Exercise for Weight Loss: walking, strength and what moves the needle

Key takeaways

• Adults need at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week plus muscle strengthening on 2 or more days.^[1]
• 150 to 250 minutes a week of activity alone brings modest weight loss; more activity, or activity plus eating changes, does more.^[2]
• Strength training helps keep muscle while losing fat, and helps older adults keep muscle as they age.^[3]
• Six weeks of daily ab exercises did not reduce belly fat: you cannot spot-reduce fat.^[5]

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In short: The best weight loss workout is one you will keep doing: regular walking or other cardio you enjoy, plus strength training at least twice a week. Exercise on its own usually brings modest weight loss, but combined with eating changes it does more, and strength work helps you lose fat while keeping muscle. Activity also makes it much easier to keep weight off.

This hub explains what the evidence says about exercise and weight, how to start from wherever you are, and which activities fit different bodies, joints and schedules. Check with your clinician before starting if you have heart, lung or joint problems, or if you have been inactive for a long time.

Start here: do these next 1-2-3

How much exercise do you need?

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults get at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week, such as brisk walking, plus muscle-strengthening activity on at least 2 days a week. Any amount is better than none, and the benefits start as soon as you move more.

For weight specifically, the American College of Sports Medicine found that 150 to 250 minutes a week of moderate activity leads to only modest weight loss on its own. More than 250 minutes a week was linked with larger losses, and activity combined with eating changes does more than either alone. That is why we treat exercise as a partner to nutrition, not a replacement, and why it matters so much for keeping weight off.

Strength first: keep the muscle you have

When you lose weight, some of it can come from muscle. Strength training does not speed up weight loss much, but the ACSM review found it can increase lean mass and fat loss, which changes how you look and feel at the same weight. Muscle and strength also decline with age, and the National Institute on Aging notes that strength training helps older adults keep muscle. If you take a GLP-1 medication, a 2025 joint advisory from four obesity and nutrition societies lists resistance training, with enough protein, among the top priorities for protecting muscle and bone.

You do not need a gym. Bands, a pair of dumbbells or your own body weight are enough to start. Our strength training guide has a beginner plan, and muscle loss on GLP-1s covers training during medical weight loss.

Walking: the easiest place to start

Walking is free, low-impact and easy to fit into a day. Brisk walking counts as moderate activity, so a 30-minute brisk walk on five days reaches the 150-minute guideline. Steps add up through the day too: a walk at lunch, the stairs, a stroll after dinner. If weather or work makes outdoor walking hard, a walking pad under a standing desk is one option. The walking guide covers steps, pace and a 6-week plan.

Low-impact options for sore joints

If your knees, hips or back complain, you still have plenty of choices: cycling or a stationary bike, swimming and water aerobics, elliptical trainers, chair-based workouts, yoga and Pilates. Water supports body weight, which many people find comfortable. Start with shorter sessions and build up gradually; mild muscle soreness is normal, but sharp or joint pain is a reason to stop and ask a professional, such as a physical therapist.

Steps, sitting less and short bouts

The first key guideline for adults is to move more and sit less, and any amount of physical activity has some health benefit. The current guidelines also dropped the old rule that only bouts of 10 minutes or more count, so a few minutes of brisk walking between meetings, after meals or on the stairs all add to your weekly total.

Step counts are an easy way to see everyday movement. A 2022 meta-analysis of 15 studies with about 47,000 adults found that more daily steps were linked with a progressively lower risk of death, leveling off at about 6,000 to 8,000 steps a day for adults 60 and older and 8,000 to 10,000 for younger adults. That is a finding about health, not a weight-loss target, but it shows how much ordinary walking counts. A phone or a fitness tracker can count your steps; build up gradually from your current average rather than jumping to a big number.

Adults 60 and older6,000–8,000

Adults under 608,000–10,000

05,00010,000

Daily steps where the drop in risk of death leveled off

Item	Low	High
Adults 60 and older	6,000	8,000
Adults under 60	8,000	10,000

Steps a day; a health finding from 15 studies with about 47,000 adults, not a weight-loss target.

Source: Paluch et al., Lancet Public Health 2022 (checked on October 6, 2026)

Older adults and starting safely

For older adults, the guidelines note that physical activity also lowers the risk of falls and injuries from falls. The CDC lists walking backward, standing on one leg or using a wobble board as examples of balance activities, and points out that yoga, tai chi, gardening and many sports combine more than one type of activity. Strengthening the back, abdomen and legs helps balance too.

If you are starting after a long break, begin with a few minutes, add time before you add intensity, and check with your clinician first if you have heart disease, diabetes complications, recent surgery, or chest pain, dizziness or unusual shortness of breath during activity. If you are losing weight with medication or after bariatric surgery, ask your care team when and how to add exercise.

Spot reduction is a myth

You cannot choose where your body loses fat. In a randomized study, six weeks of daily abdominal exercises strengthened the muscles but did not reduce belly fat. Overall fat loss, from eating changes and whole-body activity, is what shrinks the waist. Our guide on how to lose belly fat explains what does help.

Body recomposition: lose fat, build muscle

Some people want to change their shape more than their weight. Body recomposition means losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time, which can leave the scale nearly still while clothes fit differently. It is a different goal from weight loss and from cosmetic body contouring. Our body recomposition guide explains how it works, and shape and look better compares the three paths. A tape measure and the body fat calculator show progress the scale can miss.

All activities and what they burn

Each activity page lists its energy cost in METs (metabolic equivalents). One MET is the energy you use sitting quietly; an activity rated 4 METs uses about four times as much. Our values come from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, a research catalog of more than 1,100 activities. Calories burned depend on your body weight and the time you spend, and fitness trackers and machines often give only rough estimates.

Home workout gear that helps

Simple equipment makes it easier to train at home. These are picks our team researched; we may earn a commission if you buy through these links.

More equipment ideas, including trackers and smart scales, are in our weight-loss gear guides. For the bigger picture of food, movement, sleep and support, start at how to lose weight.

Questions to ask a professional

• Is it safe for me to start exercising, and are there activities I should avoid?
• Should I have any heart or blood pressure checks before more intense exercise?
• Would a physical therapist or exercise physiologist help with my joint pain?
• If I am on a weight-loss medication, how should I train to protect muscle?

Frequently asked questions

What is the best workout for weight loss?

The one you will keep doing. A mix of regular cardio you enjoy, such as brisk walking, and strength training at least twice a week has the best support, especially when combined with eating changes.

Can I lose weight with exercise alone?

Usually only a modest amount. The ACSM found that 150 to 250 minutes a week brings modest loss on its own; combining activity with eating changes works better, and activity is a big help for keeping weight off.

Is cardio or weights better for losing fat?

Both help. Cardio burns more energy per session, while strength training helps you keep muscle and lose more fat relative to muscle. Most guidelines recommend both.

Can exercises target belly fat?

No. In a randomized study, six weeks of ab exercises did not reduce belly fat. Overall fat loss from eating changes and whole-body activity is what reduces it.

How accurate are calorie burn numbers?

They are estimates. Values based on METs from the Compendium of Physical Activities give a reasonable average, but your real burn depends on your body, fitness and effort.

References

1. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition: top 10 things to know. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (ODPHP). (accessed October 7, 2026) Guideline
2. Donnelly JE, Blair SN, Jakicic JM, et al.. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand: Appropriate physical activity intervention strategies for weight loss and prevention of weight regain for adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2009. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181949333 · PMID 19127177 (accessed October 7, 2026) Society statement
3. How can strength training build healthier bodies as we age?. National Institute on Aging (NIH). (accessed October 6, 2026) Government page
4. Mozaffarian D, Agarwal M, Aggarwal M, et al.. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity, 2025. doi:10.1002/oby.24336 · PMID 40445127 (accessed October 6, 2026) Society statement
5. Vispute SS, Smith JD, LeCheminant JD, Hurley KS. The effect of abdominal exercise on abdominal fat. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2011. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181fb4a46 · PMID 21804427 (accessed October 7, 2026) Randomized trial
6. Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, et al.. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: A third update of the energy costs of human activities. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 2024. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2023.10.010 · PMID 38242596 (accessed October 7, 2026) Review
7. Paluch AE, Bajpai S, Bassett DR, et al.. Daily steps and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of 15 international cohorts. The Lancet Public Health, 2022. doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00302-9 · PMID 35247352 (accessed October 7, 2026) Meta-analysis
8. What Counts as Physical Activity for Older Adults. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (accessed October 6, 2026) Government page

Facts checked on October 6, 2026

Educational information, not medical advice. Talk with a qualified healthcare professional about your own situation. In an emergency call 911.