What is the best exercise for fat loss?

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Hi All - My name is Suzanne, I'm 41, 5'5", 205lbs, I'm definitely a "pear". I'm fat but strong, and I'm wondering what is the best type of exercise to get the scale moving down fast? I'm on weekl 5 of P90X and loving it - I'm seeing gains in weight I can lift, repetitions I can do, and seeing muscle definition in my body. I think I'm pretty strong - I use 10-15 lb. weights for all of the exercises, I can easily carry a 50 lb bag of dog food up two flights of stairs. I can run 3miles in 45 minutes. I really want to be smaller, fit in nicer clothes, and get rid of all the flab and sag from my waist to my knees. What do you guys think is the best exercise plan for pure fat loss?
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Replies

  • jenhenning219
    jenhenning219 Posts: 385 Member
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    i use the wii fit plus and i love it
  • EbonyGemstoneHealth
    EbonyGemstoneHealth Posts: 249 Member
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    I'd recommend getting some HIIT sessions into that plan! :D
  • AdamATGATT
    AdamATGATT Posts: 573 Member
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    The one you enjoy and keep wanting to do.
  • murf19
    murf19 Posts: 453 Member
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    Me Personally, I think diet is the key to fat loss. Any workout with the right diet will shed fat.
  • SarahofTwins
    SarahofTwins Posts: 1,169 Member
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    Besides dieting I would say plenty of cardio...walking, jogging, dancing. Those really help you out in losing the fat :)
  • baldzach
    baldzach Posts: 1,841 Member
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    Hi All - My name is Suzanne, I'm 41, 5'5", 205lbs, I'm definitely a "pear". I'm fat but strong, and I'm wondering what is the best type of exercise to get the scale moving down fast? I'm on weekl 5 of P90X and loving it - I'm seeing gains in weight I can lift, repetitions I can do, and seeing muscle definition in my body. I think I'm pretty strong - I use 10-15 lb. weights for all of the exercises, I can easily carry a 50 lb bag of dog food up two flights of stairs. I can run 3miles in 45 minutes. I really want to be smaller, fit in nicer clothes, and get rid of all the flab and sag from my waist to my knees. What do you guys think is the best exercise plan for pure fat loss?

    The best exercise for fat loss? That's easy. It's your favorite one.

    Seriously. The best exercise for fat loss is the one you'll do and stick with it. Running, cycling, circuit training, weight lifting, whatever floats your boat. Find something you love, stick with it, and remember to watch your nutrition. No exercise will outtrain a bad diet. That's probably the biggest key. You watch "Biggest Loser" and they show them doing all these workouts ("Last Chance Workout!!") but they don't show the diet side. Those folks are eating 1100-1200 calories a day and THAT'S IT. So keep the calories down (maybe not THAT far) and pick your favorite.

    Have fun, and good luck!
  • kcphilly
    kcphilly Posts: 71
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    Sounds like you're on a good course. One important thing I've learned since doing this is that sadly you can't "spot reduce" fat loss, aka make your body lose where you want it to lose and when. But if you keep up with everything eventually the inches will start to come off of the areas you do want.
  • ktblueyz
    ktblueyz Posts: 72
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    cardio for sure. use the treadmill or elliptical consistently and the fat will start to melt off
  • ronda_gettinghealthy
    ronda_gettinghealthy Posts: 777 Member
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    The one you enjoy and keep wanting to do.

    absolutely
  • ShaeDetermined
    ShaeDetermined Posts: 1,525 Member
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    The one you enjoy and keep wanting to do.

    :drinker:
  • Nomomush
    Nomomush Posts: 582 Member
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    High Intensity
    Intervals
    Circuit training
  • CarterGrt
    CarterGrt Posts: 289 Member
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    The best exercize is the one that you will actually do 3-4 times per week. Pick something that is fun for you, that you don't dread doing, something that makes you feel good afterward, a sense of accomplishment. Let it be something that raises your heart rate a bit and gets your body in motion.

    The number one problem is that people don't stick with it. I think you find something you enjoy, set lots of short-term goals, and have fun with it.

    Good Luck!!!

    --Carter
  • califgirlsd03
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    I love jazzercise. I laughed at my friend who joined that she was "an old lady". She bought me a 30 days pass and I'm addicted. It's my favorite place to be. I have NEVER EVER enjoyed exercise, and it's maybe once a month that I really don't enjoy being there, which is usually my own issue of being in a crummy mood. I make sure I attend a minimum of 5 classes per week (along with spin which I hate, but do because it's a good work out and my BFF goes too). Since March 1st I am down 6 pounds and a full pants size. I'm not seeing as much scale movement as I am body composition change. I really love going and know I will be doing this forever.
  • karuntc
    karuntc Posts: 7 Member
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    I have to agree with the guy who said a good diet with any workout is the key to fat loss. My trainer, who is also a bodybuilder, always says, you can't train your way out of a bad diet. Other than that, I also think lots of cardio is necessary to really see results - to me that means 5-6 days a week of an hour or so. Weight bearing exercises like running or stairmaster tend to burn more calories than things like biking. In other words, you get more bang for your buck or more calories for your time.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    For me, running and not drinking alcohol.
  • zeeeb
    zeeeb Posts: 805 Member
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    yep, agree with everyone else, diet is key... i've always been pretty fit, and even when i was going to the gym 3 times a week, walking or riding my bike to work and home every day that i didn't go to the gym, i would still put on weight if i didn't focus on food.

    and any exercise if you do it regularly and consistently will do the job ir you aren't over eating.

    I love spin / RPM classes, they get my heart rate up to crazy heights
    I love the cross trainer (eliptical)
    i have a friend that lost 70+kg from walking and diet alone, she was HUGE, so she didn't do anything impacty, just walked, 2-3 hours a day, she went from a size 26 to a size 10, and it astounds me that she doesn't do anything else, no gym, no trainer, no situps, nothing, just walk, walk, walk... rain hail or shine. sure it took a lot of time, but she is somewhere she hasn't been since she was in school.
  • LG61820
    LG61820 Posts: 372 Member
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    I don't think you can beat walking as a way to start. Once you get a walking program going you will likely want to jog a bit. Once you get to jogging along you may find that you want to run. I am addicted to a lunchtime walk/jog/skip/jump that I do on a trail near my job. I watch my HRM and sprint or skip when it gets to a certain low point. I like to sprint up little hills, jump up on the water main boxes, jump over fallen branches etc. I am burning mega calories-for me. It started by taking a walk.
  • alpha2omega
    alpha2omega Posts: 229 Member
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    I'm another one for diet. I have been in the gym for the past 14 years, unfortunately my diet didn't change much. When I was younger I was able to get away with a bad diet but not anymore. I made drastic changes to my diet in the past year and have seen significant losses in bodyfat. Diet is definitely more important, especially as you get older. Anything that you like doing that gets your heart rate up is good as long as you continue to do it. Those two things and you can't fail.
  • Athena413
    Athena413 Posts: 1,709 Member
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    Me Personally, I think diet is the key to fat loss. Any workout with the right diet will shed fat.

    I agree 100% with this post. Studies actually show that the secret to maximum fat loss, especially that stubborn belly fat, is your diet and not your exercise.

    That being said....weight/strength training is going to do a lot more for you as far as fat goes than cardio will. Women have a hard time losing fat because they do nothing but cardio because they're afraid to bulk up even though our bodies are not capable of that without hormonal supplements. They have excellent hearts but little muscle mass. Your muscle is your body's fat burner...increase your muscle mass, decrease your body fat. You might initially gain some weight because muscle is more dense than fat, but you'll lose inches and body fat.
  • Cougarsuz
    Cougarsuz Posts: 20 Member
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    Thanks everyone! I'm going to finish p90x and try to add in some extra cardiovascular on the weight days and I will pay much closet attention to diet :) thanks again!