One of the top reasons participants start an exercise program is weight loss. This goal is achievable with exercise but is much harder to accomplish compared to improved mobility, strength, or balance. The difficulty of losing weight with exercise is also one of the leading reasons people quit their exercise programs after an initial 4-6 weeks. In our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics these are top 5 tips I provide to participants looking to lose weight with exercise.
- Create A Daily Caloric Deficit – In order to lose weight we must create a deficit between what we take in through drinks and food and what we expend through metabolic needs and physical activity. Creating a deficit through exercise alone is extremely challenging. To create a 500 calorie deficit an individual would need to walk quickly for 90 minutes or lap swim at a moderate to vigorous pace for one hour. Very few participants are working this hard each day. Instead experts recommend creating a deficit through a combined diet and exercise approach. In comparison, it is relatively easy to cut out 500 calories in your diet especially through drinks such as soda, high calorie coffees, and alcohol This reduces the intensity of the exercise and allows for more consistent workouts.
- Maintain The Deficit – Once you create the caloric deficit you are going to be battling thousands of years of evolutionary processes which resist weight loss. Our body’s are incredible at energy conservation stemming from times when food was in short supply or found infrequently. Our body’s initial response to new exercise is to reduce energy expenditure with other physical tasks during your day so the net caloric deficit is zero. Think of your dog’s increased napping after a long hike or walk over the weekend. The 2nd strategy the body uses is to increase caloric intake to compensate for any exercise deficit. It is critical to maintain your caloric intake, not increase, to maintain the caloric deficit.
- Utilize Aerobic Exercise And Strength Training – Many participants focus on too much aerobic exercise early in their exercise programs. Although this type of training is the foundation of any exercise program, strength training should be utilized concurrently 2-3 days a week. This combined approach has been shown to not only create a greater caloric deficit it also has been shown to improve body composition or the relative weight of our fat free mass and fat mass. Strength training also raises our resting metabolic rate in the time period after exercise as we recover from each session.
- Consistency – In all of my years in the field this variable is the most powerful. Participants who commit to an exercise frequency each week and resist cancellations due to work and life demands have much higher success with the program. Start with what the days, times, modes, and intensity of exercise you feel you can accomplish on your busiest weeks. Imagine the toughest work, family, and life weeks. Then stick to it on both light and busy weeks. Easy strategies for consistency include scheduling the sessions in your calendar and working out with a friend/co worker for accountability.
- Change It Up – A final strategy our body will utilize to resist weight loss is gaining efficiency. Similar to miles per gallon in a car our bodies will burn less and less energy the more we train. Efficiency is a by product of training. Your results your first week will not be the same as your 2nd month. Be consistent with your sessions each week, but enjoy freedom to try new exercise prescriptions including modes of exercise, durations, intensities, classes, workout partners, etc. Trying new things will keep the body relatively inefficient burning more calories per session.
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