The best type of exercise for weight loss is definitely something that fitness experts haven’t agreed on yet. Some people stress the importance of resistance exercise, while others say that endurance training is the bound to expend the most energy thereby better for weight loss. Some use heart rate as the primary calorie burning factor, while others use basal metabolic rate (BMR) to track weight loss training. Resistance training is said to increase BMR for up to 2 days after exercise which means your body is working long after you are not.

Alternatively, there is also HIIT training or high-intensity interval training.  Interval training has been believed to be the best workout for most people.  HIIT has you track your heart rate and train in specific heart rate zones to maximize the benefits and get better results.  Keeping track of your heart rate will help you track how hard you are working, and if you need to ramp up the effort or reduce it.  Furthermore, each zone is designed to target a specific area of aerobic fitness. Interval training improves strength and endurance over moderate-intensity steady-state cardiovascular exercise.

The reality is, any of these methods work great for people as long as you are consistent.  That is, the nest type of exercise for losing weight is the one that you are actually motivated to do. Staying motivated to hit the gym or getting outside to exercise can be tough.  People live busy lives, whether it’s because of work, kids, or other social activities.  It can be easy to push working out to the wayside and opting for a more relaxing was to spend your extra time.

Most people won’t stick to working out or doing anything all the time that they do not find joy in.  No one wants to do something that makes them miserable.  So find activities you love that promote physical activity. Love the idea of toning? Do yoga. Enjoy getting your groove on, embrace Zumba. There are a million and one options for adding physical activity to your daily routine. Even just 20 minutes can do wonders and after all, is better than nothing. It really is more of a mental holdup to overcome, rather than a physical one. Make it fun. If working out in a group is fun for you then try it.  Sign up for classes or a recreational sports team. If you like being outside, try hiking, or walking along a scenic path. You should also try to switch it up. Try getting involved in different types of activities so that boredom isn’t the reason you quit your workout routine.  Different exercises or different classes can keep you excited for what’s next, and keep your body guessing.