Exercise and Weight Loss - Milestone Health and Performance

Exercise is an important part when it comes to weight loss. Diet and Exercise are the main two components of a healthy lifestyle. My job as an Exercise Physiologist is to help make incorporating exercise into your lifestyle as easy as possible. Below are a few tips to help make exercise easier.

Exercise and Weight Loss

How often should I exercise

Exercise is split into two domains- Cardio(walking, running, cycling, etc) and Resistance Training(weighted training such as squats or sit to stands). Both are important for weight loss

For the best results it is recommended that you exercise for 30 minutes on most days- however you do not need to start with this much.

The ideal frequency for resistance training is three times per week- however you can still see some good results from twice a week.

On the days where you are not doing resistance training it is important to do some cardiovascular exercise such as walking for 20-30 minutes.

What is the best type exercise for weight loss

When exercising for weight loss we want our program to:

Not be too hard too earlyThere is no better way to be turned off exercise than to feel nauseous, dizzy and like you are about to pass out after your first session. There is no benefit to feeling this way and it doesn’t get you to where you want to achieve any quicker. By starting off easy- whether that be 1-3 exercises each day or a program consisting of 2 sets of 4-6 exercises which you complete a few times per week.
Work on big compound exercisesThe most effective exercises for weight loss are the ones that work the biggest muscles. Exercises such as goblet squats, hip thrusts and lunges can be great as long as you aren’t getting any pain from them.
Walking and cardiovascular exercise is also important to include to look after your health.
Work with your injuries and pain not around themIt is important to address pain. It can stop you from doing the things that you love. By working with your pain and using exercise to help reduce your symptoms. It can increase what you are capable of and make exercise a lot easier for you.

Tips for Exercising to Lose Weight

Start Slow

Starting out aiming too high and with very high exercise levels can be hard to maintain. Losing weight is a marathon, not a sprint. By starting slow it makes it easier to be consistent and form good habits. Over time this can lead to more effective weight loss. Plus it makes you more likely to keep the weight off once you have lost it. Setting 2-3 small goals can help keep you on track and make the process more enjoyable.

When it comes to weight loss diet is the main component- if you find the right balance between a healthy diet and consistent exercise it makes the process much more achievable.

Be Consistent

Consistently doing a little bit will lead to better results than sporadically doing a lot.

Consistency is underrated, little actions can add up to big results. By exercising regularly, working on big compound exercises and eating healthy losing weight can become a reality.

Ask for Advice

Losing weight isn’t easy, asking for advice can set you up for success, whether it be getting help with your diet from a Dietician, having an exercise program set out for you by an Exercise Physiologist, getting support from a Weight Loss GP or a combination of the three. The key to changing your lifestyle is asking for help, make the process as easy as possible for yourself and enjoy the results and changes that you make.