Top 15 Best Exercises for Weight Loss
Exercise is vital for general health & well-being and plays a vital role in the weight loss journey. If you aim to lose weight without going to a gym, then there are numerous at-home exercises that you can try out. Different exercise routines help you burn calories at a consistent pace, while some exercises can help you build lean muscles. Your goal shouldn’t be drastic weight loss through short-cut techniques, but losing weight naturally and maintaining a healthy weight. Exercise and a wholesome diet can also provide you with many health benefits. Thus, let’s check out a few simple weight loss exercises that beginners can start with today.
Best Weight Loss Exercises for Beginners
#1. Kickboxing:
Kickboxing is an excellent exercise for weight loss as it sculpts muscles by driving power from your legs and arms. You have to throw jabs, crosses, hooks and uppercuts, making it a full-body exercise. Apart from helping you burn calories, it is also a stress-buster exercise that helps improve endurance and coordination. Kickboxing training is a high-energy cardio routine including various combat sports based on kicking and punching. It is historically developed from karate and mixed with boxing to enhance your posture.
#2. Running or Jogging:
Running and jogging are weight loss exercises that seem similar but are different. The pace for jogging is generally between 4–6 mph, whereas running is faster than 6 mph. Jogging and running are some of the best weight loss exercises for women and men as they help burn visceral fat, commonly known as belly fat that is linked to various chronic diseases like diabetes & heart diseases. They are also ideal weight loss exercises for beginners as they can be done at any time & place and are extremely easy to incorporate into your daily/weekly routine.
#3. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT):
High-intensity interval training is a broad term referring to short periods of intense exercise that alternate with recovery periods. It’s another best exercise for weight loss as it lasts for 10-30 minutes and hikes your metabolism. For HIIT, all you need to do is choose a type of exercise, such as running, jumping, or biking, and your exercise & rest times. Some HIIT workouts can last for only 10 minutes. However, you’d likely only see results when you push your body to its limits with all-out energy.
#4. Push-ups:
A push-up is a common calisthenics exercise that reduces weight by being in a prone position. As a weight loss exercise, raising and lowering your body from the ground using your arms, exercises the inner muscles, triceps, and midsection as a whole.
#5. Jump Rope:
Jump rope is an exercise that was practised in grade school, and it’s time to get it back. It is the best weight loss exercise for beginners as you can burn up to 318 calories every 30 minutes. Plus, your heart isn’t the only muscle that’s working hard. It is a full-body workout that fires up your quads & glutes and engages your core muscles.
#6. Power Yoga:
Power yoga is an energetic workout, which is a combination of strength training, balance, and flexibility. The different yoga postures are challenging as you need to move rapidly from one to another. It can help improve balance and strengthen the bones & muscles. Depending on various factors such as age, physical ability and current level of fitness, individuals can practice different power yoga exercises.
To learn more about Power yoga, check out our blog on power yoga for fitness benefits and power yoga poses..
#7. Burpees:
Burpees are an excellent fat-burning weight loss exercise that also aids in building strong muscles and improving your metabolism. While it is beneficial for burning calories, it also reduces blood pressure and tones up the muscles. You will have stronger, tighter and more toned belly muscles after performing burpees daily.
#8. Swimming:
Swimming tones your upper & lower body and helps you shed overall fat, including belly fat. As a full-body workout, it also helps build lean muscles.
#9. Lunges:
Lunges are a popular exercise to reduce weight and does not require any equipment. They empower your lower body, increase core strength, aids in weight loss, boost muscle tissues, and help you get the perfect glutes.
#10. Weight Training:
The loss of muscle along with sluggish metabolism is a recipe for weight gain and other health issues that follow. Here, weight training can help build & maintain muscle and increase strength & endurance. Also, weight loss and fat loss are confusing terms. So, it is important to understand the difference to make the right choice. Read this blog to learn more about fat loss vs weight loss.
#11. Planks:
Another best exercise for weight loss is planks. As one of the best calorie-burning exercises, a plank engages multiple muscles at once, which improves your core strength. Not only does it burn the fat around your abdomen area, but it also improves your posture and flexibility. Planks might seem simple, but they require a lot of resilience and balance. The longer you can stay in the plank position, the better it is for you.
#12. Strength Training:
Strength training can help you build lean muscle mass and enhance your metabolism, which starts to become sluggish once you hit your 30s. The difference between weight training and strength training is that in weight training, you utilize weights to improve your general health & fitness. There is no long-term plan involved. However, strength training is a specific type of training for a long duration that helps you lose weight, build muscle mass and become stronger. Strength training aids in maintaining your muscles as you age and is associated with relieving stress from the body. Having healthy muscle mass across your lifespan can help boost immunity against diseases.
#13. Squats:
Squats engage your core and tone your thighs, calf and abs. The more squats you do, the more it will help with muscle-building and fat-burning. The number of calories you burn by performing this weight loss exercise depends on your weight, the intensity of the exercise, and the type of squat you are performing.
Further reading: Best exercises for men and women to do at home
#14. Cycling:
Cycling is one of the best exercises to reduce weight, as it helps you burn a lot of calories. As a low-impact exercise, cycling provides you with all the fat-burning benefits that running offers, while being gentle on your joints.
#15. Climbing Steps:
Climbing stairs is an easy exercise for weight loss at home. The first thing to know is that the more time you spend doing this activity, the more calories you burn. When you are new to this type of exercise, you shouldn’t push your body too hard. Just increase the intensity (number of steps you climb) gradually to see enhanced results.
Conclusion
Several weight loss exercises can help you stay healthy. Some exercises great for burning calories include walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, weight training, interval training, and power yoga. That said, various other exercises can also help boost your weight loss efforts. It is vital to select exercises you enjoy doing, which will motivate you to be consistent, garnering maximum benefits.
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