If you are hoping to lose a significant amount of weight from your new exercise regimen, it is important to adjust your routine to focus on the best exercise for weight loss rather than muscle building or toning.

How Much Exercise Do I Need for My Weight Loss Goal?

The amount of exercise you should perform depends on how much weight you are hoping to lose. You need to burn approximately 3500 calories to lose one pound of fat. You can do this by cutting calories out of your diet or by increasing your physical activity. Most successful weight loss routines combine these two methods together to improve overall physical health. Of course, if you plan on cutting calories from your diet, it is important to make sure you are still taking in enough calories to maintain your increased level of activity.

Most exercise routines focus on doing aerobic exercises to lose weight. Adults are typically advised to get at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week at moderate level. They should also be accompanied by 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity. These activities can be divided amongst several days, in sessions that are 10 minutes or longer. In addition to aerobic activity, adults should include at least two sessions of strength training per week. These activities help promote muscle growth which can increase your athletic abilities and help prevent injury as you increase your aerobic exercises. In general, aim to get 30 minutes of physical activity a day, alternating the type of activity you do each day so that you do not overstress a particular part of your body.

Best Exercise for Weight Loss

As a general rule, sustained and rhythmic activity which works several large muscle groups can count as aerobic exercise. The goal is to make the lungs work harder so that more oxygen can be pumped throughout the body.

• Do Aerobic Exercise: Any number of activities can count as aerobic exercise. Anything from walking, bowling to tai chi can help you lose weight if you perform consistently. Slower activities such as walking or swimming count as moderate activity and can be done frequently throughout the week. More strenuous activities such as running, dancing or playing basketball are considered as vigorous activity and can be done two to three times a week as part of your training sessions.
• Perform Strength Training: This can be done in traditional venues such as a gym where you can use free weights or barbells, but you can also do it at home. Performing activities like yoga can be used to build strength if you are using your body weight to balance or add resistance while you exercise. You can also perform activities such as redecorating or gardening that require you to carry several heavy objects throughout the day.
• Choose a Routine: There are lots of things at home and many great videos on the internet to help you do aerobics and set up a routine. If you exercise alone, make sure you select a routine that is ideal for beginners because you do not have anyone to check your posture to ensure that you are doing the exercise correctly. You can also invest in aerobic machines such as a treadmill or stationary bicycle. You may also want to invest in a weight machine instead of free weights to reduce your risk of injury when working out alone.
• Activities Without Equipment: For those who wouldn't like to use equipment to lose weight, best exercise for weight loss without using any equipment which can be performed indoors or outdoors is perfect. Activities, like climbing a set of stairs, going running outside or playing sports, can help you lose weight without any equipment. As long as you are performing activities that keep your heart rate up for 10-30 minutes at a time and performing consistent movement, then you can count this activity as aerobic exercise that may help you lose weight.

If you are severely overweight or you suffer from conditions like heart disease, you should consult your doctor before taking on any new exercise routines. It's important to determine what level of activity is safe so that you do not put too much stress on your heart while you exercise as this can be dangerous. Your doctor may also help you set a diet that will determine the calorie level you should take in to promote healthy weight loss.