Exercising to lose weight fast poses a challenge, because you have to burn 3,500 calories to lose one pound and exercise strenuously for at least two hours to burn that many calories. Active women and sedentary men should eat 2,000 calories per day, according to the Merck Manual of Medical Information. It will take you 70 days to lose 10 pounds if you burn 2,500 calories daily and eat 2,000.
Running
Running wins top billing as the best way to lose weight quickly. The July 2004 issue of the Harvard Health Letter reports that three different running speeds are respectively tied for first, third and fourth on its list of best weight-loss exercises. If you can run 10 miles per hour or a six-minute mile, you will lose 1,466 calories per hour if you are 185 pounds, 1,228 calories per hour if you're 155 pounds and 990 calories per hour if you're 125 pounds. The calorie-loss figures for seven-minute milers are 1,288, 1,078 and 870; the calorie-loss figures for eight-minute milers are 1,010, 930 and 750.
Bicycling
Bicycling more than 20 miles per hour is tied with running 10 miles per hour as the best exercise to lose weight fast, reports the Harvard Health Letter. Slower bicyclists can also lose weight relatively quickly. If you bicycle 16 to 19 miles per hour, you will lose 1,066 calories per hour if you weigh 185 pounds, 892 calories per hour if you're 155 pounds and 720 calories if you're 125 pounds. The calorie-loss figures for 14 to 16 miles per hour bicyclists are 888, 744 and 600.
Swimming
Swimming also can help exercisers to lose weight quickly, reports the Harvard Health Letter. The crawl ties for first among best weight-loss swimming activities. If you use the crawl and the butterfly strokes, you will lose 976 calories per hour if you weigh 185 pounds, 818 calories per hour if you weigh 155 and 660 calories per hour if you're 125 pounds.
Three swimming activities will result in 185-pound people losing 888 calories per hour: the breaststroke, treading vigorously and swimming laps vigorously.
Games
Handball is the No. 1 game on the Harvard Health Letter exercise-to-lose-weight fast list. It's tied with bicycling 16 to 19 miles per hour. Water polo and racquetball are tied for second as the second-best games to lose weight fast. These games tie with rope jumping, judo, karate, kickboxing, running a 10-minute mile, bicycling 14 to 16 miles per hour and the three swimming activities that enable 185-pound people to lose 888 calories per hour.
Gym Activities
Vigorous exercise on a stationary bicycle is the best gym activity exercise for losing weight, according to the Harvard Health Letter. You will lose 932 calories per hour if you exercise vigorously on a stationary bicycle and weigh 185 pounds, 782 calories per hour if you're 155 pounds and 630 calories per hour if you're 125 pounds.
High-impact step aerobics is the second-best gym activity for losing weight. It is followed by using the elliptical trainer, stationary rowing, circuit training and vigorous calisthenics.
References
- Harvard Health Publications: "Calories burned in 30 minutes for people of three different weights"
- The Merck Manual of Medical Information; 1999
- "The Well Adult;" Dr. Mike Samuels and Nancy Samuels; 1988
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