Facebook Pixel

Which Exercises Help Maintain A Healthy Weight?

By Expert
 
Rate This

More Videos from Dr. Peter Vash 9 videos in this series

Dr. Vash recalls the best exercises to perform when losing weight and shares if altering an exercise routine will help increase weight loss.

Dr. Vash:
A frequent question is asked to me by my patients, “What type of exercise should I do? Should I exercise at all?” I say absolutely, you must exercise. In fact, if you start exercising while you are losing weight you have a much better chance of continuing with that exercise.

At Lindora we make a big point of 10,000 steps every day. Lindora Clinic recognizes how important exercise is and they give their patients pedometers and they want them to clock in with 10,000 steps every day. That helps to balance the amount of calories that you might have eaten during the day.

“What type of exercise should I do doctor?” The best way to answer that is any type of exercise where you move your body through space under your own power – walking, running, kayaking, cycling, jogging, mountain climbing, rollerblading, moving your body yourself through space by your own power – that will help you to burn calories.

There’s two major types of exercises – anaerobic, where you are using weights to gain muscle – that’s very good to build muscle and to increase your muscle mass, which will by the way increase your calorie burning power, but the most important type of exercise to burn calories is aerobic exercise. Aerobic- meaning using oxygen while you exercise.

Why is that important? Because if you want to burn fat and get fat out of your body you’ve got to burn it. If you are burning something you need fuel and oxygen, that’s why you have to have oxygen to burn the fat and that’s why aerobic exercises are most important form of exercise to lose weight.

I don’t think it makes much difference if you change up your activity one way or the other. The most important thing is just do the activity. If you walk for 50 years you probably have the same result as if you were to jog and cycle and what not. I think it changing up frees you and gives you a bit more exposure. You develop different muscle groups; you have better neurological connections. I think it’s healthier for you to have a set of different exercises, but as far as weight loss, exercise per se, it’s all the same.

About Dr. Peter Vash, M.D., M.P.H.:
Dr. Vash is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Center for Health Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is a Board Certified Internist specializing in Endocrinology and Metabolism, with an emphasis in obesity and eating disorders.

Add a Comment2 Comments

I never knew the importance of oxygen during a workout. I'm definitely going to remember this tomorrow when I'm exercising. Thanks a lot!

September 24, 2011 - 8:48pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I found that walking became not only a great way to promote my weight loss, but it was a refuge from the daily world. I was alone with my music and my thoughts and it became "me time" in a way I never expected.

I am also discovering strength training now, which amazes me as I never saw myself doing this before.
http://www.structurehouse.com/blog/2010/10/strength-training-is-a-must.html

November 1, 2010 - 10:58am
Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
By submitting this form, you agree to EmpowHER's terms of service and privacy policy
Add a Comment

Weight Loss

Get Email Updates

Related Checklists

Health Newsletter

Receive the latest and greatest in women's health and wellness from EmpowHER - for free!