Exercise on Phentermine
Fitness is an important part of your weight loss journey with phentermine, and an even more essential part of your healthy lifestyle post-phentermine.
Benefits of Daily Exercise
Many people don’t prioritize exercise because they’re already losing weight without it, but the virtues of working out extend far beyond an extra calorie burn. Some of the most impressive benefits of daily physical activity include (1,2):
- A longer life expectancy
- Decreased risk of cardiovascular disease
- Natural management of anxiety and depression
- Stronger immunity and shorter colds
- Lower “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and higher “good” cholesterol (HDL)
- Better control of blood sugar and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes
- A lower risk of some cancers, including colon, breast, uterine and lung cancers
- Better (and more!) sleep at night
- A more satisfactory sex life
- Higher self-esteem
- A lower risk of damaging falls as you age
Exercise also helps burn fat and tone muscles, which makes weight loss faster and more noticeable.
No matter your reason, aim for 5 hours a week of moderate activity (like walking or cycling) or 2.5 hours a week of vigorous activity (like running or swimming). Adults should also lift weights or participate in another strength-building activity at least twice per week (3).
If you haven’t been active recently, start slow and gradually work your way up. Consistency is better than burnout or injury, so it’s important to resist the urge to do too much to fast.
Workouts for Weight Loss
Always speak to your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you’re taking phentermine, have a pre-existing condition or have not worked out for several months.
When you’re ready and after you’ve received clearance from your doctor, check out these 10 common exercises for weight loss with phentermine
Walking
Most of us walk all day every day, so it’s easy to forget that walking is a great workout too.
One of the most convenient ways to meet your physical activity requirement is to simply move more throughout the course of you day. You can download an app on your phone or buy a fitness tracker to count your steps and work day-by-day to gradually increase activity levels. If you want to improve your cardiopulmonary fitness, take longer, quicker walks that last for 10+ minutes.
Elliptical Trainer
Elliptical trainers are one of the most popular cardio machines at the gym.
Phentermine patients love this machine because it burns a lot of calories and tones your entire body without putting much stress on the joints. Compared to other forms of gym-based cardio, the elliptical trainer is one of the lowest-impact, most joint-friendly workouts – and a great fat burner! Plus, it’s easy to use an elliptical trainer at your own pace and build-up gradually as your fitness allows.
Dancing
Love to rock out to music while you cook, clean or drive? Dancing might be the perfect workout for you!
Phentermine patients dance while cleaning, during Zumba classes and in front of a TV to burn calories. Dance classes like Zumba combine heart-pumping moves with upbeat music to help you and your classmates break a sweat while having fun. Many game consoles (like Wii and Nintendo Switch) also offer video games that encourage players to dance and move as part of a game. Or, if you just love to dance, put on your favorite music and dance it out for 30-60 minutes!
Fitness Challenges
Fitness challenges can be a great option for highly goal-oriented phentermine patients, or if you want to start an exercise program with a friend.
Past users have seen success with apps like the 30 Day Fitness Challenge or similar, which guide you through thirty days of increasingly-difficult workouts. Many workplaces and community centers also have similar in-person programs that encourage members to commit to weight loss and/or fitness for 30-90 days. Grab a friend and join in!
Jogging or Running
Running is one of the most common weight loss exercises because it’s a great no-equipment workout. If you’re already moderately active and looking for a bit of a challenge, consider running or jogging.
On average, adults burn about 100 calories per mile of running (4). Find a pair of good shoes and then start slow by alternating one minute of walking with one minute of jogging. Slowly but surely you can progress to more running/jogging and little-to-no walking.
Bootcamp
Bootcamp was originally designed to get military recruits in-shape before they entered the armed forces, but these whole body, circuit-style workouts are now common in gyms and parks around the world.
Bootcamp workouts consist of several high-intensity moves, each done for 30-60 seconds with short breaks in between. Common exercises include running, jumping jacks, planks, push-ups, crunches, dumbbell work (e.g. overhead presses or bicep curls) and squats. These programs are a lot of fun, but they’re intense cardio workouts and tough on your body/joints so check with your doctor before jumping into a local bootcamp class.
Trampolining
Let your inner child out and jump around on a trampoline to get your workout in while taking phentermine!
Jumping on a trampoline, or rebounding, is a high-intensity workout with aerobic benefits similar to running. NASA trained astronauts on trampolines and experts agree that jumping provides a great, low-impact alternative to other high-intensity cardio workouts (5).
In fact, one phentermine user – Shelly – jumped her way to a 68-pound weight loss by bouncing on her kids’ trampoline for 20 minutes a day.
Weight Lifting
Many people gravitate towards cardio to lose weight and burn fat faster, but lifting weights is also incredibly beneficial… And not just because it makes you look more toned.
Strength training improves blood sugar control, reduces build-up of abdominal fat, improves flexibility and protects against injury (6). Plus, muscle burns more calories than fat, so building muscle helps you lose weight long-term.
Lifting weights, using resistance bands and taking Pilates or yoga all help build strength.
Cycling
Biking is another popular workout for phentermine patients. It’s low-impact, easy on joints and can be easily adjusted to accommodate different levels of fitness.
Plus, the leg muscles used in biking, especially climbing hills, are some of the biggest muscles in the body. As a result, regular cycling not only provides a great cardio workout while you’re pedaling, but also boosts calorie burn (metabolism) at rest.
To maximize weight loss with cycling, work up to 45-60 minutes a session. If you get bored easily, listen to music or podcasts, incorporate intervals or – if you’re riding a stationary bike – put on your favorite TV show and pedal through an episode.
Fitness Classes
Love a fun, social work out? Fitness classes are the place for you!
Popular classes have evolved over the years, but the concept has remained popular because classes are fun, structured and provide accountability.
Some of the most popular fitness classes include:
- Spinning (indoor cycling)
- Functional training (circuits) or CrossFit
- Zumba/Zumba Step
- Yoga or Pilates
- Barre
REFERENCES
- US National Library of Medicine. (2019, October 4). Benefits of Exercise.
- Cassity, J. (n.d.). 7 Hidden Benefits of Exercise.
- Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (09-2019). Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
- Carter, K. (2019, December 21). 6 Science-Backed Tips to Help You Start Running for Weight Loss.
- D. Burandt, P. P., Porcari, J. L., Cress, M. J., Doberstein, S. undefined, Foster, C. undefined, & Green, D. undefined. (2016, October). Putting Mini-trampolines to the Test.
- Fetters, K. A. (2018, March 23). 11 Benefits Of Strength Training That Have Nothing to Do With Muscle Size.