How Much Exercise to Lose Weight?

Are abs made in the gym or in the kitchen? Many exercise programs promise to burn belly fat and build a leaner physique, but how much do fit people actually exercise?

Our expert at North Tex MedCare Clinic & Urgent Care, Dr. Frank Lee, explains how both diet and exercise contribute to weight loss and which has the greatest impact.

How diet and exercise burn fat

Both diet and exercise burn fat by burning calories. You can calculate your daily caloric intake based on your height, weight, and gender, and choose to either cut calories from your diet or burn them through exercise. The result will be weight loss in both cases.

Exercise doesn’t spot-reduce fat, but it can spot-increase muscle mass with the right exercises, which can contribute to a leaner look.

However, while on paper, weight loss from dietary changes alone and from combining diet and exercise may appear the same, the body composition differs. People who engage in bodyweight exercises and weightlifting are more likely to retain muscle mass and even build some, despite cutting calories. This leads to a more toned appearance, even if the same amount of weight is lost.

How many calories does exercise burn?

Despite being a great tool for overall health, exercise alone is rarely enough to achieve lasting weight loss, especially if you have a significant amount to lose. Exercise tones, builds muscle, and improves stamina, but one slice of cake can easily undo an hour of light jogging.

In other words, it is easy to eat back the calories burned through exercise, and trying to compensate by exercising even more may increase the risk of injury.

That said, some types of exercise burn more calories than others. Cardiovascular exercises such as biking, running, walking, and swimming burn significantly more calories than lifting weights, while weightlifting is more effective for building muscle.

Making dieting easier

Because cutting calories is a more effective tool for weight loss, diet remains the most important factor. While nutritional plans are helpful, what makes them easier to stick to is having hunger hormones in balance.

Many people struggling with excess weight have imbalances in hunger hormones. Injectable medications such as GLP-1 receptor agonists can help regulate appetite, making it easier to feel full for longer. Dr. Lee offers this option to patients who want to lose weight and are good candidates.

Learn more about your weight loss journey

Losing weight is more than cutting calories and going for a walk. While it may come naturally to some, for millions of Americans, weight loss is a real uphill battle. Hormone imbalances, food noise, and daily stress can make it difficult to maintain a healthy weight.

If you have been battling the scale for a while, contact us to schedule a free weight loss consultation at one of our offices in Allen, Addison, Fort Worth, or San Antonio, Texas. During the consultation, our experts will review your medical history, discuss your goals, provide nutritional plans, and if you are a good candidate, recommend GLP-1 therapy.