The right workout for you

Confused about how to get healthy, trim and ultra fit?  We help you discover everything you need to know and achieve the results you’re looking for.

We all know regular workouts are essential if you want to stay in good health and great shape, but exactly how hard do we need to work out? And, for that matter, how often and for how long? And what does it really take to lose weight or get super fit? If you’ve ever asked yourself any of these questions, we have the answers you need.
Workouts for weight loss

If your goal is to lose fat and build muscle, then you need to step up the pace a little. The fact is, if you want to lose half a kilogram per week, then you need to create a 15,000-kilojoule deficit. That means, in the space of seven days you need to burn off 15,000 more kilojoules than you eat.

For the average person, a 30-minute walk on flat ground burns about 500 kilojoules. "So to burn off half a kilogram of fat by walking, you'd have to hoof it for more than two hours a day," says Suzanne Schlosberg, co-author of Fitness For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons, 2001).

Now you can do that if you like, or you can cut back on kilojoules by making smart food choices and squeezing in a 45-minute exercise session five to six days of the week. There's no evidence to suggest these 45 minutes have to be consecutive – you can incorporate short bursts of activity, say in 20-minute intervals, throughout your day.

You may also like to consider trying interval training to kickstart your fitness regime. It sounds intimidating, but in truth it's anything but. All you need to do is alternate between intense spurts and moderate bouts of exercise, such as two minutes of jogging followed by three minutes of walking. Researchers at the University of New South Wales and the Garvan Institute recently completed a study that found this style of training may burn up to three times more fat than when you exercise at a steady pace.

Great weight loss exercise options: Power walking, jogging, aerobics classes, cycling and strength training.

Workouts for fitness

If you’re already a regular exerciser you may be up for more of a challenge. Perhaps you’d like to complete a triathlon or go on a cycling holiday? If that’s the case, you’ll want to increase your fitness level as much as possible. To do that, it’s best to commit to working out five days a week.

On your designated exercise days you’ll need to include at least three exercise sessions that last between 30 to 45 minutes in total. These sessions should be performed at a level that’s comfortably hard. You’ll also need to include one 30-minute session that sees you crank up the pace, meaning an eight out of 10, with one being sitting on the couch and 10 being full-on effort. Finally, you’ll have to find time for one longer session, lasting for an hour or more, but performed at a more moderate pace.

You may find this load difficult at first, which is why it’s important to view getting fit as a long-term project. It might be a struggle for a week or two, or even a month, but you will get there in the end.

“Getting fit is quite simple, but it’s not easy. You have to put in the effort to get the results,” says Rob Devereux, exercise scientist and chief of fitness development at Sydney gym, V Club.
“It can be done though and it’s well worth the effort. You can extend your life, boost your health and even improve your psychological wellbeing,” adds Rob.

Great fitness exercise options: Tennis, running, basketball, stationary cycling classes, circuit training and boot camp-style workouts.

 

Words: Kelly baker. Photography: Corrie Bond   Styling: Magda Ching