When it comes to age-related weight gain, remember that it’s never too late to start exercising. When combined with a healthy, balanced diet, research shows that regular exercise can promote weight loss.
But losing weight shouldn’t be the only reason to start exercising. Try to think of exercise as something you’re doing for your long-term mental and physical health. If you take the weight loss part out of the exercise equation, it will seem easier to start moving.
If you’re not sure where to start, just commit to moving every day, whether it’s a brisk walk or a quick cardio class you can watch online before work. For those times when you can’t get out, you can also try using a walking mat or an under-desk treadmill.
How to Exercise to Lose Weight?
If you’re ready to reap the health benefits of exercise, here are 3 strategies to get you started:
1. Set a Weekly Exercise Goal
Most people need more frequent and vigorous exercise to offset age-related weight gain. To maintain optimal health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week and strength training at least twice per week. However, according to the American Heart Association, to achieve additional health benefits, such as weight loss, you may need double the recommended amount of cardio.
If you’re new to exercise, it’s best to start with basic exercises and gradually increase the intensity over time. Start with a few weeks of simple cardio and strength training to build a foundation for more intense workouts. The amount of exercise needed will vary depending on your weight loss goals.
Aim for about 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day, then build up from there. This level of exercise can help keep your heart healthy and help lower your cholesterol and blood pressure. It’s a great place to start whether you’re just starting out or returning to exercise after a long break. After a few weeks, you can move on to more intense workouts as you build strength and endurance.
2. Be consistent
While weight loss may require 300 minutes or more of exercise a week, once you reach your goal weight, you can opt for more moderate exercise to maintain your fitness. Many people may find that aiming for 150–250 minutes of exercise a week can be a realistic long-term goal. Keeping up with regular exercise can help prevent weight regain.
Being consistent also means allowing yourself some flexibility. For example, one week you may only have time to work out for 150 minutes, and another week you may be able to work out for 300 minutes or more.
However, remember that more isn’t always better. Overtraining increases your risk of injury, burnout, or overtraining, which can be especially frustrating when you’re working toward a weight loss goal. So aim for consistency, but don’t forget to prioritize balance.
3. Increase Your Workouts
Whenever you’re ready for more intense workouts, here are some ideas to increase your weekly calorie burn:
- Try high-intensity interval training: Tabata, interval training, or metabolic conditioning workouts are designed to burn more calories and push you to work a little harder.
- Circuit training: Combining cardio and strength training together gets your heart rate up, helping you build endurance and strength.
- Increase the duration: If you normally work out for 50 minutes, try adding 10 minutes to one or two workouts each week.
- Increase the frequency: Add another workout day, or try cardio in the morning followed by strength training later in the day. Just remember to take one day off each week.
- Hire a trainer: Working out one-on-one with a personal trainer can help keep you accountable and motivated, while also providing you with personalized guidance for your workouts.
- Train for a race: You might set a goal to train for an event like a 5K run or a bike race. Sometimes, having a specific motivation to train can distract you from your sole goal of losing weight.
