What is the Best Exercise to Lose Weight?

I’m often asked: “What is the best exercise to lose weight?” However, the better questions are: “What kind of activity do I want to do?” and “What kind of activity can I do regularly?"

Do something you will enjoy.

Here's the thing. I'm going to give you some tips, but the number one ingredient to successful weight loss is doing something you will actually enjoy. This means you'll actually do it on a regular basis.

You're not going to bypass that spin class because you don't look forward to it, so when it comes to building an exercise program, you really need to think of, what do I like to do?

Do I like to be outside? Do I like to be in a group setting? Am I going to work out at home? You really need to consider these things when starting off a program that you're going to be successful at.

Make time for physical activity. 

Map out your day. Even if it's 10 minutes, don't let that time pass you by. 10 minutes of doing something is better than zero minutes. 10 to 20 minutes, map out your week, look at your day on a regular basis.

Do you have time to swing by the gym? Or is your time better used by going downstairs and using the exercise equipment?

Find out how your day-to-day activity is going to best serve you so that you, again, will implement it with much more ease.

If you have to drive a half an hour to the gym and go work out for an hour and drive a half an hour back and you're thinking, "I don't have two hours in my day," you're not going to be so successful. Time management is going to be very important for success.

Eating right is 80% of the battle. 

Another important factor is we are what we eat. 80% comes down to food. As I tell all my patients, you cannot exercise yourself out of a bad diet. Learning nutrition and how to build a proper meal program so that you're successful is going to be key.

This is where the customized piece here at PartnerMD with your health coach can really look a little further into it and help you give you those very specifics so that you can be successful when building your meal plan and weight loss.

Start today. 

Stop waiting for Monday. If you want to lose weight, don't say, “well, I'll start next week. I'll start on Monday.”

No, no, no. Go out for that walk right now. Go out today. Don't let the time pass you by. If you want to get healthier, you want to get more fit, you want to get more strong, whatever it is, start today. There's no time like today.

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• Health Coaching Services
• Meet Our Health Coaches
• Health Coaching at PartnerMD: How to Get Started
• What is a Health Coach and How Do They Improve Your Life?
• Why Should I See a Health Coach?
• What is Health Coaching Like at PartnerMD?

Ready to get started with a health coach? Call your local office or reach out through the Patient Portal.