Gaining weight is the easy part, losing weight is not! The key to long term weight loss is exercise variation, and burning off the fat with subtle, yet distinct differences in the type of aerobic exercise. This article will teach you tips and tricks to get results with some simple techniques for exercise variation.

First, let's get back to the basics of effective aerobic conditioning.

? Move continuously

? Use large muscle groups

? Get your heart rate up

? Strengthen your heart and lungs

? Burn more calories in conjunction with your strength training program

? Speed the weight loss/fat loss process However, not all aerobic activities are the same.

Some programs are better than others, especially for weight control. The general recommendation for aerobic fitness (NOT weight loss) is 20-40 minutes of moderate activity 3-5 times a week. When it comes to weight loss, the approach needs to be multi-pronged and well planned. People who have lost weight - and kept it off - exercise more than that. To burn off one pound of fat, you need to have a 3500 calorie deficit between exercise and diet (MOST of the expended calories are to come from exercise) during the course of a week.

For best results, mix the exercise sessions with different modes and types of machines as often as possible. In addition to expending more energy and burning more fat, the variety keeps things interesting. So you're going to divide your aerobic workout into 15 minutes spent on 3-4 different exercises for a great alternative to doing the same darn thing on ONE machine every time you work out.

I've taken the four most popular machines and mixed and matched them and created 45-60 minute, no-boredom-allowed, serious-calorie-burning workouts but you will be the one to mix and match to come up with YOUR favorite combinations.

How To Mix And Match Each Time.

Change the kind of workout you do with each exercise. In other words, if you are doing intervals one day, the next day see how much distance you can cover in the same 15 minutes. Also, start each workout with a different activity, like treadmill one day, stair stepper the next. Choose 3 activities and intensities for a great 45-minute workout, or do all four for a real calorie-busting aerobic session.

? Activities

1. Stair stepper (or climbing your own stairs)

2. Treadmill

3. Recumbent/Upright Stationary Bike

4. Elliptical Trainer (or X-Country Skier)

Just to give you some numbers, you could burn over 2500 calories a week just from exercise alone, and, when combined with reducing your calorie intake by about 800 calories a week, that's a PERMANENT weight loss of 1 lb. a week.