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You don’t have to spend hours at the gym sweating profusely to support your weight loss goals. Instead of focusing on the “perfect” workout, find movement that fits your lifestyle, challenges your body, and keeps you coming back for more.
Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refresh your routine, here’s how to approach exercise to support sustainable weight loss and long-term health.
See our experts at Primary Care Doctors of Grand Prairie in Grand Prairie, Texas, for customized weight-loss, diet, and exercise plans.
Below are eight simple steps to get started on your exercise journey and achieve long-lasting weight loss success.
Before you begin exercising to lose weight, focus on your diet. Make a few healthy dietary changes, such as eating vegetables and/or fruits at each meal, boosting your protein intake, or cutting back on sodas and other sugar-sweetened drinks.
Diet is a key component of weight loss because you can work out for hours and not lose a pound if your diet is poor.
Chances are you won’t stick with a new exercise program long term if you dread your workouts.
Any form of exercise can aid in weight loss when combined with a balanced diet and other healthy habits. Whether you love to jog, walk, swim, hike, or play pickleball, finding something you enjoy is important.
You don’t have to go all-or-nothing when it comes to exercising for weight loss.
It’s often beneficial to begin a new exercise routine at a lower intensity or duration and build up over time as your body adjusts. Doing so also reduces the risk of injury. And it’s perfectly fine to take rest days off now and then to let your body recover.
Doing the same workout day after day can become boring and may increase your risk of burnout and injury. Altering your workouts (cross-training) can enhance muscle definition, boost overall fitness, and support long-term healthy weight management.
It’s helpful to work your way up to 150-300 minutes of exercise weekly, particularly aerobic exercise (walking, biking, etc.), to achieve and maintain weight loss. Try tracking exercise minutes or your steps in a journal or app to monitor daily and weekly progress over time.
Track your body weight regularly to ensure it’s moving in the right direction. But keep in mind that if you begin a new strength-training routine, your weight may temporarily increase as you gain muscle, which weighs more than fat. However, your total weight should decrease over time if you’re eating a balanced diet.
Exercise is just one component of an effective weight loss program. While it’s important, don’t let a focus on exercise make you forget about the other weight loss-enhancing habits. Examples include eating a healthy diet, minimizing stress, staying hydrated, and getting 7-9 hours of sleep. Avoid smoking and limit or avoid alcohol.
Cardiovascular workouts (jogging, walking, cycling, swimming, etc.) and strength training offer unique benefits for your health and well-being. Doing a bit of both offers the most benefit. Aim to complete at least 30 minutes of cardio workouts most days and train all major muscle groups at least twice weekly.
Contact our primary care specialists at Primary Care Doctors of Grand Prairie today for customized medical weight loss and exercise plans.
