What kinds of exercises are most effective for weight loss?

If exercise doesn’t appeal to you, then the answer is…whatever exercise you are willing to do.

Any exercise is always better than none.

People just beginning their weight loss journey or those returning to it often voice concerns about burn out.  And for that reason, it is always best to start slow and work your way up to a regiment that works for you.  Strength training is often one of the best places to start. The more muscle you build, the more fat you burn. This doesn’t mean you have to end up big and bulky. You can be lean while also muscular.  Something to keep in mind when considering weight training is that muscle takes up less room than fat.

One of the key benefits of strength training is that it continues to work for you long after the workout is complete.  As mentioned above, the more muscle you build, the more fat you will burn, even while resting post workout. Strength training increases your metabolism. Combined with dialing in your nutrition, strength training can help you reach your weight loss goals and maintain them over time.

Cardio is often the go-to for people when they think weight loss. While I believe that everyone needs a healthy balance of cardio and strength training, cardio does not provide the same metabolic rate benefits on its own. Of course, you burn calories during a cardio workout, but the post workout metabolic rate settles quite quickly after the workout. Many people who primarily do cardio, end up burning muscle right along with fat.  Muscle is precious calorie burning cargo that you want to keep! 

HIIT, or high intensity interval training, is a great combination of both strength training and cardio and can provide the benefit of high calorie burn during the workout and calorie burn after because you have built muscle as well as raised your heart rate. HIIT is a great metabolism booster.  There are different versions of HIIT, and some are more intense than others incorporating plyometric exercises that can intimidate newcomers.  Don’t be intimidated though!  HIIT can be done by newcomers and seasoned exercisers alike. You don’t have to jump and run to do HIIT, low impact is always an option. Be careful to not overdo HIIT as there can always be too much of a good thing. HIIT can be very taxing on your nervous system, so incorporating it 2x a week can be very beneficial but much more can lead to injuries or draining your system and losing your momentum.

Many people are unsure where to start with strength training, so they often fall back to what is comfortable, which ends up being cardio. I see you on that treadmill! If you need help getting started with and incorporating strength training into your regiment, I would love to help! Reach out below to get the ball rolling.

Do I have to exercise to lose weight?

Honestly, no. It is always possible to lose weight without exercising.  With the proper diet, my husband was able to lose over 30lbs without increasing his daily exercise. By simply calculating the calories he needed, balancing his macros (carbs, proteins, and fats), and diligently sticking to his diet, he was able to reach his target weight without adding exercise to his routine. It took time and effort, but he will tell you that it was well worth it.  Anything worth having is going to take time and effort.

Many people want weight loss to happen quickly.  I am here to tell you, that if it is going to last then it is going to take time.  If you want the weight to stay off, then you need to make the lifestyle changes needed to keep it off.  Dial in your nutrition, exercise, get good rest and try to de-stress your life as much as possible.

Now to address exercise. The benefits of exercising while you are working towards a weight loss goal are numerous.  I will give you what I consider 3 of the main benefits.

1.       The right type of exercise will keep you from losing muscle.

2.       The right type of exercise will build muscle which will help you to burn more fat and calories. 

3.       Exercise is a stress reliever and a mood booster.  Who doesn’t need that?!

The takeaway from this is that yes you can lose weight without exercise.  I believe though, that you will maximize your efforts if you add the right type of exercise to your routine.  You will most likely find that you will achieve your goals faster than without exercise.

Looking to lose weight?  Don’t know where to start?  I would love to be able to help you with your nutrition and help you get started on a workout routine that is right for you. 

Nutrition Matters!

In my 4+ years of experience as a personal trainer I have found nutrition to be one of the most commonly misunderstood pillars of health.  It is often pushed to the back burner because we don’t know where to start.  And yet, nutrition is one of the most important factors in achieving our fitness goals, whether they be weight loss, weight gain, maintenance or just improving your health!  I always begin my nutrition consultations with the same opener, “Exercise determines your shape.  Nutrition is what helps you see that shape.”

Nutrition matters!  There are seemingly unlimited sources of nutrition information offering us tips, tricks, and “hacks” and much of it is conflicting. Even more of it attempts to sell us something.  So, where do we start?  It’s not a one size fits all answer. And it doesn’t require expensive supplements.

There are a few simple steps I follow every time I build an energy goal for a client.

1. Identify your goal. (Lose, Gain, Build)

2. Calculate your calorie requirements to meet that goal.

3. Balance your macros (carbs, proteins, fats).

   Simply put, if you want to lose weight, you need to eat less calories than you burn (calorie deficit).  If you want to gain weight or put on muscle, you will need to eat more calories than you burn. 

In both cases, you can reach your goal while eating what you want as long as you balance your macros correctly.  Your body, however, will be happiest if you are feeding it good, clean, nutrient dense foods rather than highly processed foods. 

Need help getting started?  I would love to help!