Losing weight is perpetually one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions, but it’s easier said than done for just about everyone. However, if you know what to expect from a weight loss journey, you can better prepare yourself mentally and physically for the task to ensure your success.
For many, simply finding the time necessary to dedicate to healthy eating (like cooking fresh, whole foods versus packaged, processed or fast fried options) and exercising is one of the most difficult parts of achieving and maintaining weight loss. Now, we at least know exactly how much time you’ll need to set aside for working out in order to drop pounds.
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Exactly How Many Minutes Per Week to Exercise for Weight Loss
A review of a whopping 116 clinical studies reveals that it takes an average of 150 minutes of exercise per week to lose weight. Together, the studies looked at data from 6,880 adults who began them with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 25, indicating obesity.
Researchers analyzed each of the studies and found that participants’ body weight, body fat content and waist sizes all decreased as their amount of time spent doing moderate- to high-intensity cardio increased. However, aerobic exercising for less than 30 minutes a day didn’t do much for them.
“At least 150 minutes per week of aerobic exercise at moderate intensity is required to achieve important weight loss,” said Dr. Ahmad Jayedi, Ph.D., an epidemiologist at Imperial College London, and first author on the study told The Guardian.
The findings are consistent with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization, which each recommend 150 minutes of activity per week.
Related: This Is the #1 Way to Improve Your Workouts if You’re Over 50, According to a Physical Therapist and Personal Trainer
The Best Workouts for Weight Loss
Now that you know you need 150 minutes or more of exercise per week to lose a substantial amount of weight, it’s important to use those minutes wisely, because not all workouts torch calories at the same rate. Depending on how much time you actually have, these may help:
- The Best Workouts for Weight Loss, According to Personal Trainers
- The Best At-Home HIIT Workouts
- The Best HIIT Workouts for Beginners
- The Best Free Workouts
- 10 One-Minute Workouts to Try
- How to Start Running for Weight Loss, According to Personal Trainers
- Streaming Workouts You Can Do At Home
- The Workout That Will Help You Burn Fat In Your Sleep, According to Personal Trainers
Related: Here’s What Happens to Your Body if You Exercise for 15 Minutes Every Day
More Weight Loss Tips for Your 2025 New Year’s Resolutions
If weight loss is your goal, you’ll want to work on more than your workout regimen. Here are other things you’ll want to prioritize:
Drink more water and less soda and booze.
Avoid sugary or alcoholic beverages, which are full of empty calories and can contribute to visceral fat, and stay hydrated with good old H2O. If you need some flavor, add in fruit slices.
Fill your diet with whole foods and plants.
Burning all those calories exercising is next to useless if you’re just ingesting more than that. “Aim to follow a minimally-processed, whole-food, plant-predominant dietary pattern,” advises Dr. Lauren Donnangelo, MD, D-ABOM, a weight loss specialist in gastroenterology and obesity medicine at True You Weight Loss, previously told Parade. These foods will not only give you the energy you need to work out, but they’ll also keep you feeling fuller for longer.
This doesn’t mean you should completely deprive yourself of your favorite “junk” foods, but they should be an occasional treat, not a dietary staple.
Incorporate strength training into your workout routines.
Kelley Vargo, MBA, faculty of Exercise & Nutrition Sciences at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, previously explained to Parade that muscles are “calorie burning machines,” whereas fat is a “calorie storing warehouse.” By adding muscle, you can increase your metabolic rate and your resting metabolic rate, which means you’ll burn more calories even when you’re just binging Virgin River.
Up Next:
Related: 13 Reasons Why You Aren’t Losing Weight—Plus, Expert-Backed Tips on What to Do About It
Sources
- “Added sugar intake is associated with pericardial adipose tissue volume.” European Journal of Preventative Cardiology.
- “Adult Activity: An Overview.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- “Aerobic Exercise and Weight Loss in Adults: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis.” Jama Network Open.
- Dr. Ahmad Jayedi, Ph.D.
- Dr. Lauren Donnangelo, MD, D-ABOM
- Kelley Vargo, MBA
