So, you’re on a health kick and want to know what the best weight loss exercise is. Because then you can improve the quality of your training. And as a result achieve your goals faster without wasting valuable energy and time on all the rubbish stuff!
Best Weight Loss Exercise
Now, us humans all like different things but almost everyone loves weight training (cardio training is more like Marmite) once they’ve tried it. In my 12+ years experience of coaching I’ve found that women love weight lifting. Yes you heard that exactly right, especially women. For men it’s more a given but honestly, females make for better weight lifters because they lift with great form and without ego! Also, this isn’t to say that weight lifting is the only way to exercise because it isn’t. But that it plays one of the most significant roles for the complete transformation! So, I would highly recommend that you try it and do it justice by learning how to properly.
Is The Best Weight Loss Exercise Strength Training?
In short, no. But not any one method of exercise is. Running, walking, cycling, climbing, swimming, circuits and weight lifting all burn calories. Do some burn a little more than others? Yes, but there are trade offs. For example, more aggressive forms of cardio are short lived and highly increase hunger. And this means easily eating back the calories you just burned!
Moreover, high intensity interval training like 3/4 sprinting can take much longer to recover from, leaving you centrally fatigued, unmotivated and sore. So, this is a form of exercise that shouldn’t be overly used or relied upon but can be beneficial when used sparingly. On the other hand, walking does take longer but is very gentle on the body, having minimal effects on hunger or recovery and enhances the fat burning process. And everyone can do it.
Furthermore, being too sore from vigorous cardio can keep you out of the gym. Or worse negatively impact your strength performance resulting in no progress. And strength plateau’s will very likely end in stagnated muscle growth too which is the best form of exercise we can do to sculpt our bodies! Contrarily, cardio is beneficial of course. But those who choose a cardio only approach may find themselves unhappy with their body composition due to the resulting skinny fat appearance (despite achieving their weight loss goal). And many get bored of a cardio only approach such as just running or cycling.
Best Weight Loss Exercise Balance
The best way to lose fat is to have a balanced and tailored program. For example, for you to train consistently you need a specific plan that set’s realistic targets. And this means probably not training seven days out of seven (and who can/does anyway)! Because it isn’t maintainable and will effect your psyche when you can’t keep it up. Thus, for most people 3-5 sessions is the sweet spot. And in terms of type of exercise your best bet is again, a combination you can maintain and one that prevents boredom (weight training). Also, your exercise regime will require a calorie deficit which is where most of your fat loss results come from! Unfortunately, some people sweat hard at the gym and track absolutely nothing, then look exactly the same until they quit.
Most Days
Set a step count goal that you can adhere to (8,000-10,000) per day. And if required split it into two walks in the AM and PM (very beneficial mentally). Your structure may look something like this to start with:
Session 1 – Monday
Full Body Strength
Session 2 – Wednesday
HIIT cardio
Session 3 – Friday
Full Body Strength
Session 4 – Saturday
Circuit or Full Body Strength
I recommend everybody to weight lift 3+ times per week as soon as is possible. And this is to benefit from all of the amazing changes that come from weight lifting. Because 70% of fat loss occurs through a calorie deficit with the ‘best weight loss exercise’ methods doing the other 30%. And this is an easy one to explain as it takes an AGE to burn calories versus how quickly we consume them. So, there is no such thing really as best weight loss exercise just a wholesome approach to dieting such as:
A smart calorie deficit
Higher protein
Weight lifting
Step targets
For example, to burn 265 calories may take the average person around 80 minutes of walking. Yet it takes me 60 seconds to chow down a snicker bar and I eat it outside in. Thus, exercising for multiple hours per day isn’t on the cards unless you’re a student. On the other hand, us parents and full time workers are too busy spilling coffee, changing nappies, being sicked on, cried at, pan burned (rush cooking) or sleeping with…our wine glass on the sofa at 21:00…tops.
Summary
Exercise enough to enhance the fat burning process through steps and strength training and ensure you’re in a 250-500 daily calorie deficit from food. In doing so, you’ll burn 1-1.5 pound of juicy fat per week. And that’s near 4-5.5 stone or 52-78 pounds in a year! Not bad if you ask me! Especially going at this very sustainable, conservative approach that’s parent and full time work friendly.
How do you usually try to lose body fat?
Feel welcomed to reach out if you have any questions!
