Regarding weight loss, the best exercises are those that burn calories effectively while promoting muscle development and overall fitness. Cardio and strength training together target both fat loss and increased metabolism. Cardio Workouts
Cardiovascular exercises, commonly known as cardio, elevate your heart rate, making them highly effective in burning calories. These activities focus on endurance and fat-burning. Running is the most popular cardio exercise. Some of the other types of cardio exercise are:
1. Skipping/Jumping Rope
A jumping rope is the most affordable yet effective workout equipment. It is an excellent way of losing calories in a short amount of time. Skipping burns more calories than a treadmill in the same amount of time. Moreover, it also helps to work multiple muscle groups, including your core, upper, and lower body.
2. Cycling
Cycling is another great way to lose weight. It is a low-impact activity that does not place much stress on your joints. Depending on your intensity, duration, and speed, you can burn about 450-700 calories per hour.
Additionally, research has shown that people who cycle regularly have better insulin sensitivity and lower risk of cancer, heart disease, and other diseases than those who do not cycle regularly.
3. Walking
Regular walking is convenient for many beginners to exercise without feeling overwhelmed or fatigued. It is another low-impact exercise that does not stress your joints too much, and you do not need to purchase any equipment for it.
Adding even a thirty-minute walking schedule to your daily routine would let you lose 150 more calories than usual without walking. The faster and longer you walk, the more calories you will end up losing.
4. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
This is a type of training that alternates intense physical activity with less intense physical activity. Although it is not recommended to do this every day, it is a good way to reduce weight.
You will burn more calories with HIIT than with steady cardio. A study of 9 active men found that HIIT helped burn 30-40% more calories than other cardio activities such as cycling, walking, and jogging.
Strength training helps you build and maintain muscle mass. Unlike popular belief, it lets you keep the fat off your body. Here are some strength training exercises which will strengthen your core and help you lose weight:
1. Body Weight Exercises
If you are a beginner, bodyweight exercises do not require any equipment. They include pushups, pullups, planks, squats and lunges. However, make sure to get proper guidance from a professional before attempting them. Maintaining a proper posture is crucial when doing bodyweight exercises.
2. Weight Exercises
You can invest in dumbbells or kettlebells to do free weight exercises. These include bicep curl, Romanian deadlift, overhead press, split squat, bent-over row, and many more. They target a specific muscle group, such as the biceps, triceps, or calf muscles. Combining Both Forms of Exercise
Combining cardio with strength training will give you optimal results if you want to lose weight. You can use cardio as a warmup for your strength training. However, remember to take 30-60-second breaks between the workouts. This will help you avoid overtraining your muscles.
Exercise is not the only lifestyle change for losing weight. Dietary changes are also necessary. However, how much weight you actually lose will depend on factors such as your age, sex, diet, sleeping schedule, and other genetic and medical conditions.
You should consult a doctor to determine what exercise is best for you. Ultimately, maintaining discipline is the key to leading a healthy life.