At a time when more than 60% of the United States  population is considered overweight or obese, shaping up our waistline is not just a personal concern, but a national issue. Unfortunately, rather than exercise, many in the us have succumbed to the promise of weight loss pills and programs which have repeatedly proven to yield only fairly small, short-term weight loss. Even modest regular physical activity to your lifestyle can deliver better results than pills, while permanently changing both your body and your heart health.

However, United States consumers spend twice as much on diet pills each year as we do on all fitness equipment combined. This is upwards of $100 million per year on products that studies repeatedly prove don’t yield sustainable results. But more importantly, diets teach our bodies bad habits. Did you know that when you go on a diet, your body thinks you are starving? This switches on your bodies inherent natural response to slow down its metabolism, making you more efficient at storing fat, further worsening the problem.

The Exercise Diet

Exercise is the key to a better you. And although exercise requires more effort than popping a pill, it does not take as much effort as you may think to achieve visible results. Professionals agree that working your way up to 20-30 minutes of moderate to high intensity aerobic and/or cardiovascular activity four or more times per week is all it takes.

Cardiovascular and aerobic exercises (endurance exercises such as jogging, cycling swimming, and cross-country skiing) are best for burning stored fat (from calories or glucose) in your body – not only during the workout, but for some time after the workout is over as your body recovers. Alternatively, anaerobic exercises (short burst exercises such as sprinting, jumping and weight lifting), which first burn stored glucose rather than stored fat, make it harder to reduce weight. Anaerobic exercises also build muscle (which weighs more that fat).

The Best Cardio-Aerobic Exercises

There are a few including jogging, swimming and cross-country skiing. However, one of the best is biking. As kids, many of us took our bikes for granted as we pedaled to school, friend’s houses and sports activities. Little did we know as kids we were doing our body so much good. As adults, biking is still one of the best ways to burn fat, improve muscle tone and improve cardiovascular health – no matter what your age. Cycling works your major muscle groups – specifically your legs – while also working your cardiovascular system. More importantly, cycling does this with little impact on your joints, which reduces the risk of injury and joint soreness.