If your exercise routine isn’t giving you the weight loss results you’ve been looking for and you can’t pinpoint diet as the main contributor, you might want to take a closer look at the types of exercise you’re doing. 

Don’t get us wrong, all exercise is beneficial but if your main goal is shedding those extra kilograms, try incorporating a combination of these into a complete exercise program alongside a healthy, balanced diet.

In its simplest form, cardio exercise (or aerobic exercise) is any form of activity that follows a rhythm and increases your heart and respiratory rate. This means running, cycling, rowing, skiing, walking, swimming and even plyometrics. Not only does cardio burn calories, it keeps your heart and lungs healthy. 

Recommendation: 1 day of longer, low-intensity, steady-state cardio (this helps with fat mobilisation and is achievable for most people) and 20-30 minutes of moderate intensity cardio 3 times per week.

Resistance training is any form of exercise that works to build muscle tissue in the body. The more muscle tissue you have, the more calories you burn and the more fat you lose. Not to mention, muscle helps with stability, functionality and ageing. To get the best bang for your buck, try and work every major muscle of both the upper body and the lower body. You don’t have to lift weights, body weight exercises will do the trick too!

Recommendation: 2-3 days of strength training per week.

Most of us can knock over cardio training and/or strength training but often fail to include or prioritise flexibility, stretching and mobility in our exercise routines. If you want to be able to move well and train effectively long-term,  working on your flexibility and mobility is critical. It keeps your joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments healthy whilst ensuring you can function optimally day to day. 

Recommendation: 10 minutes every day and before every workout.

Now, these may seem straightforward but that’s the beauty of it. Weight loss doesn’t come down to quick fixes and gimmicks, it’s about understanding the basics of diet and exercise and repeating them over time!