If you’ve hit a weight plateau, exercise can help you torch extra calories and reduce stress on your heart and blood vessels. But a realistic goal is critical. For example, if you try to lose one pound a week through exercise, you’ll need to burn 500 extra calories every day.
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“For many people, that’s too aggressive a goal and, as the chart below shows, very time-consuming,” says Erik Van Iterson, PhD, Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation. “It’s more sustainable to burn 250 extra calories through exercise while cutting 250 extra calories from diet every day.”
To learn how long your workout should be, choose your favorite activity below and factor in your weight.
