If you ask a very fit person what the best type of exercise for weight loss is, they’ll tell you the type of exercise they do every day. But they are probably wrong. That might be right for them, but the best weight loss exercise for you can be totally different. If you just want to know the best exercise for burning calories, then running ranks at the top of the list. But that’s not the same as the best exercise for losing weight. If you enjoy running and find it something that you can do several times a week, then running might be best for you.

But most likely, something else will be better. The best exercise for weight loss is very simply the one you will do. If you can get motivated to run for 30 minutes or five times a week, then it could be best for you. If you hate running or you can’t run, then obviously trying to run won’t do you any good. If you’re already fit, then you’re probably already doing the best exercises for you.

But if you need to lose weight, the best type of exercise to start with is probably walking. You don’t have to walk a mile a minute to get a benefit from the exercise. You can start out at a pretty leisurely pace. If you think you can walk for 30 minutes straight, then do that. If that seems like a challenge, then start with 15 minutes or even 10. Whatever you can do is the best thing to do. Your goal should be to walk at least 30 minutes at a brisk pace at least 3 to 4 times a week. If you can do it every day, that’s even better. And when 30 minutes is less of a challenge, aim for 45 minutes. When 45 minutes seems pretty easy to you, then walk for an hour.

If you never do any exercise but walking, you will greatly improve your health. And you will lose weight, as long as you’re eating healthy, too. Eating Ding-Dongs and high-fat foods all day long will keep you from losing weight, probably no matter how much you walk. But a good diet with a walking routine will help you lose weight and get in better shape. When you start to lose weight, if you’re comfortable with the idea of jogging or running, that can be the best exercise to help you lose weight more quickly. Or if you hit a plateau where you’re not losing weight, adding some jogging or running can help break you out of that. You do need to be careful with running, however. You can hurt your knees or injure yourself and be unable to walk or run for a while. Try other activities like swimming or cycling if you’re unsure. The best type of exercise for weight loss needs to be something that you can do frequently.

So walking is the easiest and safest exercise to help you lose weight.