Remember that losing weight in a healthy, long-term way requires more than just exercise—but these activities can help you get there.
It’s tempting to seek a quick fix with as little adjustments as possible when it comes to weight loss. For many, this means relying on things (think workout programs, trendy diets, or commercialized meals and beverages), none of which provide safe, long-term outcomes.
Real talk: According to Liz Davis, a clinical exercise physiologist in Columbus, Ohio, “the route to true, lasting weight loss is pretty unsexy and not-so-straightforward.” “The balance between the calories you consume and the calories you exert is crucial for weight loss,” she explains.
What this means is that no matter how fit your cycling instructor or the Instagram model selling skinny tea appears to be, trendy products alone will not help you lose weight. Rather, it hinges on your capacity to maintain a consistent calorie deficit—that is, consuming fewer calories than your body requires to maintain basic body functions. Of course, ingesting more calories than your body requires to function will result in weight gain.
But it’s not just about calories in and calories out: a variety of other factors influence how your body sheds weight. A personal or family history of obesity, as well as hormonal abnormalities, environmental circumstances, psychological well-being, and even some prescription medications, can sabotage weight loss efforts, according to Harvard Medical School.
However, when it comes to weight loss, a calorie deficit is still king—and your food is the biggest contributor. “Think about it: you might need to walk for 45 minutes to burn 100 calories,” Davis explains. “All it takes is a few spoonful of ice cream to ingest 100 calories.” But it doesn’t rule out the possibility of exercise assisting you in reaching your weight loss goal, assuming you have one—as long as you choose the correct kind. Experts weigh in on the most effective exercises for weight loss.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
Cardio interval training, often known as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), is a type of exercise that is both quick and effective. Short (but intense) bursts of energy alternate with less intense (or resting) pauses in this cardio-based workout.
“The most scientifically solid technique to burn more calories while exercising is through high-intensity interval training, or cardio interval training,” Davis explains. She points out that your heart rate and temperature both rise in a short burst, two physiological characteristics that raise your metabolism temporarily. “During internal training, you’re disrupting your body’s balance,” she explains. “Your body is fighting to get back there in the hours after you workout.” In fact, according to a 2017 study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, your calorie burn during high-intensity interval training will last much longer than it would if you kept a constant pace throughout your workout.
What’s the best part? You don’t have to join a boot camp or flail around in your flat (and annoy your neighbors). This sort of cardio training can be done in a variety of ways, including walking, jogging, indoor cycling, walking, rowing, and the elliptical. According to Davis, the only significant rule to follow when doing HIIT exercise is to move in intervals.
“A decent go-to for beginners is roughly one minute on and two minutes off,” she says, adding that as your endurance improves, you can advance to a 1:1 or even 1:30 ratio.
Try it on a treadmill with a 1:1 ratio, for example: For one minute, walk or run at a moderately vigorous pace (75 to 85 percent of maximum effort—breathing hard but not out of breath). Then, for another minute, slow down to a comfortable walking pace (your breathing returns to normal or tries to do so). Continue this pattern for another 30 minutes, and you’re done! We’ve completed a super-easy HIIT workout.
Stretching, Yoga, and Pilates
To be honest, yoga, Pilates, and general stretching won’t help you burn as much as cardio interval and weight training will. But, as Davis argues, they can make you stronger and more supple so you can perform those exercises with precision and confidence.
“Any form of strengthening and stretching is excellent for weight loss since it strengthens and limbers your body,” she says. “This allows you to put more effort into your cardio and weight training programs.”
While you won’t burn a lot of calories during a yoga session, Davis points out that it’s still a sort of resistance training (you’re merely utilizing your body and gravity to compensate for the lack of weights).
Weight Training
While you won’t burn as many calories as you would with aerobic interval training, weight training provides a more long-term (and possibly even more sustained) burn.
According to a review of studies published in the journal Metabolism in 2019, there’s a strong link between muscle mass and resting metabolic rate, or how many calories you burn at rest (FYI: Resting calorie expenditure accounts for roughly three quarters of your daily caloric output—so it plays a big role in weight loss).
In that respect, the more muscle mass you have (as a result of resistance exercise), the easier it will be to maintain a healthy weight.
The more lean muscle you have, the more you’ll be able to eat everything you want without gaining weight. Simply put, you burn more calories when you’re at rest “Davis explains.
The more weight you lift, the better. Lifting larger weights for six or fewer repetitions at a time resulted in higher calorie burn for research participants, according to a study published in the Journal of Translational Medicine.
Slow burn is the ultimate key to weight loss, according to Norma Lowe, CPT, trainer and certified sports nutritionist. “It’s in the recuperation period that the magic happens.” In other words, if you focus just on calorie reduction, you will ultimately reach a plateau. Your metabolic rate will slow to a crawl at rest.”
The most important weight-loss workout is the one you love.
While high-intensity exercise (whether aerobic or resistance-based) will surely help you lose weight in the short term, if you don’t enjoy the workout, you’re unlikely to undertake it on a regular basis. According to research, this is the most predictable element in weight loss.
According to a study published in the journal Obesity, the most important component in long-term weight management is a stable, consistent exercise habit (along with a regular healthy eating regimen).
“The workout you’ll stick to is the one you truly enjoy,” Davis advises. “When clients inquire about the greatest workout for weight loss, I may inform them that certain exercises burn more calories than others. However, the ideal workout for weight loss is the one that makes you feel the best and one you enjoy doing.”
