Losing weight is more of a science than art. By doing the right exercises and following a proper balanced diet, weight loss is inevitable (unless you suffer from any condition like hyperthyroidism).
There are hundreds of exercises you can do to lose weight. In fact, any physical activity you do will cause you to burn calories, which is central to weight loss. In this article, we recommend the 10 best exercises you should do for weight loss.
- Walking
Walking is a basic activity that all physically fit humans do. And it's perhaps the easiest way to shed some weight.
It's best for people who are just beginning their weight loss journey. So if you had little to no physical activity, then walking will be most effective in your case.
To see the best results, it's advised that you walk long and at a faster pace. Aim for 1.6 kilometers at moderate pace can burn as much as 100 calories. This, obviously, depends on your weight, gender, and other factors.
For people who are already exercising, walking might not be that effective. But it's a good way to regulate blood flow and work out the leg muscles.
- Running and Sprinting
Running is another great and simple exercise that can help you lose weight.
A Harvard research concluded that a 155-pound person running at a pace of 8 km/hr for 3 minutes could burn 298 calories. If you run at a higher pace or for prolonged time beyond 30 minutes, you can burn more calories.
Sprinting is a "level-up exercise." You run at your full potential for a short period of time. This is known to burn even more calories. Sprinting is part of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout, which burns the most calories in a short period. You can either run on a treadmill or on the nearest playground.
- Jump Rope
Jump Rope is a fun exercise to get involved in. Initially, you may find it uncomfortable. But once you time your jumps, you'll enjoy doing it.
Jump Rope is a full-body workout. You fire up your calves, glutes, and quads. You engage your core muscles as well.
One thing you'll notice as you jump rope, your heart rate increases. It means that your heart is getting a nice exercise too. Thus, it's great for cardiovascular health. And the best part is it's really inexpensive. You don't need to buy any online gym equipment other than a jump rope.
- Cycling
Also known as spinning workout, it is another fun to shed weight. Just like the exercises mentioned above, cycling is a lower-body workout. It tones your leg muscles, especially the glutes and hamstrings.
Since these are some of the biggest muscles in your body, working them out burns the most calories. Whether you cycle on a stationary bike or an actual one, you'll see considerable results.
Try interval training, where you cycle hard for 60 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of slow-paced cycling. Repeat 4-5 times for an ideal weight loss workout.
- Weight Training
People doing weight training burn the most calories over time. Workouts like squats, push-up, bicep curls, overhead press, deadlifts are called weight training, where you exercise against resistance. You can buy Hex Dumbbells, Adjustable Dumbbells, or Cast Iron Kettlebells for weight training.
These exercises increase your Resting Metabolic Rate, where you keep on burning calories after the workout is over. This phenomenon is called EPOC or Excess Post-workout Oxygen Consumption.
Research shows that an 11-minutes weight training three times a week increases the metabolic rate by 7.4%. So as and when you buy fitness equipment, purchase a set of weights too.
- Swimming
Swimming is an excellent low-impact workout. This means it's easier on joints and is less likely to cause injuries.
As you swim, you perform against the water resistance. The number of calories you burn will depend on the stroke type. Butterfly stroke burns the most calories, followed by breaststroke and backstroke.
A 30-minute butterfly swimming session will burn 409 calories for a 155-pound person.
- Rowing
When you hit the gym, you should perform some rowing workouts. It is an excellent full-body workout that targets your quad, glutes, back, arms, hamstrings, among other muscles.
The more muscles that are engaged in a workout, the more calories you're going to burn. It opens up your spine, hips, and shoulder muscles which most people holding a day job neglect. If you can’t invest in a rowing machine, then you can make use of resistance band sets.
- Elliptical
After you're done with rowing, you should take up the elliptical machine. The workout might look easy, but it's a great low-impact workout for the lower body.
A 155-pound person (10 stone) can burn 335 calories by doing 30 minutes of elliptical workout at a moderate pace. The machine allows you to set resistance. If you perform against higher resistance, you're likely to burn more calories.
9. Battle Ropes
Battle Ropes is an advanced cardio workout that targets the muscles both in the upper and lower body. You'll feel your heart rate goes up within minutes.
The ropes tend to be heavier than you might realize. When you slam them repeatedly, you exercise your arms, core, shoulder, and hamstrings.
Medium intensity battle ropes workout can burn up to 400 calories in an hour.
- Kickboxing
Ending the list with another advanced workout, kickboxing is excellent for a full-body workout.
Get a punching bag and throw some hooks, uppercuts, crosses, jabs for 5 minutes straight. Repeat this six times with rest in between, and you can burn as many as 300 calories.
The exercise will pump up your heart and lungs as well.
Strength Training Works Best for Weight Loss
If you want to lose weight fast, then take up strength training. It burns the maximum calories over a period of time, thus leading to faster weight loss. Look out for weight for sale offers to avail the best rates.
Along with the workout, it's also important to focus on diet. Avoid high-calorie and carb-rich food which, would nullify the calories you burn through exercises.
At the end of the day, you should burn more calories than you consume to lose weight.