Engaging in a sweaty workout that pushes you to use your body’s muscles is a great way to lose weight. It helps you burn calories, which plays a key role in weight loss. However, given that the internet is full of misleading information, it can be quite hard and overwhelming to choose an exercise or workout that will help you lose weight. Moreover, you need to remember that not every workout will work for your body.
With that said, here are ten effective workouts that can help you lose weight:
1. Interval Training
Interval taring is any form of exercise in which your heart rate spikes and then goes down repetitively. It typically involves exercises that enable you to push your body for a set interval of time, followed by an active rest period, after which you get going again. The active recovery period is critical; you will need to take your training several notches down before ramping it up to a higher intensity interval training.
High-intensity interval training(HIIT) is a popular form of interval training that can help you burn calories quickly. Usually, a HIIT workout is 10 to 30 minutes long and can help you burn a large number of calories. Studies suggest that HIIT can help you burn 25% to 30% more calories per minute than exercises such as cycling, weight training, and running.
HIIT is quite easy to incorporate into your exercise routine. All you have to do is pick a type of exercise, such as jumping, running, or biking, and divide it into extensive training and rest periods. For instance, if you choose biking, you need to pedal as hard as you can for 30 seconds, and then pedal at a slow pace for 1 to 2 minutes. You need to repeat this pattern for 10 to 30 minutes for quick results.
2. Walking
Often overlooked as an exercise, brisk walking is one of the best workouts for weight loss. It’s an easy and convenient way to lose weight without feeling overwhelmed or purchasing expensive equipment. Additionally, since it’s a low-impact exercise, it doesn’t stress your joints either. According to Harvard Health, a person weighing 155 pounds can burn about 167 calories if they walk for 30 minutes at a moderate pace of 4 mph.
The best part about walking is that you can easily fit it into your everyday routine. All you have to do is add more steps to your day, which you can do by taking the stairs to work, taking your dog for extra walks, and walking during the lunchbreak. If you want to lose weight, you can start by walking for 30 to 40 minutes 3 to 4 times a week. You can gradually increase the duration as you become fitter.
1. Jogging and Running
Jogging and running are both workouts that you can incorporate into your weekly routine. All you need to jog or run are a pair of trusty sneakers. Studies show that aerobic exercises such as jogging and running can also burn harmful visceral fat. To get started, you can jog for 20 to 30 minutes 3 to 4 times a week.
For maximum weight loss, you can find an incline outdoor, such as a hill, and sprint uphill. Alternatively, you can crank the incline on your treadmill and run on it. Running uphill will enable you to work your glutes and legs and burn your calories quickly. Just ensure to keep proper form, lean into the incline, drive your knees as high as you can, and strike the balls of your feet directly under your body.
If you find running or jogging outdoors to be hard on your joints, try to run on softer surfaces, such as grass. You can also use a treadmill with built-in cushioning. It will certainly be easier on your joints.
2. Cycling
Cycling is another popular aerobic workout that will help you lose weight. It requires you to use various muscles in your body, such as your glutes, quads, and hamstrings, which leads to more energy use. The more energy you expend, the more calories you will burn. You can either cycle outdoors or purchase a stationary bike to cycle indoors. Alternatively, you can head to a fitness center to use a stationary resistance bike.
Cycling is an excellent way to lose weight for individuals of all fitness levels. It’s a low-impact exercise that won’t place excessive stress on your joints. Moreover, individuals who cycle regularly are exceptionally fit and have a lower risk of cancer, heart disease, and death.
3. Weight Training
Weight training is an effective workout that can help you build muscle and burn fat. Studies show that lifting weights can boost your resting metabolic rate, which essentially means that your body will continue to burn calories even when you’re resting.
Since weight training builds your muscle mass, it allows you to push your body harder during workouts, which enables you to get more out of every workout. You can add weight training to your routine about three times a week. To avoid the exercises from becoming less effective over time, try to keep your body guessing and switching your workout every three weeks.
1. Swimming
Swimming is surely an entertaining and adventurous way to lose weight and get a lean body. Since swimming is a low-impact workout, it will be easier on your joints. Doing a few laps in the pool will help you work all of your major muscle groups. As with all workouts, how you go about swimming and which technique you use will determine how many calories you burn.
According to Health Harvard, a person who weighs 155 pounds will burn 298 calories doing backstrokes for 30 minutes. If they do breaststrokes, they will lose 372 calories, while treading water for 30 minutes will enable them to lose about 372 calories. Meanwhile, if they opt for the butterfly stroke, they will lose 409 calories. According to another study, swimming regularly can help reduce body fat and total cholesterol. It can also help you improve your body’s flexibility.
If you plan to swim regularly, you can start by treading water as long as possible. Stand upright in the deep end and use your arms and legs to stay afloat. Allow your body to rest for 2 minutes. Then, take 10 back-and-forth laps of 100 meters and rest for a minute between each set. It’s a good workout routine that will wear out your muscles and burn a fair amount of calories.
2. Rope Jumping
Rope jumping is a type of cardio exercise that will help you lose weight. It’s a full-body workout that burns many calories in a short span of time. It helps you tighten your core, tone your calves, and build stamina. Moreover, a jumping rope is an incredibly affordable, easy-to-use, and portable tool that you can use just about anywhere. Based on research, if a person who weighs 155 pounds uses a jumping rope for 30 minutes, they will lose 372 calories.
You can try a speedy routine for maximum results. Warm your body up with a light 3-minute skip with the rope. Follow it up with 100 traditional jumps, which means that both your feet should leave the ground at the same time. Follow the traditional jumps with 100 jump rope sprints, which entail quickening your pace. Repeat this format and gradually decrease the number of jumps each time.
3. Yoga
Yoga is a popular way to relieve stress. However, it’s also an effective way to lose weight as it burns a fair amount of calories and provides you with many additional benefits as well. Studies show that yoga sessions can help you reduce your waist circumference. Yoga can also help you improve your mental and physical wellbeing. More studies suggest that yoga can also teach you mindfulness, which helps you resist the urge to consume unhealthy foods, understand your body’s hunger signals, and control overeating.
Even though many gyms and fitness centers offer yoga classes, you can practice various poses anywhere you want, including the comfort of your own home. Moreover, many fitness centers and trainers are also offering online yoga classes due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. So, you can easily sign up for an online class or look up a reliable online tutorial to get started.
1. Pilates
Pilates is a beginner-friendly workout that can lead to weight loss. According to an American Council on Exercise study, an individual weighing about 140 pounds will burn around 108 calories with a 30-minute beginner pilates workout. Similarly, if they take an advanced class for the same duration, they will lose about 168 calories.
It’s true that pilates will not burn as many calories as HIIT or aerobic exercises, such as running and cycling, but many individuals find it to be quite entertaining, which makes it easier for them to stick to it over time. Moreover, pilates can help you reduce stomach, waist, and hip circumference. Studies show that it can also reduce lower back pain and boost your balance, strength, flexibility, fitness, and endurance.
If you want to try Pilates, you can incorporate it into your everyday routine. Take up an at-home pilates class or head to a gym that offers a beginner’s class. If you want to lose weight by doing pilates, combine the workout with a healthy diet and other types of workouts, such as cardio, weight training, or even aerobics.
2. Boxing
Boxing is another engaging and entertaining way to lose weight. At its heart, boxing is another form of interval training. An individual weighing 155 pounds will lose around 335 calories if they box for 30 minutes.
The trick is to use your core to box instead of relying on your arm strength to punch. This is because if you only use your arm muscles, you won’t burn many calories. However, if you involve your oblique and leg muscles, you will burn more calories. It’s best if you opt for a trainer to box with you. This way, they can ensure that you are keeping proper form when boxing. They will also help you keep your intensity level high, which will result in more muscle use and calorie burn.
Factors That Affect Weight Loss
Even though you might be tempted to lose weight quickly, experts often recommend losing 1 to 3 pounds or about 1% of your body weight per week. This is because losing weight to fats can have negative consequences on your health. For instance, it can increase the risk of conditions, such as dehydration, fatigue, headaches, malnutrition, constipation, irregular periods, and hair loss. It can also result in unhealthy muscle loss. Moreover, if you lose weight too quickly, you are more likely to regain it.
Additionally, you need to remember that weight loss is not a linear process. It’s common for people to lose more weight when they start working out. The key is to work out in a sustained manner to lose weight naturally and gradually. What’s more is that there are various factors that affect a person’s weight loss journey.
Here are some factors that will impact your body’s ability to lose weight:
Starting Weight
Studies suggest that people who weigh more will shed more pounds than people who weigh less. However, the percentage of body weight that you lose will be the same.
Age
Older people generally have less muscle mass and more fat mass, which diminishes their resting metabolic rate or RMR and impacts the number of calories their body burns while at rest. A lower RMR makes it difficult to lose weight.
Gender
Women generally have a greater fat to muscle ratio than men, which affects their RMR. Men tend to lose weight more quickly than women, even if they consume the same number of calories.
Diet
Your diet naturally impacts your weight loss journey. You lose weight when your body burns more calories than the number of calories you are consuming. This is why a calorie deficit will help you lose weight.
Sleep
Lack of sleep can slow down the rate at which you lose weight. Moreover, it can also increase your unhealthy cravings and hamper your weight loss journey.
Apart from the aforementioned factors, your genes and existing medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism, can also affect your weight loss.
The Bottom Line
There is a wide array of exercises and workouts that can help you lose weight. Some great ways to lose weight include weight training, HIIT, aerobic exercises, yoga, boxing, Pilates, swimming, and rope jumping. You can try various workouts to figure out which one suits your body and weight loss goals the most. You must choose a workout that you enjoy doing so that you can stick to it for a long time.
