it is estimated that half of u.s. adults attempt to lose weight each year (1).
aside from dieting, exercise is one of the most common strategies for those trying to lose extra weight. it burns calories, which plays a key role in weight loss.
in addition to helping you lose weight, exercise has been linked to many other benefits, including improving mood, strengthening bones, and reducing the risk of many chronic diseases (2, 3, 4).
here are the 8 best weight loss exercises.
1. Walking
walking is one of the best exercises for weight loss – and for good reason.
for beginners, this is a convenient and easy way to start exercising without feeling overwhelmed or needing to buy equipment. in addition, it is a sport with less impact, which means it does not cause stress on your joints.
according to Harvard health, it is estimated that a 155 lb (70 kg) person who walks at a moderate pace of 4 mph (6.4 km/h) burns about 167 calories (5) every 30 minutes.
a 12-week study of 20 obese women found that walking 3 times a week for 50-70 minutes reduced body fat and waist circumference by an average of 1.5% and 1.1 inches (2.8 cm), respectively. （6）。
easy to integrate into your daily life. to add more steps to your day, try walking during your lunch break, climbing stairs at work, or taking your dog for more walks.
first, the goal is to walk 3-4 times a week for 30 minutes. as you get healthier, you can gradually increase the duration or frequency of your walks.
Summary: walking is a great exercise for beginners because it can be done anywhere, does not require equipment, and has minimal stress on the joints. try adding more walks to your daily activities.
2. Jogging or running
jogging and running are good exercises to help you lose weight.
although they look similar, the main difference is that jogging speeds are typically between 4-6 mph (6.4-9.7 km/h), while running speeds are higher than 6 mph (9.7 km/h).
Harvard Health estimates that a 155 lb (70 kg) person jogging at 5 mph (8 km/h) burns about 298 calories every 30 minutes, or running at 6 mph and burns 372 calories (9.7 km/h) every 30 minutes (5).
what's more, studies have found that jogging and running can help burn harmful visceral fat, commonly known as belly fat. this type of fat wraps around your internal organs and is associated with various chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes (7, 8, 9).
jogging and running are great exercises that can be done anywhere and are easy to incorporate into your weekly routine. to start, the goal is to jog 3-4 times a week for 20-30 minutes.
if you notice that jogging or running outdoors is causing injury to your joints, try running on softer surfaces such as grass. in addition, many treadmills have built-in cushioning, which can be easier for your joints.
Summary: Jogging and running are great weight loss exercises that are easy to incorporate into your weekly routine. they can also help burn belly fat associated with many chronic diseases.
3. Bike
cycling is a popular sport that can improve your health and help you lose weight.
while cycling is traditionally done outdoors, many gyms and fitness centers have stationary bikes that allow you to cycle indoors.
Harvard Health estimates that a 155-pound (70 kg) person who rides a stationary bike at a moderate speed burns about 260 calories every 30 minutes, or 298 calories (19–22.4 km/h) every 30 minutes while riding a bike at a moderate speed of 12-13.9 mph (5).
not only is cycling good for weight loss, but studies have found that cyclists who ride regular bikes are in better overall health, have higher insulin sensitivity, and have a lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and death compared to those who don't ride regularly. (10, 11）。
cycling is perfect for people of all fitness levels, from beginners to athletes. in addition, it is a non-weight-bearing and low-impact exercise, so it does not cause too much stress on your joints.
Summary: cycling is perfect for people of all fitness levels, and it is possible to ride a stationary bike outdoors or indoors. it has been linked to a variety of health benefits, including increased insulin sensitivity and a lower risk of certain chronic diseases.
4. Weight training
For people who want to lose weight, weight training is a popular option.
based on Harvard health, it is estimated that a 155-pound (70-kilogram) person consumes about 112 calories (5) per 30 minutes of weight training.
In addition, weight training can help you build strength and promote muscle growth, thereby increasing your resting metabolic rate (RMR), or how many calories your body burns at rest (12).
a 6-month study showed that 11-minute strength training three times a week increased metabolic rate by an average of 7.4%. in this study, this increase equates to burning an additional 125 calories per day (13).
another study found that 24 weeks of the weight training increased a man's metabolic rate by 9 percent, which equates to burning about 140 more calories a day. in women, the metabolic rate increased by nearly 4 percent, or 50 calories per day (14).
in addition, numerous studies have shown that your body continues to burn calories hours after weight training compared to aerobic exercise (15, 16, 17).
summary: weight training can help you lose weight by burning calories during and after a workout. it can also help you increase muscle mass, which in turn increases your resting metabolic rate – the number of calories your body burns while resting.
5. Interval training
INTERVAL TRAINING, OFTEN REFERRED TO AS HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING (HIIT), IS A BROAD TERM THAT REFERS TO SHORT, STRENUOUS EXERCISE THAT ALTERNATES WITH THE RECOVERY PERIOD.
TYPICALLY, HIIT WORKOUTS LAST 10-30 MINUTES AND BURN A LOT OF CALORIES.
A study of 9 active men found that HIITs burned 25-30% more calories per minute than other types of exercise, including weight training, cycling, and running on a treadmill. （18）。
THIS MEANS THAT HIIT CAN HELP YOU BURN MORE CALORIES WHILE SPENDING LESS TIME EXERCISING.
In addition, numerous studies have shown that HIIT is particularly effective at burning belly fat, which has been linked to many chronic diseases (19, 20, 21).
HIIT IS EASY TO INCORPORATE INTO YOUR WORKOUT ROUTINE. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS CHOOSE A TYPE OF EXERCISE, SUCH AS RUNNING, JUMPING, OR CYCLING, AS WELL AS YOUR EXERCISE AND BREAK TIME.
for example, pedal as hard as you can on a bike for 30 seconds, then pedal at a slow speed of 1-2 minutes. repeat this pattern for 10-30 minutes.
Summary: interval training is an effective weight loss strategy that can be applied to a variety of sports, including running, jumping, cycling, etc. incorporating interval training into your daily routine can help you burn more calories in less time.
6. Swim
swimming is a fun way to lose weight and shape.
Harvard Health estimates that a person weighing 155 pounds (70 kilograms) consumes about 233 calories per half hour of swimming.
how you swim seems to affect how many calories you burn. every 30 minutes, a 155 lb (70 kg) person consumes 298 calories at backstroke, 372 calories at breaststroke, 409 calories at the butterfly, and 372 calories (5) when treading water.
a 12-week study of 24 middle-aged women found that swimming 3 times a week for 60 minutes significantly reduced body fat, improved flexibility, and reduced multiple heart disease risk factors, including high total cholesterol and blood triglycerides. （22）。
another advantage of swimming is its low impact, which means it's easier for your joints. this is a great option for people with injuries or joint pain.
Summary: Swimming is a great low-impact exercise for people who want to lose weight. in addition, it may help improve your flexibility and reduce risk factors for various diseases.
7. Yoga
yoga is a popular way to exercise and relieve stress.
while it's not generally considered a weight loss exercise, it burns quite a few calories and offers many additional health benefits that can promote weight loss.
Harvard Health estimates that a 155-pound (70-kilogram) person who practices yoga burns about 149 calories every 30 minutes (5).
a 12-week study of 60 obese women found that people who attended 90-minute yoga sessions twice a week had a greater reduction in waist circumference than in the control group—an average reduction of 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) (23).
in addition, the physical and mental health of the yoga group has also improved (23).
in addition to burning calories, studies have shown that yoga can teach mindfulness, which can help you fight off unhealthy foods, control overeating, and better understand your body's hunger signals (24, 25).
most gyms offer yoga classes, but you can practice yoga anywhere. this is included in the comfort of your own home, as there are plenty of guided tutorials available online.
summary: yoga is a great weight loss exercise that can be performed almost anywhere. not only does it burn calories, but it also teaches you mindfulness to help you resist food cravings.
8. Pilates
pilates is a sport that is perfect for beginners and can help you lose weight.
according to a study sponsored by the American athletic board, people who weigh about 140 pounds (64 kilograms) burn 108 calories in a 30-minute beginner pilates course or 168 calories in an advanced course of the same duration (26).
while pilates may not burn as many calories as cardio like running, many people find it fun, which makes it easier to stick with it over time (27).
an 8-week study of 37 middle-aged women found that 90-minute pilates exercises three times a week at a time significantly reduced waist, abdomen, and hip circumference compared to a control group that did not exercise during the same period. （28）。
in addition to weight loss, Pilates has been shown to reduce low back pain and improve your strength, balance, flexibility, endurance, and overall well-being (27, 29, 30).
if you want to try pilates, try incorporating it into your weekly routine. you can do pilates at home or in one of the many gyms that offer Pilates classes.
to further weight loss with pilates, combine it with a healthy diet or another form of exercise, such as weight training or cardio.
summary: pilates is a beginner-friendly sport that can help you lose weight while improving other aspects of your physical health, such as strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance.
How much weight do you actually expect to lose?
how much weight you can lose from exercise depends on many factors.
these include:
- starting weight. heavier people tend to lose more weight than people who weigh less. still, the percentage of weight loss was similar (31).
- Age. Older adults tend to carry more fat and less muscle, which lowers your RMR, or how many calories your body burns at rest. A lower RMR can make it more difficult to lose weight (32, 33).
- Gender. Women tend to have a higher fat-to-muscle ratio than men, which affects their RMR. As a result, men tend to lose weight faster than sex, even though they burn similar amounts of calories (32).
- diet. weight loss occurs when you burn more calories than you burn. therefore, caloric deficits are essential for weight loss (34).
- go to bed. studies have found that sleep deprivation can slow down your rate of weight loss and even increase your cravings for unhealthy foods (35, 36).
- medical conditions. people with conditions such as depression and hypothyroidism may lose weight at a slower rate (31, 37, 38).
- genetics. studies have shown that weight loss has a genetic component that may affect certain obese people (31).
although most people want to lose weight quickly, experts generally recommend losing 1-3 pounds (0.5-1.36 kg) per week, or about 1% of their body weight (39).
losing weight too quickly can hurt health. for example, it can lead to muscle loss and increase the risk of diseases such as gallstones, dehydration, fatigue, malnutrition, headaches, irritability, constipation, hair loss, and menstrual irregularities. （40, 41）。
what's more, people who lose weight too quickly are more likely to bounce back (42).
it's important to remember that weight loss is not a linear process, and when you first start losing weight, you usually find yourself losing weight faster.
Summary: Many factors can affect how much weight you actually expect to lose through exercise. most experts recommend losing 1 to 3 pounds (0.5 to 1.36 kilograms), or about 1 percent of your body weight, per week.
Conclusion:
many exercises can help you lose weight.
some good options for burning calories include walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, weight training, interval training, yoga, and pilates.
that said, many other workouts can also help you improve your weight loss results.
choosing the sport you like to do is the most important. this makes you more likely to stick with it for a long time and see results.