Weight Loss Can Be Challenging – There is nothing worse than weight loss that is too slow! If you are like me, then you make a plan to exercise more and eat less but dread every moment of what’s to come. I have been trying to lose weight off and on since high school and its still a battle. Despite all my hard work and sacrifice, it seems to take forever to shed even a few pounds. We have all tried to lose weight with some “magic diet” that omits the exercise, with mixed results. Check out these 5 fast weight loss exercises that will produce the results you have been looking for in no time at all.
Why Is Exercise Important?
When you are trying to lose weight you must burn more Calories (energy) than you are consuming in your daily diet to have effective weight loss. That means either exercising more, eating less, or ideally, a combination of both. With an average amount of exercise and daily caloric intake of about 2000 Calories you should not expect to gain or lose much weight. This food-exercise equilibrium is the so-called “maintenance state”. Any unburned Calories that are leftover at the end of each day are ultimately converted into fat for long-term energy storage. If you continually burn more Calories than what you consume then fat is broken down to provide usable energy in the form of sugar (glucose).
In addition to jumpstarting your metabolism, exercise keeps your body fit and functioning at its finest.
What Kind of Exercise is Best?
Although all exercise has it’s merits, aerobic exercise is one of the best ways to lose fat because it can increase your body’s resting metabolism. That means that you can burn more energy by doing less. A consistent routine of aerobic exercise also has a variety of medical benefits. It can help lower your blood pressure and heart rate, and decrease your risk of heart attack, and stroke. Other benefits include boosting your immune system, preventing osteoporosis, and lowering your risk of diabetes, just to name a few.
The more you weigh, the more calories you will burn in an hour, and vice versa. Harvard Health has provided a Table of Calories Burned in 30 minutes for a variety of exercises by people in three weight groups. Individuals that are out of shape and/or overweight should do less and slowly build up to an hour of exercise. If you have a history of medical problems, always check with a qualified healthcare provider before beginning your exercise program.
Listed below are the five aerobic exercises that I recommend you do on a regular basis to lose weight quickly. Always begin by warming up with your favorite stretches, then choose two of these five exercises to do consecutively and in any order for 30 minutes each. The key is to do one non-stop hour of aerobic training and do a different combination of exercises each day.
My Five Aerobic Exercises – In Order Of Calories Burned:
1. Walking At 4 MPH (Approximately 135 to 200 Calories in 30 minutes)
Walking is a great way to start your exercise routine, especially if you are out of shape. To maintain a speed of about 4 MPH you should plan to walk 2 miles in 30 minutes. If you are walking outside select a route that is close-by and measure a distance of 1 mile each way, from start to finish. If you have a treadmill, this is a great alternative when the weather does not permit a pleasant walk outdoors.
2. Weight Training, Vigorous (Approximately 180 to 265 Calories in 30 minutes)
Perform this training aerobically by using weights that feel comfortable for your size and strength, typically in the range of 2 to 10 pounds. Using weights that are too heavy is not ideal for this type of workout and can actually increase your weight by building muscle. Although weight training can increase your metabolic rate during and after your workout, the point of this exercise is to tone your muscles while burning calories, not build muscle bulk.
3. Circuit Training, General (Approximately 240 to 355 Calories in 30 Minutes)
Circuit Training is a type of high-intensity aerobic endurance training that uses a “circuit” (collection of particular exercises performed in a particular order) to build strength and endurance. The selection of the type of exercises and equipment used to create a circuit is entirely flexible and can be configured to suit each individual’s needs. It may be done with or without specific exercise equipment. These exercises are an excellent way to lose belly fat.
4. Running At 6 MPH = 10 Minute Mile (Approximately 300 to 440 Calories in 30 minutes)
Running is an excellent way to optimize cardiorespiratory conditioning. If you are a beginner then start slowly and increase your speed incrementally until you can run 3 miles in the allotted 30 minute time period. Adding hills when running outdoors or increasing the angle of elevation of your treadmill will further increase your caloric expenditure.
5. Cycling – Stationary, Vigorous (Approximately 325 to 470 Calories in 30 Minutes)
Cycling vigorously for 30 minutes can burn more calories than any of the other four exercises. Using a non-stationary bike can combine exercise with a rewarding outdoor experience. Cycling might be a better alternative to running if you have hip, knee, or foot problems. This is a particularly good exercise to combine with weight training or circuit training to achieve the ultimate workout.
Suggested Exercise Combinations:
It is important not to over-exercise when performing these combinations. Begin slow and listen to your body while building up to a full hour of activity. Don’t exercise through significant pain or discomfort. Stop immediately if you develop any concerning symptoms during your workout. Once you become familiar with these exercises you will be able to create combinations that are ideally suited to each particular day. Varying these exercise combinations regularly will provide you with the best possible conditioning and optimize your weight loss.
Here are some examples of 60-minute combinations that use 30 minutes of walking, running, or cycling plus another 30 minutes of weight training or circuit training (30 + 30). They provide different levels of difficultly and caloric consumption:
1. Average Workout = Walk + [Weight Train or Circuit Train]
2. Aggressive Workout = Run + [Weight Train or Circuit Train]
3. Ultimate Workout = Cycle + [Weight Train or Circuit Train]
Diet Is Important Too
A well-balanced and nutritious diet is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. If you follow a 2000 Calorie/Day (maintenance caloric intake) diet then this exercise regimen will produce weight loss, assuming you have a normal basal metabolic rate (BMR). To accelerate your weight loss, consider dropping your 24-hour caloric intake to about 1800 Calories/Day. Too low a daily caloric intake can prompt your body to slow down its metabolism and be counter-productive to both good nutrition and weight loss.
Final Thoughts
One of the best ways to lose weight fast is to use an exercise regimen that combines aerobics with lightweight training. Select two 30 minute exercises and do them sequentially, if possible. Begin slowly and build up to 60 minutes incrementally. Everyone can benefit from this type of exercise, even if you do not need to lose weight. You can do these exercises at home, outside, or in a gym. Set a fixed time to do it each day and try not to skip sessions. If you have a job then an early morning or evening session time will probably work best.
Tell Us What You Think
Please let us know what’s on your mind in the comment section, or if I can help you with anything.
- Do you have any additional tips or suggestions?
- Are you currently using a workout regimen to lose weight, and if so, what are you doing?
- Any tips to share and how are they helpful?
Thanks for writing this post. I am currently doing a workout program where I run three days a week and weight train 3 days a week in alternating fashion. I usually work out for 30 minutes, like you have recommended. I think the biggest tips I can give that have been helpful with me is maintaining consistency and eating a healthy, balanced diet. Without consistency, it’s hard to get into a groove. Without a healthy diet, it doesn’t matter how much you exercise, the calories in are still going to be higher than what you expend.
Hi Steve,
Your workout program sounds great and you are correct that consistency and a healthy, balanced diet are two key elements of the process. I’ll bet this regimen is producing excellent results. Like anything in life, to be successful you need a good plan, focus, and determination. Thanks for sharing your approach!
Frank
Hi Frank, this is a great and detailed article on how to lose weight fast using combination of exercises. We are always so anxious to achieve result with our weight loss plans. We believe that we are putting in much effort and making much more sacrifice than we are seeing result.
Your combination of exercise ideas shows how deep you are in experience and I will personally give it a try.
Hi Joseph,
I really appreciate that you read and liked my post! I think you will really enjoy this exercise routine. Let me know if you have any questions. I am here to help!
Consistent routine of aerobic exercise is very important as it leads to a healthy life. According to this review the importance of aerobic exercise can safe anybody from becoming victim to things like high blood pressure and the risk of heart attack, and stroke. It will also boosting your immune system, preventing osteoporosis, and lowering your risk of diabetes.
I appreciate your review its helpful and most relevant to all.
Hi There,
Thank you for your comments. They are most appreciated! Exercise can improve the clinical outcome of many medical conditions and keep healthy people in tip-top shape. It is one of the best things you can do for your body.
Frank
As someone who owns a nutritional supplement company, I see tons of useless information floating around the industry and the web. You have done a very good job here of laying out some simple suggestions that almost anyone could follow. While I may not agree with you on which type of exercise is best for weight loss, your suggestions most likely provide a starting point that would allow most to get moving…which is a good thing. Keep doing all you can to help one person at a time. Keep up the good work.
Hi Jason,
Thank You for your kind remarks and expertise! I had a look at your 3D Labs Nutrition website and I must say, I was very impressed. I agree that my article is a basic starting point and that people can consult personal trainers, etc, to proceed further with a more in-depth program that will produce specific results.
All The Best,
Frank
Hey nice article you have there. Exercise is key to most weight loss plans because it helps you burn more calories, and more calories burned equals more pounds lost. Swimming and Yoga is also a good alternative way of loosing weight. It is important to note that consistency in exercising will yield the maximum result you are expecting.
Hi,
Thank you for your comments! Calories eaten vs Calories burned is one of the most fundamental ways to design a good weight loss diet, which should also be nutritious. As you say, exercise and consistency are both key to weight loss. Swimming and Yoga are excellent options.
Frank