How Much Exercise Do You Need to Lose Weight?
One pound of body fat contains approximately 3,500 calories. To lose 10 lbs, you need a total deficit of 35,000 calories. Splitting this between exercise and diet restriction makes the goal far more manageable than relying on exercise alone.
For example, to lose 10 lbs in 12 weeks with a 50/50 exercise-diet split, you need to burn roughly 1,458 calories per week through exercise. At moderate intensity (430 cal/h), that's about 3.4 hours of cardio per week — roughly four 50-minute sessions.
The CDC recommends 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week for weight management. Combine cardio with strength training to preserve lean muscle mass during weight loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
One pound of body fat equals approximately 3,500 calories. A daily deficit of 500 calories leads to roughly 1 lb of loss per week.
Losing more than 2 lbs per week is generally not recommended as it risks muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic slowdown. Aim for 0.5–2 lbs per week for sustainable results.
Yes — combining diet and exercise is more effective than either alone. Diet changes tend to create a larger calorie deficit with less effort, while exercise preserves muscle and improves cardiovascular health.