Best work out regimen for losing weight?

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crewbprice
crewbprice Posts: 38 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So far I have lost some weight but wanted thoughts on beginners workout regimen for more efficient weight loss. I recently read articles that I may not be losing weight the most efficient way, right now I am doing calorie restriction and 30 min of cardio.

I am starting 25 min HIIT from nerd fitness now and I am going to try body weight strength exercises, but just wanted thoughts on workouts for losing weight, as I need to lose 50 more lbs.

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  • Nikki10129
    Nikki10129 Posts: 292 Member
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    The best thing anyone can do to lose weight is monitor your calories in vs calories out. Weight and measure it accurately and so long as you maintain a deficit you will lose weight.

    The best workout regimen is one you will maintain long term. Do what you enjoy and you'll be more likely to keep at it. Try to incorporate some form of resistance training (lifting heavy weights, body weight exercises) and some form of cardio you enjoy (whatever you enjoy, not everyone is a fan of cardio, so find something you like, HIIT, running, biking, walking, anything to get that heart pumping).

    You will never burn off enough calories consistently to make up for a bad diet, unless you are a serious athlete, and at that point you don't really need to outrun your diet anyways. Focus on your food, weigh, measure and log everything accurately and find a workout you enjoy doing.
  • puraze
    puraze Posts: 55 Member
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    I've spent plenty of time stressing over what workouts I should do when, wanting to make sure I did the right amount of cardio, strength, upper body lower body. It would lead me to not workout because I worried too much about getting it right. I couldn't think beyond following a pre-set plan, and somedays I didn't want to do what was in the plan.

    Now I simply focus on calories in/calories out and set a goal of a minimum of 30 minutes of activity a day. I often do more than 30 minutes and once I "get moving" I usually want to push myself and burn as many calories as I can. However, some weeks all I do is walk daily. I don't feel worried about it as long as I'm logging my foods.

    I feel a lot more free just doing what I feel like each day. There is a huge world of workout options between phone apps, YouTube, Pinterest, DVD's. I have a huge variety to choose from and just go with what I want!
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    _nicolemarie_ wrote: »
    The best thing anyone can do to lose weight is monitor your calories in vs calories out. Weight and measure it accurately and so long as you maintain a deficit you will lose weight.

    The best workout regimen is one you will maintain long term. Do what you enjoy and you'll be more likely to keep at it. Try to incorporate some form of resistance training (lifting heavy weights, body weight exercises) and some form of cardio you enjoy (whatever you enjoy, not everyone is a fan of cardio, so find something you like, HIIT, running, biking, walking, anything to get that heart pumping).

    You will never burn off enough calories consistently to make up for a bad diet, unless you are a serious athlete, and at that point you don't really need to outrun your diet anyways. Focus on your food, weigh, measure and log everything accurately and find a workout you enjoy doing.
    Good advice!

    Weight loss is from calories in being less than calories out. Exercise is for fitness and stamina. Strength training is for retaining or building muscle and ensuring that more of your weight loss is from fat. They each have their place in getting fit and healthy but if your main concern is losing weight, focus most of your efforts on eating less than you're burning.

    I also agree that the best form of exercise is the one that you like so you'll keep doing it. No one should go through life dreading their workout sessions. Find something that makes you happy and do it until it no longer does. Then find something else. I do highly recommend strength training, even above cardio, because you'll be happier with your body at your goal weight if you've maintained more muscle during your weight loss. It's easier to keep what you have now than to build new muscle later.

    Keep in mind that MFP already has the calorie deficit you need to lose weight at your desired rate (.5 to 2 pounds per week) built in to your daily calorie goal. Any exercise you do and log in the tool is going to result in more calories for you to eat so you'll maintain that goal deficit.
  • Katetw
    Katetw Posts: 188 Member
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    What others said....exercise is good for you, but don't rely on it to lose weight. track your cals in. Don't eat back exercise cals if you're using the number from the cardio machine. They are hugely overestimated.

    Lifting (I use the weight machines...free weights are way too scary!) are supposed to help for long term as well.
  • awkwardsoul
    awkwardsoul Posts: 222 Member
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    The one you'll stick to and enjoy. We all can suggest a bunch of things but if you dislike it you aren't going to stay with it. Some people like running, others like going dancing or martial arts. Try a bunch of stuff!

    I like lifting myself, I do StrongLifts (it has a great app).
  • crewbprice
    crewbprice Posts: 38 Member
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    Thanks for the advice everyone, I am going to keep with the HIIT and body weight exercises for now, just needed a change of pace from regular cardio and to add some strength training. I usually try stay just under calories and not eat back exercise workout, and have had steady loss with that.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    Calorie deficit for weight loss.

    Exercise for fitness. So many options - what are your goals? Strength? Grab some weights. Endurance? Cardio & HIIT. Flexibility? Yoga. Or a combination of those things. Find what you like that works towards your goals and go for it. Just make sure you're eating right to fuel those workouts.

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