How Much Exercise Do You Need to Lose Weight?

To maintain your current weight, your body needs to be in a state of energy balance. That means the amount of energy that you consume should be balanced with the amount of energy you expend.

To lose weight, that balance has to be offset in the direction of output. (Less in, more out.)

For that reason, experts agree that weight loss programmes must include some form of exercise. The general recommendation is:

• 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity a week
• 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise a week

That being said, evidence suggests that exercise alone may not lead to fat loss. Instead, the best results are seen when exercise is combined with a healthy, low-calorie diet. 

Aside from weight loss, exercise promises so many other benefits:

What are the Benefits of Exercise?

• Exercise increases your aerobic fitness by getting your heart rate up
• It decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease
• It reduces the fat stores in the belly through calorie burn
• It preserves and strengthens your muscles
• It helps to ward off metabolic diseases like diabetes and high cholesterol
• Improves your mental health

And yes, for many, it can make a huge contribution to weight loss.

The Best Exercises for Weight Loss, and Why They Work

Sustainability is everything when it comes to any weight loss program.

It’s not about how much weight you lose, nor how quickly, but about your ability to sustain that weight you have lost. In fact, maintenance is the primary challenge of physicians who facilitate weight loss programmes. 

That means that the best exercise to lose weight — and to reap the rewards associated with it — are ones you can enjoy and sustain.

With that in mind, let’s look at what’s on the table.

Workouts that Help with Weight Loss

One study compared aerobic exercise, resistance training, and a combination of the two to see what the most effective exercise was for weight loss. The results? 

Unsurprisingly, a combination was the best option of the three. Here’s how they help toward your weight loss goals:

• Aerobic activity: The optimal form of exercise for reducing fat and body mass
• Resistance training: The best exercise to increase lean muscle mass
• A combination: The best of both worlds.

Cardio workouts

We’ll take you through the benefits of each.

Walking

Walking is simple, it can be done almost anywhere, and it can yield significant results.

In this 12 week study, moderate walking was found to enhance weight loss for participants on a calorie-restricted diet. It also appeared to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

If you have a step tracker in your life, work up to hitting 10,000 steps a day. You don’t have to get there all at once. Gradually increasing the amount you walk can have a positive effect.

Running

If running is an option for you, it can be even more effective as a weight loss strategy than walking. 

If you’ve never been a runner before and are looking for ways to get going, here are some options:

• Start off with the run-walk method. (Run for 30 seconds, walk for 2 mins, repeat.) Gradually build up the time you are running and reduce the time you are walking.
• Create a plan for yourself. Something like: run for 30 minutes two days a week, and 40 minutes for one day a week. Write it down. Make yourself accountable. (This applies not only to running but for all exercise regimes.)
• Choose a shorter race that’s coming up in the future. That way, you have something to work towards. Here’s a useful race finding tool to help you find something appropriate for your needs.

Just note that running puts you more at the risk for injury, making it a harder practice to sustain in the long term. As this study tells us, almost half of recreational runners get injured at some point, usually to their knees, calves, or Achilles tendons.

Swimming

This enjoyable full-body workout has some serious fat-burning potential.

Swimming for 60 minutes three times a week has been shown to have a significant impact on reducing body fat, lowering cholesterol, and improving strength and flexibility.

A low-intensity 30 minute swim burns about 250 calories. A high intensity 60 minute swim burns up to 800 calories.

Cycling

Cycling is another incredibly powerful method to burn fat. On average, you’ll burn somewhere between 450 to 750 calories per hour.

Integrating cycling into your daily life can be an effective way to fit exercise into your schedule. Biking to work, the shops, or to visit friends is a simple lifestyle change that can do wonders.

Rowing

Rowing is comparable to running in terms of the amount of calories you will burn. Plus, it’s a total body workout that includes both your legs and upper body.

If you’re new to rowing, start with a 20 minute workout that includes a 5 minute warmup and 5 minute cooldown. When you’re at the height of your workout, try to reach 24 strokes a minute. Try this three days a week and gradually build up from there.

Dancing

Dancing is a full-body workout that increases lean muscle mass, burns fat, and can burn a high number of calories. This study of Zumba dance, for example, showed it to be an effective method for reducing weight and body fat.

And there’s another bonus here. Dancing also comes with benefits for your brain, including aiding long-term memory and spatial recognition.

HIIT Workouts

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. It involves short explosive periods of high intensity exercise, followed by brief recovery periods. Those short bursts can comprise any cardio activity — rowing, running, jumping rope, or even climbing stairs. You’ll break out into a sweat quickly and relish the recovery times.

HIIT can improve your fitness levels, decrease your risks of cardiovascular disease and, as this study showed, reduce belly fat.

In terms of weight loss, it has similar effects to moderate intensity continuous exercise. Ultimately, it’s important for you to choose the exercise type that you enjoy most.

Strength-Training Workouts

Whether you belong to a gym or are doing this on your own, here are some strength-training exercises you can combine with your cardio regime.

Weight Training

Resistance training can be a useful part of a weight loss program. It helps to reduce fat, improve your metabolism, and stave off health conditions like diabetes.

If you’re new to this, here are some exercises to kick you off:

1. Deadlift. From a standing position, lift a bar or loaded barbell from the ground until it is level with your hips and your torso is perpendicular to the floor. Place it back on the floor. Repeat. 
2. Bench press. Also called the chest press, lie on your back on a weight training bench, grip a weighted bar with both hands and lift it into the air. 
3. Lunges. With one of your legs forward, lower your torso until both knees are bent at 90 degrees, then swap leg. Lunges can be more effective if you hold a dumbbell in each hand.
4. Burpees. Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, lower into a squat and put your hands on the floor in front of you. Jump back into a plank position. Return to a squat and then to a standing position. Repeat.
5. Squats. From standing, tighten your muscles and lower your butt down. A helpful guide is to visualise that you are going to be sitting on an invisible chair. Try this with a barbell behind your head as you squat. 
6. Sit-ups. Lying on your back with your knees bent, place your hands behind your ears or cross them over your chest. Lift your head and shoulder blades off the ground and then return them down. Exhale as you rise and inhale as you lower.
7. Push-ups. Lying on your stomach with your arms by your side, bring your hands in line with your shoulders. Tighten your abs and lift yourself up so that your arms are straight. Lower until they’re back at a 90-degree angle. If this feels too much to begin with, try it with your knees bent.

A personal trainer can help give you an individualised training program that meets your specific body and needs.

Yoga

Yoga has recently gained more traction, not only as a stress-relieving tool but also for its other health benefits. It is great as an exercise to reduce your bodyweight too.

This study showed it to be an effective addition to weight loss and weight management programmes, reducing fat and increasing lean muscle mass.

In addition, yoga can have major benefits for your overall well being, and has been shown to have significant effects on improving mental health and brain function.

Key Takeaways

Exercise can form a crucial part of a weight loss program. A combination of aerobic and weight training has been proven to be an effective weight loss strategy. But for best results, your goal is to find an exercise routine that you enjoy, as this will help you sustain your efforts into the future.

FAQs

How Do I Start Exercising to Lose Weight?

The thought of beginning an exercise routine can be overwhelming. So, start slow with an activity you like. The goal to begin with is to just get going — no matter how small it seems. Go for a bike ride with a friend. Try out an exercise class or walk around the block. Then, do a little more each week and you’ll be surprised at how quickly your routine builds up.

What is the best low-impact exercise?

Particularly if you have a history of injuries — or would simply like to prevent them from happening in the future — finding low impact exercises can be the way to go. Good options to start? Swimming and walking are great options. Cycling, rollerblading, and skating are also good ideas if they are activities you enjoy.

While we've ensured that everything you read on the Health Centre is medically reviewed and approved, information presented here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to your doctor.