Best Exercises for Health and Weight Loss

Think a single type of exercise will take care of all your needs? These tips can help
you build a comprehensive fitness plan to improve your health and waistline.

What are the best exercises for me?

For many of us, even when we understand how much regular exercise can improve
our mental and physical health, the real challenge lies in developing an exercise
routine that we can stick with. It’s much easier to get up and get moving every day
when you actually experience the results you’re looking for—whether that’s trimming
your waistline, improving your sleep, mood, and energy, or easing symptoms of
stress, anxiety, or depression.

Whatever benefits you’re looking for from a fitness plan—and whatever your current
fitness level—the key is to mix different types of physical activity. The most effective
exercise plans should include a mix of three elements: cardio (or aerobic) training,
strength training, and flexibility and balance exercises. This will not only maximize
the health benefits, it will also keep your workouts varied and interesting.

Of course, you can always sign up for personal training sessions at a gym, find
workout plans online, or download a fitness app, but developing the right exercise
plan doesn’t have to be that complicated or expensive. These simple guidelines can
help you make the most of your time and reap all the health and weight loss rewards
of regular exercise.

How much exercise do I need?

The important thing to remember about exercise is that something is always better
than nothing. By simply sitting less and moving more throughout your day, you can
experience health benefits. For substantial health benefits, though, government
guidelines in the U.S., UK, and other countries recommend that you aim for:
At least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate-intensity activity per week. That’s 30
minutes a day for 5 days a week, broken down into 10-minute bursts if that’s easier.
OR
At least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week will deliver the same
benefits, if your fitness level allows you to work out harder. That means running for
15 minutes, for example, instead of walking briskly for 30 minutes.
OR
You can combine both moderate- and vigorous-intensity exercise, remembering the
general rule of thumb that 2 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise is the equivalent
of 1 minute of vigorous-intensity activity.
AND DON'T FORGET TO
Include muscle-strengthening activity at least twice a week as part of your weekly
totals.
Looking to lose weight?

You can gain additional health benefits by exercising for 300 minutes or more at
moderate-intensity (or 150 minutes or more of vigorous-intensity exercise) each
week. This can be especially beneficial for weight loss.

Start slowly

If you’ve never exercised before or have been sedentary for a long time, it’s
advisable (after consulting with your doctor) to start off slowly and gradually build up
to these activity levels. Instead of 30 minutes of walking 5 days a week, for example,
start with 5 or 10 minutes and build up from there. 

How many days a week should I work out?

A recent study in the UK found that people who squeeze all their exercise into one
or two sessions over the weekend experience almost as many health benefits as
those who work out more often. However, spreading your exercise sessions across
three or more days a week may help reduce your risk of injury and keep your energy
levels up throughout the week.
Moderate-intensity vs. vigorous-intensity exercise

Whether an activity is low, moderate, or vigorous intensity depends a lot on your

personal fitness level. A brisk jog, for example, may be low intensity for a seasoned
athlete but vigorous intensity for someone who’s never exercised before.

How intensely am I exercising?

Low intensity

How it feels: Breathing easily, warming up but not yet sweating. Can easily
talk in full sentences—or even sing.

Activities include:
 casual walking
 stretching
 tai chi
Moderate intensity

How it feels: You're working, breathing faster, and starting to sweat more.

You’re still able to talk in full sentences, but not able to sing.

Activities include:
 brisk walking
 water aerobics
 riding a bike on level ground
 doubles tennis
 pushing a lawn mower
 hiking
 weight training
 skateboarding
 rollerblading
 volleyball
Vigorous intensity

How it feels: Really working, breathing hard, sweating hard, and too

breathless to talk in full sentences.

Activities include:
How intensely am I exercising?

 jogging or running
 swimming fast
 riding a bike fast or on hills
 singles tennis
 soccer
 skipping rope
 aerobics
 martial arts
 gymnastics
 circuit training
Vary the intensity for faster results

It’s safe to say that the ultimate goal for most people who exercise is to boost fitness
while spending less time working out. But while most purported shortcuts are simply
too good to be true, “interval training”—bursts of vigorous-intensity activity
alternating with lower-intensity activity—can actually deliver results.

For example, once you’ve warmed up, instead of walking at a moderate-intensity

pace for 30 minutes, try interval training for 20 minutes. Walk at a moderate-intensity
pace for one minute followed by jogging at a vigorous-intensity pace for one minute,
then back to brisk walking for a minute, and so on. Or, you could alternate brisk
walking with skipping rope or doing push-ups.

Alternating intensity in this way not only delivers cardiovascular benefits but can help
you to squeeze a better workout into a shorter period of time. And as long as your
doctor has cleared you to safely exercise this way, it can also help you lower your
blood pressure, lose weight (especially around your middle), and maintain muscle
mass. Interval training can also be a great way to vary your workouts and challenge
your muscles in new ways.
Element 1: Cardio exercise
What it is: Cardiovascular or aerobic exercises are endurance activities that use
your large muscle groups in rhythmic motion over a sustained period of time. Cardio
workouts get your heart pumping and you’ll breathe harder than normal and may
even feel a little short of breath. Cardio activities include:

 Brisk walking
 Running
 Aerobics classes
 Stair climbing
 Basketball
 Tennis

 Hiking
 Cycling
 Rowing
 Soccer
 Dancing
 Elliptical training
Why it’s good for you: Whatever your age, cardio can help to increase your lung
capacity, strengthen your heart and muscles, and improve your stamina and
endurance. Cardio workouts can also:

 Help control weight by burning calories and regulating appetite.

 Lower blood pressure and control blood sugar.
 Reduce the risk of falls in older adults.
 Improve memory and thinking; even help prevent mental decline and manage
symptoms of Alzheimer’s.
 Reduce joint pain and stiffness.
 Release tension, boost your mood, and help you to sleep better at night.

Walking: an easy introduction to cardio exercise

Walking briskly for just 22 minutes a day will help you to reach your minimum weekly
goal of 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise—and in the process, lower your risk
of heart disease and obesity. Walking doesn’t require any special skills or training.
Aside from a comfortable pair of shoes, you don’t need any specialized equipment,
and it can be done almost anywhere. You just have to resolve to get up and go.
Look for creative ways to fit a brisk walk into your daily schedule. Ditch the car and
walk to the grocery store, for example, or take a walk during your lunch hour, or walk
while you’re talking on the phone.
Use a walk to clear your head. Use the time to take a break from the stressors of
everyday life and give yourself some precious alone time. Fresh air and some time
to think can work wonders for your mood.
Or make it a social event and walk with others. Invite friends, family members, or
work colleagues to walk with you. Taking a walk can provide a great opportunity to
catch up with an existing friend or strengthen the bond with a new one.
Enjoy time in nature. Walking in parks, on beaches, or along hiking trails or
riverbanks can add to the mood boost you experience from exercising. Spending
time in nature can release endorphins, the brain’s feel-good chemicals that improve
mood and relieve stress.
Walk in a mall or on a treadmill. When the weather’s bad, you can walk briskly
around a mall while window shopping or use a treadmill in a gym or health club and
catch up on your favorite TV show or podcast.
Walk a dog. If you don’t own a dog, you can volunteer to walk homeless dogs for an
animal shelter or rescue group. You’ll not only be helping yourself but also be
helping to socialize and exercise the dogs, making them more adoptable.
Try mindful walking

Adding a mindfulness element to a walk can help break the flow of worries and
negative thoughts that many of us experience when we’re stressed, anxious, or
depressed. Instead of focusing on your thoughts, focus on how your body feels as
you move. Notice the sensation of your feet hitting the ground, for example, or the
feeling of the wind or sunlight on your skin, or the rhythm of your breathing.

Element 2: Strength training

What it is: Strength training, sometimes called resistance or power training, builds up
muscles with repetitive motion using resistance from free weights, weight machines,
elastic bands, or your own body weight. Power training is often strength training
done at a faster speed to increase power and reaction times.
Examples of strength and power training activities include:

 Push-ups and pull-ups using your own body weight as resistance.

 Squats, curls, or shoulder presses using dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance
bands or tubes, or even cans of food or other heavy household objects.
 Deadlifts or bench presses using a weight bar.
 Exercising with weight machines in a gym or fitness center.
Why it’s good for you: Strength training builds and tones muscle and increases lean
muscle mass. Aside from improving how you look and feel, resistance and power
training can also:

 Help manage your weight by burning calories more efficiently and reducing

body fat, especially around your middle.
 Ensure you have the strength to carry out everyday tasks such as carrying
groceries, lifting your kids or grandkids, opening a jar, climbing stairs, or
hurrying for a train or bus.
 Help you stay active and independent as you get older.
 Prevent loss of bone mass.
 Assist you in avoiding accidents and falls by improving your speed and
reaction times.
 Trigger endorphins that improve your mood, relieve stress, and ease symptoms
of anxiety and depression.
 Improve your flexibility, balance, and mobility.
The do’s and don’ts of strength training

You don’t need to spend hours every day lifting weights to enjoy the benefits of
strength training. Exercising the major muscle groups—legs, hips, back, abdomen,
chest, shoulders, and arms—in 20- to 30-minute sessions twice a week is enough to
deliver results and help keep you toned and strong.

Neither do you need to invest in a gym membership or buy expensive equipment for
use at home. Inexpensive resistance bands can be used to exercise nearly every
muscle in the body—and they can also fit easily into a bag or suitcase so you don’t
need to put your fitness regime on pause when you’re traveling or on vacation.
There are even plenty of exercises you can do using your own body weight as
resistance.

 Always warm up before and cool down after strength training to reduce your
risk of injury.
  If you’re new to this type of exercise, it’s important to learn the correct
techniques to avoid injury. You can find free fitness classes at many
community facilities. Apps and online video tutorials can also help, as can
exercising in front of a mirror to ensure you’re maintaining the right form as
you work out.
 When it comes to choosing the right weight or resistance level, most people
benefit from hitting muscle fatigue after 10 to 15 repetitions of an exercise.
While you can build up to 3 sets of each exercise, a single set is a great place
to start—and can be just as beneficial.
 As you progress and get stronger, you can challenge your muscles again by
adding weight or using a band with more resistance.
 Try to leave 48 hours between exercising the same muscle group in order to
give your muscles chance to recover. You can do cardio exercises in between
full-body strength training sessions or exercise your upper-body muscles on
one day, lower-body muscles the next.
 Always listen to your body and forget the old adage “no pain, no gain.”
Strength training should never cause pain!
The importance of core-strength exercises

Many of us equate exercising our core with endless sit-ups and unobtainable images
of washboard abs. But your core is much more than just your abdominal muscles.
Your core stretches from below your breastbone down to your thighs and includes
your back, sides, buttocks, and hips as well as your abdomen.

A strong core can help you maintain good posture and carry out many different daily
movements that involve twisting, bending, or rotating your body. Everything from
getting out of a chair to carrying heavy groceries or reaching for a book on the top
shelf are all made easier when you have a strong core.

Strengthening your core can also:

 Help alleviate and prevent lower back pain.

 Improve performance in many different sports, from tennis and golf to running,
swimming, and cycling.
 Help prevent falls as you get older.
 Improve endurance.
 Lower your risk of injury.

As well as abdominal crunches, activities that are particularly good at targeting your
core include yoga, Pilates, swimming, beach volleyball, kayaking or canoeing,
rollerblading, surfing or stand-up paddle boarding, using a hula hoop, or performing
perhaps the most popular core exercise, the plank. 

Element 3: Flexibility and balance

What it is: Flexibility challenges the ability of your body’s joints to move freely
through a full range of motion. Balance maintains stability, whether you’re stationary
or moving around.

Good flexibility exercises include:

 Stationary stretches and stretches that involve movement.

 Yoga.
 Pilates.
If you’re already active, chances are you currently engage in exercises that improve
balance, such as walking, hiking, cycling, golf, tennis, or strength training (especially
core-strength training). However, balance typically worsens as we age, so if you’re
an older adult looking to specifically improve your balance, you can do so by trying:

 Yoga, Pilates, or tai chi.

 Exercises such as standing on one leg, walking backwards, or using a wobble
board.
 Strength training the muscles of your back, abdomen, and legs.
Why it’s good for you: Flexibility helps your body stay limber and increases your
range of movement for sports as well as daily physical activities such as reaching,
looking behind while driving, and bending to tie your shoes. Flexibility exercises that
lengthen and stretch muscles also help to:

 Keep your muscles and joints supple and less prone to injury.
 Prevent back pain.
 Improve your athletic performance.
 Prevent balance problems.
 Increase circulation.
 Relieve tension and stress; promote relaxation.

Balance exercises can help to improve your posture and reduce your risk of falling
as you get older.
Only stretch warm muscles
Fitness experts advise against stretching before you exercise when your muscles are
cold. Rather, stretch only once your muscles are warmed up or after your workout,
as part of your cool-down routine.
Improving flexibility and balance with yoga, Pilates, and tai chi
As well as the meditative and relaxation benefits, low-impact practices such as yoga,
Pilates, and tai chi are great for improving flexibility and balance. While there are
differences between the forms, each offers plenty of options for the beginner and
seasoned practitioner alike.
Yoga. An ancient exercise practice that involves performing different postures and
poses on an exercise mat, there are many different types of yoga that can help with
flexibility and balance as well as strength and stamina. In addition to the popular
types, there are yoga classes modified for different needs, such as prenatal yoga,
yoga for seniors, and adaptive yoga modified for disabilities. Most yoga sessions
begin with a series of poses to warm up the body, and most sessions end with some
type of relaxation exercise.
Find the type of yoga that's right for you

Gentle yoga or Satyananda

Focuses on slow stretches, flexibility, deep breathing.

Best for: Beginners, stress reduction.

Not for: Those looking for a vigorous workout.
Hatha

Reasonably gentle. Involves stretching, breathing work.

Best for: Beginners, older adults, stress reduction.

Not for: An aerobic, calorie-burning workout.
Iyengar

Focuses on precise body alignment and improving balance. Uses blocks

and straps to maintain poses longer.

Best for: Those looking for more fitness benefits as well as deep

Find the type of yoga that's right for you

relaxation.
Not for: While more vigorous, not a total body workout.
Kundalini

Fast-paced routine of poses focusing on different ways of breathing,

chanting, and meditation.

Best for: Combining a good workout with spirituality.

Not for: Those uncomfortable with chanting or the spiritual aspect.
Hot yoga (Bikram or Moshka)

Takes place in heated rooms (more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit). Focus
on stamina and purification.

Best for: Intense, sweaty workout for those with higher fitness levels.
Not for: Anyone with high blood pressure, heart conditions, or those who
may react adversely to hot conditions.
Power yoga or Ashtanga

Vigorous, fast-paced to build flexibility, strength, concentration, and

stamina.

Best for: Strong workout, improving fitness and weight loss.

Not for: A relaxing, contemplative experience.
Pilates. Like yoga, Pilates can be performed on a mat as a series of low-impact
movement patterns, although it most commonly involves the use of resistance
machines. A typical Pilates routine includes exercises that promote posture,
balance, flexibility, and core strength. Most routines can be tailored according to
your strength and fitness levels.
Tai chi. Focusing on a series of slow, precise body movements that flow from one
pose to the next, tai chi is a very effective exercise for balance, especially in older
adults looking for a safe and gentle exercise. By moving weight from one leg to
another, and alternately raising the arms, legs and hands, tai chi varies the weight
on different joints, increasing flexibility and range of motion and improving balance
and coordination. And by focusing your mind on your movements and breathing, you
keep your attention on the present, which clears the mind and leads to a relaxed
state.
Learning yoga, Pilates, or tai chi

While you can learn these exercises online, from an instructional book, video, or
app, the best and safest way is to learn from a competent instructor.

 Look for classes at local gyms, YMCAs, and specialized yoga or Pilates
studios, which often offer the first class free so you can give it a try.
Community centers and senior centers may also offer classes at discounted
prices.
 Talk to the instructor. Many will be able to provide modified poses or programs
for beginners or those with special health concerns.
 Look for a low-pressure environment where you can learn at your own pace.
Don’t extend yourself beyond what feels comfortable, and always back off of a
pose or exercise at the first sign of pain. A good teacher can show you
alternatives for poses that are too challenging for your health or fitness level.

Getting started safely

Committing to a regular, balanced exercise schedule is one of the best things you
can do to improve your physical and mental health. However, it’s important to do it
safely. Nothing can derail your fitness goals quicker than a medical problem or
avoidable injury.

Get medical clearance from your doctor before starting an exercise program,

especially if you have a preexisting condition.
Warm up. Warm up gently with dynamic stretches—active movements that warm
and flex the muscles you’ll be using, such as leg kicks, walking lunges, or arm
swings—and by doing a slower, easier version of the upcoming exercise. For
example, if you’re going to run, warm up with walking. Or if you’re lifting weights,
begin with a few light reps.
Cool down. After your workout, it’s important to take a few minutes to cool down and
allow your heart rate to return to its resting rate. A light jog or walk after a run, for
example, or some gentle stretches after strength training.
Drink plenty of water. It may seem obvious, but your body does perform better when
it’s properly hydrated. And failing to drink enough water when you’re exerting
yourself, especially in hot conditions, can be dangerous.
Listen to your body. If you feel pain or discomfort while working out, stop! Don’t try to
power through pain. That’s a surefire recipe for injury.
Stand more during the day—every day

Sitting for extended periods of time has been linked with numerous health concerns,
including elevated blood pressure, high blood sugar, more body fat, and an
increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Whether you
spend too much time each day sitting at a desk, behind the wheel of a car, or on the
couch watching TV, it’s important to stand up for a couple of minutes every hour.

 Stand while talking on the phone.

 At work, try using a standing desk, or stand while talking to work colleagues.
 Get up from your desk at regular intervals and gently stretch.
 When watching TV, walk on the spot during commercial breaks or while the
next episode of your favorite show is loading.
Find activities you enjoy
You’re much more likely to stick with an exercise program that’s fun and rewarding.
No amount of willpower is going to keep you going long-term with a workout you
hate. For more on making exercise enjoyable and staying motivated, see How to
Start Exercising and Stick with It.