Most people know that the simplest way to lose weight is through a combination of diet and exercise. But advice on which type of diet and exercise to use is constantly changing. When it comes to working out, though, new research makes things quite simple: Engage in a set amount of "moderate" aerobic exercise, such as walking or jogging, each week to see the number on the scale drop.
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"Moderate" cardio is proven to help with weight loss.
A new meta-analysis of 116 randomized clinical trials involving 6,880 adults with overweight or obesity was published this week in the journal JAMA Network Open.
The researchers found that engaging in 30 minutes of weekly aerobic exercise "was associated with modest reductions in body weight, waist circumference, and body fat."
However, they concluded that 150 minutes of weekly cardio exercise at "moderate intensity or greater" was associated with "clinically important reductions in waist circumference and measures of body fat, including body fat percentage, fat mass, and visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue areas."
In a previous interview with Best Life, Andrew White, CPT, a physical trainer and the founder of Garage Gym Pro, explained that "cardiovascular exercises are crucial for burning calories and shedding fat." He added, "They increase your heart rate and metabolism, helping you burn more calories throughout the day."
This aligns with current health recommendations.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which is adopted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "adults need at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking or fast dancing, each week."
However, the guidelines also recommend at least two weekly strength-training workouts, "like lifting weights or doing push-ups."
As Mayo Clinic explains, "Your body fat percentage will increase over time if you don't do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose over time. Strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass at any age." It can also increase your metabolism to help with calorie burn.
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What counts as "moderate" cardio?
If you're looking to take this advice, you might be wondering what kinds of aerobic exercise will help you on your way.
First, it's important to note that this might look different for everyone. "Aerobic physical activity or 'cardio' gets you breathing harder and your heart beating faster. Physical activities at a moderate or vigorous intensity count toward meeting the aerobic guidelines. Intensity is how hard your body works during aerobic activity," explains the CDC.
Think of "moderate" cardio as an activity that'll get your heart rate up, have you sweating, but allow you to talk, albeit breathily. The CDC lists the following as examples:
- Power walking
- Water aerobics
- Bike riding on mostly flat land
- Doubles tennis
- Mowing the lawn
- Jogging
- Running
- Swimming laps
- Fast bike riding or riding up hills
- Singles tennis
- Basketball
"A rule of thumb is that 1 minute of vigorous-intensity activity is about the same as 2 minutes of moderate-intensity activity," they add.
