Best workouts for weight loss?

jeffrodgers1

I am a runner, plain and simple. I love to run outside (the dreadmill not so much). But every person is different. Ultimately I think it boils down to your heart rate and what you feel comfortable doing. Not doing anything will obviously not help.

That being said...I believe the best exercise for weight loss is likely any high intensity exercise that gets your heart rate into the right zone. This is why HIIT, circuit training, P90X, 30DS and some other exercises regimens are so effective at burning calories. They JACK your heart rate up and keep it there for a while.

This is what I have heard and been told by a physical trainer with several years experience...

For starters, You need to know what your maximum heart rate is (for men it is 220 minus your age, for women 226 minus your age) My maximum heart rate is therefore 180.

The ideal fat burning zone occurs at 65-85% of your maximum heart rate... so to get the best workout, I should try to get my heart rate to between 117 and 153 to have the maximum effect (and try to keep it there during your workout)

Hope it helps!

chrisallcock

To be honest, you can do all the cardio in the world but wont matter if your diet is not good. You will see bigger benefits to your fat loss if you eat good quality foods such as meat, fish, eggs fresh fruit and veg.

If you want to lose fat through exercise then interval training will benefit you the most.

ive just recently started interval training and alan is right, its the best for fat loss

blueviolet20

To be honest, you can do all the cardio in the world but wont matter if your diet is not good. You will see bigger benefits to your fat loss if you eat good quality foods such as meat, fish, eggs fresh fruit and veg.

If you want to lose fat through exercise then interval training will benefit you the most.

What are some good interval training workouts/workout systems? I've got a few workout dvds like 30DS and others? How would this be?

MakingAChoice

Do what ever you like.As long as you are up moving. The most important thing is changing what you eat.

Okay. What do I go by for food? My fiance insists that I eat more than MFP recommends...I'm at 1490 for calories on MFP, but he says I need to be eating 1800 calories a day....I know that I'll probably lose weight on either of those, just one slower than the other.

I would go by what MFP recommends once you put in your numbers. For foods you should reduce severely or eliminate refined sugars and white flour items and watch you sodium intake (MFP helps with this).

Eat
Whole Grains (i.e. Brown Rice)
Legumes
Potatoes
Unsweetened Granola

Good Fats
Avocados
Olive Oil
Canola Oil
Nuts

Lean Protein
Chicken
Turkey
Lean Beef
Fish
Eggs
Greek Yogurt

All fruits(not fruit juice) you want the fiber from the fruit to reduce the sugar impact to the body.

All Veggies

I did/do cardio at a gym (elliptical) and some weight training. This last week I started P90X and love it. Weight is dropping and I am more sore than I was with a gym workout with a personal trainer. I do not eat the P90X nutrition way, I eat from the things above and do just fine. Again I stress to not listen to your fiance, he is male which means a higher muscle ratio which in turn burns more calories. So what he things might be a good number might be too high for you. Use MFP numbers as a starting point and tweak things after a month if you don't see progress. Start up the P90X again and step up the intensity! Keep in mind if you are not working out your calorie intake should be lower than if you do workout.

Get a heart rate monitor if you do not have one. They are a huge help in measuring your burn in a workout. If you like to dance, try Zumba, it looks like a lot of fun. As an overweight guy I will not be in there yet. I don't want to look like Jabba the no rhythm fool. :laugh:

Ningymouse

I agree with alanmonks. Before I gained ny weight back I was excercising, but wasn't eating good. I stayed at my weight loss weight but when stopped all together I gained it back. So eating right and exercise is the best combo.

alanmonks

You can do allot of running interval training, or weight circuits too, or combining both. I don't have any specific names for these intervals, I read allot of magazines and books and I tend to mix and match exercises. I have a TABATA training app, which has a 20 second 10 second timer. I sprint for 20 seconds, all out and 10 seconds jogging. This lasts for 4 minutes and I do it 3 times. Its a killer but I love it, and I will do it early on Saturday or Sunday morning, to set me up for the weekend.

tinytearsie

Any cardio is good as long as your putting in the effort (sweat) to do at least 3-4 times a week. Hot yoga (Brikram yoga) is excellent cardio workout and is great for getting your posture correct and toning up. Depending on your weight you can lose anything from 350 cal to 1300 cal per class which is 90 mins long. If you want to lose weight you need to reduce your calories intake to about 1400 and increase your calories to 1800 to maintain your weight when your happy of what you lost.

sandram82

You can do allot of running interval training, or weight circuits too, or combining both. I don't have any specific names for these intervals, I read allot of magazines and books and I tend to mix and match exercises. I have a TABATA training app, which has a 20 second 10 second timer. I sprint for 20 seconds, all out and 10 seconds jogging. This lasts for 4 minutes and I do it 3 times. Its a killer but I love it, and I will do it early on Saturday or Sunday morning, to set me up for the weekend.

Tabata is soo great.. and you dont have to use the concept for running.. look it up on You tube you will find many diff exercises to use and theres a great timer online at

http://www.beach-fitness.com/tabata/
I agree with previous statements .. your food is a hugh part of your weightloss .. and the ideas listed by Making a choice are great!
Feel free to add me as a friend.. and def stick to the numbers MFP gives you .. not your husband!! MFP does work.. read the success stories!!

michelle4271

Bottom line is calories in vs. calories out.

You need cardio to start to burn the fat
You need strength training to continue that burn and to eliminate the burning of muscle.

Typicall, a healthy diet, with 5-6 days of cardio, and 3-4 days of strength training and you will see the results.

We have to remember that its not the number on the scale that needs to change, its our eating habits and our bodies. Therefore, I suggest taking all sorts of measurements and then taking them once a month to monitor the changes. Even if the scale doesnt move, that doesnt mean that your body is not getting leaner.

Good luck on your journey, and finding what works for you.

feliciapeters

It is my understanding that a combo of cardio & strength is the best. Cardio burns calories but strength builds muscle and muscle burns fat.

Jillian Michaels 30 day shred is a good dvd, she covers it all, each level (there are 3) does a 'circuit" of 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio & 1 minute of abs.

Many people have good success with it. Treadmill & elliptical or bike will probably work very nicely if you do the dvd as well

alanmonks

Any cardio is good as long as your putting in the effort (sweat) to do at least 3-4 times a week. Hot yoga (Brikram yoga) is excellent cardio workout and is great for getting your posture correct and toning up. Depending on your weight you can lose anything from 350 cal to 1300 cal per class which is 90 mins long. If you want to lose weight you need to reduce your calories intake to about 1400 and increase your calories to 1800 to maintain your weight when your happy of what you lost.

I would have a real issue with sepnding 350 minutes to burn 350 calories. Lathough the calss may be enoyable, a 25 minute run would get you a 350 calorie burn.

alanmonks

Any cardio is good as long as your putting in the effort (sweat) to do at least 3-4 times a week. Hot yoga (Brikram yoga) is excellent cardio workout and is great for getting your posture correct and toning up. Depending on your weight you can lose anything from 350 cal to 1300 cal per class which is 90 mins long. If you want to lose weight you need to reduce your calories intake to about 1400 and increase your calories to 1800 to maintain your weight when your happy of what you lost.

I would have a real issue with sepnding 90 minutes to burn 350 calories. Although the class may be enoyable, a 25 minute run would get you a 350 calorie burn.

partcho

To be honest, you can do all the cardio in the world but wont matter if your diet is not good. You will see bigger benefits to your fat loss if you eat good quality foods such as meat, fish, eggs fresh fruit and veg.

If you want to lose fat through exercise then interval training will benefit you the most.

totally agree. now I just have to follow everything said above...

sandram82

OK... after looking through your diary for only 1 week... You had mcdonalds, dominios.. KFC... all in just a week???
This is your problem.. bad food.. too much sugar and sodium and over on your calories...
Rethink your food and you WILL see a drop...
You also have NO water... YOU NEED water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

blueviolet20

OK... after looking through your diary for only 1 week... You had mcdonalds, dominios.. KFC... all in just a week???
This is your problem.. bad food.. too much sugar and sodium and over on your calories...
Rethink your food and you WILL see a drop...
You also have NO water... YOU NEED water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good point....I have been eating very junky this week. I've been so confused about nutrition, that I'm winding up throwing it all down the crapper. I'm starting with no junk food today...although I had some junky food for breakfast, I'm trying to get rid of it. And I do drink water, I just forget to record it sometimes.

robertf57

hi alot of the workout does not matter a high percentage is that you have to work in the correct training zone for fat burning you should be working at about 55-70 percent of your mhr (maximum heart rate also combined exercises are good i.e rowing x trainer and are you changing your workout every 4-6 weeks as your body gets used to it and becomes less affective hope this helps

Another myth. The fat burning zone is merely a low level of exercise that does not provide much improvement in cardiac condition. You will burn more calories, and fat, quicker with a higher level of exercise intensity.

ImperfektAngel

I started with the bike and elliptical for an hour, improving my distance in the same amount of time, every time I went to the gym. Once I reached my goal there, I started to jog on the treadmill but still doing the elliptical after, always keeping it at an hour of workout. Now I job and do the rowing machine, I also do zumba once a week. All cardio

michelle4271

I started with the bike and elliptical for an hour, improving my distance in the same amount of time, every time I went to the gym. Once I reached my goal there, I started to jog on the treadmill but still doing the elliptical after, always keeping it at an hour of workout. Now I job and do the rowing machine, I also do zumba once a week. All cardio

try to start to add strength training, you'll end up burning muscle if you dont

vfinn

im not big on exercise either any advise on how to motivate me?

jeffrodgers1

im not big on exercise either any advise on how to motivate me?

Make it fun
Do it with a friend
Promise yourself a reward if you do it for x number of times.

Once you start seeing the physical rewards, it becomes more fun.

blueviolet20

I've now developed a routine incorporating strength training, interval training, and cardio. I'll be updating on results later on in the journey! I'm also committing myself to following a regulated diet.

dave4d

I've now developed a routine incorporating strength training, interval training, and cardio. I'll be updating on results later on in the journey! I'm also committing myself to following a regulated diet.

Great idea. Just remember. The scale is not as important as you think. I saw a woman win a body transformation challenge without losing a single pound of weight. Make sure to take measurements. They give more accurate information as to what your body is actually doing.

blueviolet20

I've now developed a routine incorporating strength training, interval training, and cardio. I'll be updating on results later on in the journey! I'm also committing myself to following a regulated diet.

Great idea. Just remember. The scale is not as important as you think. I saw a woman win a body transformation challenge without losing a single pound of weight. Make sure to take measurements. They give more accurate information as to what your body is actually doing.

Wow. That's pretty awesome! I'll keep that in mind.