How Long Should Obese People Exercise Per Day?

Exercising regularly can help obese individuals effectively lose weight and keep the weight off long-term. Reducing your calorie intake is another effective tool when it comes to weight loss. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute suggests that most overweight and obese people need about 1,200 to 1,600 calories daily for effective weight loss. However, if you choose to boost your exercise instead, or combine these two weight-loss methods, you’ll reap maximum health benefits.

Weight Loss

• For losing weight, a 2009 review published in the “Ochser Journal” recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of aerobic exercise each week, and ideally 250 to 300 minutes weekly, or four to five hours per week, with a frequency of five to seven days each week. A review published in a 2009 edition of “Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise” reports that participating in 150 to 250 minutes of physical activity weekly produces only a modest weight loss, while exercising more than 250 minutes per week is associated with a more significant weight loss.

Resistance Training

• Resistance training, such as weight lifting, can increase bone density and strength, improve activities of daily living and help decrease body fat in obese individuals. The “Ochsner Journal” recommends resistance training for obese people as part of an overall exercise program at least two or three days per week in amounts of eight to 12 repetitions of eight to 10 different exercises. Work all of your major muscle groups including your shoulders, arms, chest, back, abdominals, legs and gluteus muscles.

Calories Burned

• In the absence of calorie restriction, you’d need to burn an additional 500 calories per day exercising to lose one pound of body weight per week. If you burn an extra 500 calories a day by increasing your physical activity and reduce your calorie intake by 500 calories daily you may lose about two pounds per week. According to MayoClinic.com, a 200-pound person can burn about 500 calories doing water aerobics for one hour, about 545 calories per hour hiking, 530 calories swimming laps for one hour, 365 calories biking leisurely for one hour and 390 calories walking for an hour at a pace of 3.5 miles per hour.

Concerns

• Although exercise is an effective tool for weight loss, not every exercise is right for obese individuals. Always chat with your doctor before beginning a new workout program to make sure it’s safe for you. Begin slowly with low-impact exercises such as walking, biking, swimming and weight lifting to help prevent injuries. If you can’t comfortably complete the recommended 250 to 300 minutes of exercise each week, start with 150 minutes per week and increase your duration as you start to build strength and endurance.