In this month’s column, StrideFit’s Rob Jones gives his top three tips on how best to lose weight

The best weight loss results are almost certainly achieved by sticking to a good, healthy, moderated diet. However becoming more active or choosing certain types of exercise over others can help increase the amount of calories you use and in turn speed-up your mission to lose extra inches around the waist.

Here are some easy tips for making exercise count:

1... Take it to a new intensity

Adding two high intensity interval-training (HIIT) sessions to your weekly training is a great way to supercharge calorie burn. Not only can HIIT burn more energy than your average workout, but it also increases the energy required by the body for hours after – a phenomenon known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (or EPOC).

How to do it:

Rather than jogging at a slow steady state for 30 minutes perform eight intervals of 30 seconds fast sprinting followed by 2.5 minutes slow recovery walking (remember to spend at least 5-8 minutes warming-up at a brisk walk or jog and 3-5 minutes cooling down).

2... Get with the resistance

Include endurance weight training – also known as resistance exercise – to your weekly training and you’ll build lean muscle and increase the body’s daily energy requirement – that’s right, even more calories burned. Resistance exercise can also help strengthen bones and protect against osteoporosis.

How to do it: Twice a week grab a stopwatch or timer and two dumbbells (beginners between 1-3kg, intermediates choose 3-6kg and the strong 7kg and above) and run through three rounds of the following simple resistance exercise circuit – take a break between rounds but not between exercises. If you don’t know what any of these exercises are, head to the blog at stridefit.com to see a video demo.

- 30 secs upright rows

- 30 secs squats with forward raises n 30 secs tricep dips (use a bench or sturdy chair)

- 30 secs reverse alternating lunges n 30 secs bicep curl to press

- 30 secs body weight lateral lunges n 30 secs lateral raises

- 30 secs split stance rows n 30 secs modified push-ups

- 30 secs ab crunches

3... Choose to travel actively

Simply choosing to get around by foot or bike instead of by car, bus or train can make a real difference to your daily calorie burn.

How to do it: When off to work or the shops set off a little earlier or jump off the bus a stop or two earlier and brisk walk the distance.