How many minutes should I exercise a day to lose weight? (2023)

Is working out 30 minutes a day enough to lose weight?

Researchers say the results suggest that 30 minutes of exercise a day may provide additional weight loss benefits. For example, people may still have extra energy leftover after shorter workouts to be more physically active throughout the day.

How Much Exercise Is Needed for Weight Loss? To reap the health benefits of exercise, it is recommended that you to perform some form of aerobic exercise at least three times a week for a minimum of 20 minutes per session. However, more than 20 minutes is better if you want to actually lose weight.

While 60 minutes of daily exercise may help you lose weight and improve your health, if you've been inactive, start with 20-minute sessions. You need to start gradually and increase the length of your exercise sessions to build a healthy fitness and weight management program.

For weight loss, the National Institutes of Health recommends at least 30 to 45 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise three to five days a week. But you can maximize your sweat sessions for efficiency if you alternate between high- and low-intensity workouts each day, says Forsythe.

Generally to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, you need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more than you consume each day, through a lower calorie diet and regular physical activity. Depending on your weight, 5% of your current weight may be a realistic goal, at least for an initial goal.

Simply put, you can lose 20 pounds in several months by eating fewer calories than you do now and exercising vigorously for three to five hours per week using resistance training, interval training, and cardio training.

Losing weight safely typically involves losing 1-2 pounds per week ( 1 ). This would allow you to lose 20 pounds within about 5 months at 1 pound per week or 2 1/2 months at about 2 pounds per week.

Running is the winner for most calories burned per hour. Stationary bicycling, jogging, and swimming are excellent options as well. HIIT exercises are also great for burning calories. After a HIIT workout, your body will continue to burn calories for up to 24 hours.

How much should I eat if I workout everyday?

Carbs for the average workout — If you are in good shape and want to fuel a daily, light-intensity workout, eat about 3 to 5 grams of carbohydrates for every kilogram of body weight. For someone who weighs 150 pounds (68 kilograms) that's between 200 and 340 grams a day.

For fat loss, a target of one hour per day is a desirable objective. People who are new to regular exercise, or who are returning to exercise after a break, can start with lower amounts and build up towards doing low to moderate intensity aerobic exercise for at least 20 to 30 minutes on 4 to 5 days each week.

Ideally, try to squeeze in at least 150–300 minutes of cardio per week, or between 20–40 minutes per day ( 18 ). Walking, jogging, swimming, biking, hiking, and boxing are a few examples of aerobic exercises that you can add to your routine.

While losing 7 pounds or more per week is possible, it is certainly not safe and healthy. If you lose weight rapidly, you will only eradicate water from your body and not your body fat. You can't safely burn 7 pounds in just a week (5). Fast weight loss also flushes out stored glycogen and lowers your insulin levels.

Running. Running is one of the quickest ways to burn 500 calories. Smith says that an 150-pound person would only need to run about 40 minutes to burn 500 calories if they maintain a 12-minute mile pace (5 mph). “Running at a steady pace keeps your heart rate up and your cardiovascular system working hard.

How long should it take to lose 5 pounds? It generally takes 2-3 weeks to lose 5 pounds in a healthy and sustainable manner. So it's important to know why this is important to you.

But on average, you should lose 10 pounds in exactly 5-6 weeks for a healthier and more achievable estimate. This means that you lose around 2 pounds per week, which is in line with the CDC's recommendation for safe weight loss at a rate of 1–2 pounds per week, a sustainable goal.

Losing 5 pounds in a week is doable, that doesn't mean you should do it. It's still safest to stick to the expert-recommended pace of one to two pounds of weight loss per week, according to the Mayo Clinic [4].

Water can be really helpful for weight loss. It is 100% calorie-free, helps you burn more calories and may even suppress your appetite if consumed before meals. The benefits are even greater when you replace sugary beverages with water. It is a very easy way to cut back on sugar and calories.

Is it possible to lose 10 pounds in a week?

Fast weight loss, such as losing 10 pounds in a week, is possible — but it's usually not worth it. In fact, it could be detrimental to your physical and mental health. In reality, plans and programs that promise rapid weight loss or extreme results are best avoided.

Losing weight the healthy way — slowly — takes time, so don't plan to drop 25 pounds in as little as two weeks. At one to two pounds per week, losing 25 pounds will take you a little more than 12 weeks, or three months.

To lose 50 pounds in three months, you will need to create a weekly calorie deficit of at least 14,000 calories, in order to lose about four pounds a week. That means you will need to create a 2,000 calorie daily deficit.