Weight loss: The optimal amount of exercise to do each week to help burn fat

People stretching / woman with water bottle

Exercise is important for weight loss and weight management

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Sarra Gray

By Sarra Gray


Published: 12/09/2024

- 15:18

Exercise is an important component when trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight

There are many ways to exercise for weight loss and management, from strength training to cardio.

Speaking exclusively to GB News, an expert shared how many minutes you should workout for each week.


Exercising for 150 minutes - or just under three hours - a week could give the best results, according to Pilates guru and Balanced Body educator Portia Page.

She said: "As we age, the typical goal for people is 150 minutes per week with moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic workouts and two sessions of strength training (15 to 20 minutes per session)."

Woman lifting weights

Strength training is great for weight loss

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Combining strength training and cardio will help build muscle, burn fat and improve overall health.

Strength training is a particularly beneficial workout as it "boosts the metabolism and reduces fat".

Portia said: "Lower testosterone levels can lead to increased body fat, particularly around the abdomen. Strength training boosts metabolism and helps reduce body fat, counteracting this effect."

The expert detailed how she likes to split her workouts throughout the week, which could give inspiration to slimmers.

She continued: "For me personally (at 62), along with hikes or daily walks, I like to mix in strength training two to three times per week (15 to 20 minutes a session) and mind/body workouts (Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi, etc) two to three times per week (20 to 60 minutes per session).

"This not only varies what I do each day; it also means that I spread my workouts throughout the day.

"[This] helps me with calming anxiety, infusing endorphins into my afternoons (when I might be feeling the effects of hours and hours on zoom or meetings) and breaks up the day in general, creating a well-balanced mental and physical attitude and wellbeing overall."

Couple walking

Walking can promote fat-burning

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She told GB News: "Eating dinner earlier in the evening, preferably by 6pm, and allowing at least 13 hours of overnight fasting helps break the cycle of insulin resistance.

"Many women either develop insulin resistance during menopause or in those that have it the condition worsens.

"When the body does not have to absorb the glucose that results from digestion of starches, insulin does not have to be secreted. This lowers the insulin levels and helps reset the receptors."

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