How to Workout Twice Per Day for Weight Loss

Regular exercise is important to achieve your weight-loss goals. The USDA 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that to maintain weight loss, adults should get 60 to 90 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each day. Although you can meet this recommendation by exercising for 60 to 90 minutes consecutively, working out twice per day for 30 to 45 minutes is often more achievable and convenient.

Things You'll Need

• Bike (optional)
• Dumbbells (optional)
• Yoga or Pilates mat (optional)

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Instructions

• 1

  Perform aerobic activities in the morning. Morning exercise may boost your metabolism for the day. Two different studies, published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" and the "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism," found that exercise resulted in a prolonged increase in resting metabolic rate in subjects.

  Prepare for your morning exercise routine before you go to sleep. Set your alarm, have your workout clothes ready, fill your water bottle and charge your MP3 player. Try brisk walking, jogging, biking or dancing for your aerobic exercise. Or, play sports such as golf, tennis or soccer. Keep in mind that vigorous physical activities burn more calories than low- to moderate-intensity activities.

• 2

  Perform muscle strengthening activities in the afternoon or evening. Building muscle is a key part of weight loss because muscle burns more calories than fat. Not only will you burn calories while doing resistance exercises, but your resting metabolic rate will increase with increased muscle mass.

  There may also be benefits to exercising before dinner. According to the study published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," exercise performed before a meal increased fat oxidation following the meal, in addition to resting energy expenditure. Do simple exercises, such as push-ups, sit-ups, lunges and squats. Use dumbbells to increase the types of exercises you can do and to add resistance. To help prevent repetitive use injuries, do upper body exercises one day and lower body exercises the next.

  Yoga and Pilates are also good options to increase muscle strength, and they can also help you unwind at the end of the day.

• 3

  Warm up prior to your physical activity. A good way to warm up is to perform the same activity you will be doing, but at a slower pace or intensity. After your workout, cool down by stretching. Move into each stretch with slow, controlled movements and hold each position for 20 to 30 seconds.