daily recommended nutrients difficult. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute offers free sample menus that target the 1,200 calorie mark (see Resource section below).
Step 2
Schedule two days or more muscle-strengthening activities into your planner on non-consecutive days. Yoga classes at a local gym or studio are one way to meet this requirement, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Pilates classes and heavy gardening are two other choices. Keep to your regular schedule if you are already lifting weights at least two days a week, but have one day off in between workouts to give your body time to recuperate and re-build your muscles to lower risks of injury.
Step 3
Schedule some moderate-intensity cardio five days per week. Moderate intensity cardio is easier on your body and safer to do than high intensity exercise like running and cycling up hills. Moderate intensity activities that are also considered weight-bearing activities by the National Osteoporosis Foundation include hiking, dancing, and walking at a brisk pace. Choose moderate intensity exercise also because it will get your heart pumping but shouldn't stop you from chatting with your workout buddy, which may very well what might keep you going.
Step 4
Work up from 10 minutes of cardio per day to 30 minutes, as recommended by the CDC.
Tips and Warnings
- Do cardio and strength training on the same days if you like, but do them during different times of the day so you do not push yourself too hard.
References
- Common-Sense Strategies for Long-Term Weight Loss
- "NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training: Course Manual;" National Academy of Sports Medicine; 2008
- CDC: Physical Activity for Everyone
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