Top 10 Exercises to Lose Weight
When trying to lose weight, it is important to find the appropriate exercise program that will fit with your lifestyle. In order to lose weight, the calorie intake needs to be lower than what your body burns off. In order to lose one pound of fat, you must burn approximately 3500 calories over and above what you already burn doing daily activities. A reasonable weight loss target should be one pound of body fat per week, or by creating a caloric deficit of approximately 500 calories per day either through exercise, diet, or both. Most doctors recommend combining exercise (medium-high intensity coupled with moderate strength training workouts) with a diet program. Relying on dieting alone has been shown to lead to temporary results and eventual frustration.
Cardiovascular Workouts (Aerobic)
Regular exercise helps speed up your metabolism, improves your fitness condition and increases energy levels. While not all exercises have the same effect on the body, cardiovascular exercise is critical to weight loss and maintenance. Aerobic exercise is considered to be physical activity that maintains a steady heart rate at 50-70 percent of the heart's maximum rate.
For extremely overweight people, a practical way to incorporate cardio exercise is walking. Start slow and begin at a comfortable pace. Once you feel comfortable, increase your walking routine to several times per week at a medium-high intensity for 30 minutes. Increase your pace and try to walk as briskly as possible in order to increase your heart rate.
Top 10 aerobic exercises for losing weight:
- Walking-Calories burnt: 360 cal/hr.
- Bicycling - Calories burnt: 250 to 500 cal/30 minutes.
- Swimming - Calories burnt: Up to 800 cal/hr.
- Running - Calories burnt: 330 cal/ 30 min.
- Step Aerobics - Calories burnt: 800 cal/hr.
- Elliptical - Calories burnt: 600 cal/hr.
- Rowing - Calories burnt: 500-600 cal/hr.
- Rock Climbing - Calories burnt: 760 cal/hr.
- Racquetball - Calories burnt: 800 cal/hr.
- Cross-country Skiing - Calories burnt: 660 cal/hr.
Strengh Training (Anaerobic)
Strength training is a vital part of a balanced exercise routine and is essential for losing weight as it helps to build lean muscle tissue which raises the metabolism and helps lose body fat. The ideal strength training program includes working all your muscle groups for at least two non-consecutive days a week.
When you strength train, you're using your muscles to work against the extra pounds which strengthens and increases the amount of muscle mass in your body. Most people who work out with weights use two different kinds: free weights (including dumbells, hand weights, bands) and weight machines. Free weights work a group of muscles at the same time whereas weight machines help to isolate and work a specific muscle.
In addition to free weights and weight machines, there are other forms of strength training such as using stability balls and bands. People even use their own body weight in the form of push ups or sit ups for strength training.
Don't rely on strength training as your only form of exercise as it is highly recommended that you incorporate aerobic exercise of moderate to vigorous activity to get your heart rate up.
It is important to seek medical approval before starting any exercise program.
Sources:
- www.exercise.about.com
- www.webmd.com