How Much Exercise Does it Take to Lose Weight?
Categories: Advice, Fitness, Ask a Fitness Expert
PrintHow Much Exercise Does it Take to Lose Weight?">
Dear Sarah, Just how much exercise does it take to lose weight?
Mary
Dear Mary,
Obviously every person is different, but I will answer this question in general terms. First let me say that using fitness as a weight loss tool is terrific, however it is important to recognize there are many factors involved in weight loss including nutrition, stress, and lifestyle.
How much?
In accordance with Health Canada's recommendations, experts say you should accumulate 60 minutes of exercise daily in the form of cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training. And the American College of Sports Medicine recommends exercising 250-300 minutes per week (which equates to 4-6 hours per week) for weight loss and 250 minutes or four hours per week to maintain a slim physique.
I suggest a minimum of five hours per week, spread out over five days. Give your body 24 hours of rest between cardio workouts and 48-72 hours between resistance training workouts.
What kind of exercise?
In my opinion, at least two to three hours per week should be dedicated to resistance training, and the rest to cardio. Each workout must include a proper warm-up and cool down (stretching).
How hard do you need to work?
Your workout should be hard. And then, at times, extremely hard! There is a difference between exercising for fitness and being active as part of a healthy lifestyle, and the difference lies with duration and intensity. You can walk five kilometres a day for general health, but if you jog for 2.5 kilometres a day, you are exercising for fitness -- working the heart, the body and the mind.
Remember that in order to achieve your desired size, your workouts must be progressive: continually challenge yourself and you will reap the rewards as you downsize. Beware, the more you exercise, the more you may even enjoy it.
Sarah Brown is a very healthy woman. She is not only a fitness instructor at Goodlife where she teaches Body Pump, Body Flow and yoga but she is also a Certified Nutritional Practitioner. If you have a question for Sarah, leave a comment below and she will try and help, but note that not all questions will be answered.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Vesna Grandja 1-12-2010 @ 6:24PM
Exercise isn't enough to lose weight. For example, people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome have to watch what they eat. They shouldn't be eating high calorie foods, foods with fat, greasy food, chocolate, caffeinated food and drink, etc.)
Constipation is a big problem for people with IBS. Avoiding the foods mentioned above and exercise helps.
These days it's difficult to get out there and run/jog/brisk walk. I brisk walk as often as I can out there. I've tried to to aerobics exercise indoors. I immediately felt the results on my legs (toned), but my back didn't take it well. I have a back condition. Even if I want to do a variety of exercise, it's too bad that I can't.
I agree that exercising five days a week for at least 30-45 minutes benefits the body and mind.
Reply
don 1-12-2010 @ 8:47PM
i am 53 and i cycle 4-5 times a week 100k per ride is this too much for my age
Reply
Anna 2-25-2010 @ 5:56PM
Hi Sarah,
I attend 2-3 Body Pump, 1-2 Body Flow (sometimes 3), 2-3 RPM classes as well as 1-2 Body Attack/Combat classes per week at my local Goodlife gym. I usually take one rest day a week, and pair Pump days with Flow, and RPM days with a little extra cardio like the Elliptical. I would say I exercise about 9-13 hours per week (and I know it sounds like a lot, but my body CRAVES this quantity of exercise otherwise I feel sluggish).
However, recently, I've been trying to lose the last 5-7 pounds to reach my weight loss goal (I''ve lost about 47 lbs in 2 years from healthy eating + solely relying on Les Mills classes! Lots of Combat, Pump, Attack during the peak weight loss time) and have been hitting a plateau ever since Nov-Dec. It's been two months and although I've made some changes to my routine (6am RPM classes twice a week vs. evenings), few more Body Flow classes per week, eating 5 small meals per day with lots of grains, veggies, fruits (while watching the sugar) with no results... well not NO results.. I guess I haven't gained weight.. but havent lost any either!
I eat around 800-1000 calories per day and cannot find the room in my stomach or the craving for any additional food. I eat very clean...
Breakfast: Steel cut oats with Soy, ground flax seeds and wheat germ, and 1 scoop protein powder; OR Nature's Path Multibran + Flax cereal with Soy, and a 70 calorie Promax Protein bar
Lunch: Dark leafy greens with fresh+roasted veggies, shredded baked Soy veggie burger patty, olive oil/vinegar based 'lite' dressing (or just lime juice, salt and pepper)
Snacks: Protein shake, Apple, Pomegranates, Almond Butter, Non fat sugar free yogurt, handful of Walnuts; 75% Dark Chocolate
Dinner: Poached egg whites with seanonings/spices, 1% M.F. Cottage cheese, Oven roasted veggies like Cauliflower, Portobello mushrooms, Carrots, Onions, Peppers, Tofu (I tend not to have any starchy carbs for dinner since I get home late and dinner is around 8 - 8:30 usually
Night snack (I'm a student too so Im usually up studying till about 1-2am): few tsps of Unsalted/Unsweetened Almond butter, non fat sugar free yogurt, a glass of soy/almond milk (unsweetened)
That is a lot of food isn't it? I feel so full by the end of the night, but it doesn't add up to mroe the 800-1000 cals per day. Should I force myself to eat more? I know the recommended Cals is no less than 1200 per day for women, but can i be that I just require less than that? Also, for the amount I am exercising, do you think my intake is too low? I could try and add a carb like brown rice or a while wheat Pita with my lunch, but feel badly about doing so for dinner(since i eat late). Oh and I should mention that I am a vegetarian as well.
Can you help me please?! Thanks, Anna
Reply
Daniel 7-20-2010 @ 8:42AM
I personnaly think that we are way too obsessed about calorie burning. Most people who are working toward weight loss do not eat enough, that is a fact, and to make things worse, they are going on a diet.
What one needs to do is to eat healthy and exercise regularly, and please, stop worry. How many times have we heard this?
i deal with people with the same situation and i hear all kinds of stories, most of them are out of despair and it is very sad. they have the best intentions to make it work, but they are stuck on calorie-counting and it just does not end.
do not get me wrong, i do not have a problem with people counting their calories, as long as it is done with health in mind.
i help a lot of people with weight loss and i am getting pretty good results. the approach is quite simple and that is exactly how it needs to be
that was my view
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