Exercise For Weight Loss

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• QHow important is exercise to a weight loss program?

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  A Robert DeVito , Fitness, answered on behalf of IFS - Innovation Fitness Solutions

  Simply put, exercise is an imperative part of a long-term weight loss program. Dieting to lose weight is necassary as it is the fastest and easiest way to create an energy deficit.

  Exercise will allow you to maintain or, if done properly, even increase your metabolism (the amount of calories burned daily, weekly etc.).

  Specifically, strength training is an often overlooked piece of the exercise solution. Strength training is the exercise of choice for maintaining muscle tone and if your nutrition and sleep are sound, has the potential to increase your metabolic rate due to muscle tissues' high metabolic output.

  Summary: Weight loss is governed by a calorie deficit. Fat loss is governed by your nutrition intake and the maintenance of lean tissue through strength training.

• QHow can I optimize my workout to lose more weight?

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  A Robert DeVito , Fitness, answered on behalf of IFS - Innovation Fitness Solutions

  Fitness strategies for weight loss success
  Our body is designed for survival. That means that it is great at conserving and storing energy. This is a true disadvantage to those of us trying to reverse the amount of stored energy that we have.

  Here are a few suggestions to maximize your exercise time and results. 

  The strategies:

  • Bottom line to weigh less: E IN vs. E OUT. If you are attempting to lose weight/fat you need to expend more calories than you consume. If you are not losing weight you are not in a deficit.
  • Weight Loss is different than Maintenance of Muscle while losing Fat. These are two significantly different methods to two significantly different outcomes.
  • Working out initially burns a significant amount of extra calories. Your body is an adaptive machine. Its goal is different than your desires.
  • Your results slow down after 1-2 months. It is natural.
  • Exercise increases the need for nutrients. If you are dieting and exercising then the body needs nutrition that is extremely difficult to attain from food alone. If you are in a nutrient deficit and a calorie deficit, this can begin to ruin your ‘metabolism’. 
  • The body strives for “the path of least resistance”. This means that it likes to be efficient. This is counter-productive towards any Fat Loss goal. Mentally, you are striving to burn more calories; physically your body is trying to figure out how to burn less.
  • If you are exercising for the same amount of time and at the same intensity on the same machines for more than a month you are allowing the body to become efficient. (S.A.I.D. Principle) 
  • Make frequent changes to your workout. Workout changes prevent boredom and increase the challenge to your body. 
  • Utilize Strength Training. It helps to maintain muscle tissue, which will help to keep your metabolism higher, it maintains "tone" and it burns more calories than cardio does.
  • When doing strength training be sure to use "bang for your buck" exercises that use multiple muscles and motions. If your goal is not to be a bodybuilder, then do not train like one.
• QWhat type of exercise equipment would be good for weight loss?

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  A dotFIT answered

  As any good trainer can tell you, anything and nothing are just as useable. Weight loss is going to happen if you consistently eat fewer calories than you burn. For most people, getting calories under control is step one and will get the ball rolling, and then activity is increased to a level that will fit into your lifestyle. To increase calorie burn anything can be done. Walking, running, cardio machines hiking; it is all good for burning calories and getting your cardiorespiratory system working. As for working your muscles, there are numerous ways to apply resistance to them. Body weight exercises, exercise tubing, medicine balls, kettlebells, TRK or other suspension training…the list is substantial. There are resources that can help you design a workout to meet your needs, such as the Sharecare Fitness application. Ultimately, what you do must be enjoyed by you. If it is, you will continue to do it and reap the benefits.

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• QHow much exercise should I do each week to reach a healthy weight?

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  A Univ. of Nev. School of Medicine, Family Medicine answered

  To reach a healthy weight the amount of weekly exercise people need to do varies. You should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic (cardio) exercise every week. You should also add some strength training to your exercise routine one to two times a week. If you're trying to lose weight or have a specific fitness goal, such as running a marathon, you will need to exercise more. A good rule of thumb is to get your heart rate up for 30 minutes most days of the week.
• QCan I lose weight by exercise alone?

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  A Dr. Jesse N. Mills, MD , Urology, answered on behalf of UCLA Health

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• QDo I have to exercise to lose weight?

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  A Todd Townes - Sharecare Fitness Expert , Fitness, answered on behalf of Sharecare Fitness

  The healthiest and most effective way to lose weight is a balance of exercise and proper diet. You can lose weight without the exercise component but it generally does not work as long term solution. Exercise helps control your weight by using excess calories that would otherwise be stored as fat. Fluctuations in your weight are determined by the number calories you eat every day minus the calories your body uses. Exercise will not only burn extra calories but can help stabilize your appetite, blood sugar and increase muscle mass which should increase your metabolism.

• QWhat determines how many calories I burn?

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  A Manuel Villacorta , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered on behalf of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

  

  When most people think of energy expenditures, they think only of exercise. But in reality, there are three important components that will determine your calorie expenditures for the day, or your total energy expenditure (TEE). The first component is your resting metabolic rate, which means your metabolism. Your resting metabolic rate represents the calories the body burns to maintain vital body functions (heart rate, brain function, breathing, etc.). In simple terms, it is the number of calories you would burn if you were awake, but at rest all day with no physical exertion.

  The second component that determines your energy expenditure is the amount of activity you do during the day through your work. Depending upon the activity level you perform during the day, your calories burned will vary. Even a sedentary person who sits in front of a computer will burn a small number of calories.

  The third component is exercise. Your TEE is the sum of these three components, the total calories you burn in a 24-hour period. So if you eat the same number of calories as your TEE calculation, you will maintain your weight; if you eat more than your TEE calculation, you will gain weight; and if you eat less than your TEE, you will lose weight. It sounds simple, but it's a very powerful formula to understand.

  

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• QIs regular physical exercise an effective weight-loss strategy?

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  A Mr. Kyle Stull , NASM Elite Trainer , Fitness, answered

  Regular physical activity is definitely beneficial for weightloss, but studies show physical activity in itself cannot produce weightloss results.  In order to achieve weightloss, exercise must be incorporated with a proper nutrition program. To lose weight, an individual must burn more calories than they consume, this is known as the Law of Thermodynamics.  Exercise will increase the number of calories burned, but weightloss will depend on a caloric deficit.  Lets consider a typical person performing moderate cardio, walking, for 30 minutes.  The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says a 154lb person will burn approximately 140 calories while walking for 30 minutes.  Lets also consider what food items contain 140 calories.
  
  240 calories in Peanut Butter Powerbar
  160 calories in Mc Donalds hashbrown
  378 calories in Mc Donalds chicken salad
  133 calories in one serving of Atkins Advantage Protien Shake
  144 calories in 20 raw almonds
  172 calories in 3 large eggs
  (Information from Calorieking.com)
  
  The list of foods could go on and on.  The point being, it does not take much food to offset the work performed during exercise. Although the physical and psychological benefits of exercise are endless, strictly considering weightloss there has to be a larger perspective. Burn more calories than are being consumed and the weight will come off.  For more information on nutrition consult a licensed professional, or contact an HFPN Coach for information on becoming a DotFIT member and enjoying the guidance of an online coach.
  

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• QShould I do things beyond my gym workout to help burn calories?

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  A National Academy of Sports Medicine answered

  

  
  
  Yes! Most people overestimate the contribution of their exercise session in a gym to their 24-hour calorie burn. Realistically, most people only have 1-2 hours a day to devote to exercise. However, almost everyone can find a way to increase their calorie burn for the 10-12 hours they are awake and not at the gym. Following this advice could yield an additional 200-400 calories burned. Added to your workout that can have an enormous impact on your body.
  

  

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• QShould I do resistance training to lose weight?

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  A Dr. Mike Clark, DPT , Fitness, answered

  Technically, no, but I suggest that you incorporate resistance training into your weight-loss strategy. If you can create an energy deficit (more energy out, less energy in), then you will lose weight. However, if you want to lose that weight more quickly and efficiently, and keep it off longer, then resistance training is for you!
  
  Muscles are fat-burning machines; the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn every day at rest. Resistance training helps build muscle, as well as increasing bone density, enhancing function, and creating a toned appearance. Why wouldn't you choose an exercise with so many pluses?

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