Losing weight is all about willpower and basic math. Contrary to what the fitness industry tells you, losing weight is not hard or complicated. To lose 1 pound a week, you must eat 500 calories less than your daily need and undertake a progressively harder fitness program. 

With the new year officially underway, many of us have aimed to lose weight and join a gym. However, it can be daunting knowing where to begin with so much conflicting information around. To help make things easier, here’s a rundown of everything you need to know about weight loss and how you can implement it. 

For starters, you need to know that calories are the deciding factor. You should to visit our TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculator to figure out how many calories you need to maintain your weight. Then, you must subtract 500 calories from this.

You will then have your target calorie intake and begin to lose weight after implementing a diet around this. 

Is Working Out for 30 Minutes Enough to Lose Weight?

It depends. Remember, the quality of exercise is vital as long with the quantity.

For example, you’d be better off undertaking a 20 minute HIIT program than half-heartedly lifting weights for an hour. In general, though, a person would burn around 75 calories for every ten minutes of weightlifting.

Therefore, somebody working out for 30 minutes would burn 225 calories. It may not sound like much, but if you’re new to the world of exercise, then shorter workouts are a great way to build confidence. 

If I exercise for 2 hours per day, how much weight would I lose?

You would burn far more calories working out two hours a day, sure, but such long workouts may not be ideal.

Longer workouts can cause injury, burnout, and run the risk of boring you. Very few people need to train for two hours at a time, and the general population does not need such an intensive training schedule by and large. 

You’d burn 900 calories by lifting weights for two hours. However, committing to this training regimen is going to be unsustainable. It’s best to begin your weight loss journey with small, actionable steps to help improve discipline. 

How many days of the week should I work out?

This entirely depends on your schedule but most fitness experts would recommend participating in exercise 204 days a week.

Of course, you can always add more days in, but it’s vital that you focus on recovery too. Exercise is a destructive process where muscle fibers are torn and damaged. You need adequate rest and nutrition for your body to heal itself. 

Training too often, known as overtraining, can actually hinder your progress and recovery, so be sure to have the right balance. 

What is going to help me lose weight faster, cardio or weight lifting?

Though both methods are effective for weight loss, cardio training burns more calories. This is due to the more continuous nature of the exercise, and the lack of rest times every few seconds. 

Weight lifting can help you lose weight, too, and is generally more effective for body composition and aesethic goals. For optimal results, aim for a synthesis of both in your program. 

If your main goal is weight loss, though, then aim to improve your cardiovascular fitness. A cardio workout will circulate more blood around your body, keeping your metabolism down by diverting it away from your stomach. 

Other benefits of cardio training include a reduced need for equipment and the ability to workout anywhere. 

Final Thoughts

You need to spend around 2 to 3 hours a week in the gym to lose weight. This time is adequate for effective, rigorous workout and is not too great a demand for those with busy schedules. 

There’s also the benefit of improved recovery time – something that is vital for any athletic endeavor. 

Of course, you’ll need to use a TDEE calculator to find out how many calories you need to eat and study foods low in fat and high in protein. Add all of these things together, and you’ll be well on your way to smashing your weight loss targets.