In our Philadelphia medical weight loss program probably the number one question that we are asked all the time is “What is the best exercise or exercise programs for weight loss?”. And in this article I will answer that question.
Now the answer to what is the best exercise for weight loss is truly different for each and every person. So in our medical weight-loss program we will custom design an exercise program for you. We take into consideration your age, your weight, your level of physical fitness, the amount of time that you are able to exercise during the week and of course we ask you what type of activities that you enjoy doing. The most important thing about exercise is doing something that you like to do.
Some people do well with just walking every day while others like to do short burst of high-intensity training. And then we have people that are totally to the extreme. Some people are doing very aggressive and physically demanding exercise programs like crossfit, boot camps and just the other day we had a young lady who came in and she injured herself while doing some type of gymnastic exercise program where she was actually was exercising on gymnastic rings and doing maneuvers like the iron Cross and hanging upside down on the rings. Honestly, for most of us these extreme type of exercises are not necessary. Now, if you happen to really enjoy these high intensity physically demanding exercise programs that’s fine by me, you should be doing exercises that you like – just make sure that you do not injure yourself while doing them. But for pure weight-loss it really doesn’t take all that much physical intensity to burn fat and lose weight. If you are short on time we have weight-loss exercise programs that are perfect for you because they only take about 12 to 15 minutes of time and you will do them only two or three days a week.
Personally my favorite fat burning exercise is walking. But we are talking about walking keeping your heart rate at specific levels to make sure that you are burning calories and burning fat. Just walking your dog and stopping every 2 or 3 feet really does not count as a fat burning walking program. (When you come in for your weight loss consultation I will calculate what your target fat burning heart rates are for you.)
I also like walking because almost everyone can do it. Quite a few of our patients have bad backs, hips and knees and really cannot do any other type of exercise besides walking.
Because I choose walking as my personal favorite exercise I am going to list a few of the benefits that you get from walking. Surprisingly walking has a large number of benefits besides helping you lose weight and burn fat and here is a list of some of the documented benefits of walking:
- Prevents up to 91% of cases of obesity and type 2 diabetes
- Prevents up to 50% of all cases of heart disease
- Reduce stroke by 25-30%
- Prevents up to 50% of all stroke deaths
- Reduces congestive heart disease deaths by 63%
- Reduces hospital readmission for heart failure patients by 70%
- Normalizes blood pressure and reduces risk of developing high blood pressure
- Restores or maintains heart and blood vessel health
- Restores and maintains normal cholesterol triglyceride levels
- Reduces risk of breast cancer by up to 60%
- Reduces pancreatic cancer in overweight people by 50%
- Reduces lung cancer, even in smokers, by 72%
- Reduces melanoma, that’s right, skin cancer apparently from the sun, by over 72%
- Prevents up to 50% of colon cancer
- Reduces risk of developing, and improves outcomes of those with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis
- Prevents osteoporosis and increases new bone formation
- Increases strength, flexibility and balance
- Decreases gallbladder removal by 20% and decreases gallstones
- Improves digestion and decreases indigestion
- Improves bowel function and elimination
- Increases immune system function
- Increases macrophage (anti-tumor) activity and antioxidant levels
- Decreases all causes of mortality by 67% in the general population
- Decreases all causes of mortality by 50% in 61-81 year olds
- Prevents up to 47% of cognitive impairment, prevents up to 62% of Alzheimer’s and 52% of dementia
- Improves physical function in older adults
- Decreases chances of ever being in a nursing home
- Decreases rate of aging
- Enhances learning by 12 times
- Increases dopamine and serotonin levels
- Decreases depression by 20%, including relapses
- Increased growth and healing hormones
- Decreases stress and body breakdown hormones
- Decreases body fat, obesity and weight gain
If you need help losing weight just call us now and schedule your Free Medical Weight Loss Consultation. Call us at 215-821-7336
