How to lose weight: 12 exercises to help you
Is losing weight your goal? Are you looking for the best excercises to help you lose weight?
I can totally relate.
We’ve all been there.
It’s always said to lose weight you should burn more than you consume.
It sounds simple right? but the thing is, it’s not that simple.
The good news however is, losing weight does not mean doing several intense hours of excercises.
Yes!! it is possible to engage in simple excercises and still lose weight.
In this article, I’ll be showing you the excercises that will help you achieve your desired weight loss results.
Why is it important to maintain an ideal weight?
Apart from making you feel better inside and out, weight loss comes with a lot of benefits.
Excess weight can, in some cases, cause orthopedic problems (spine, knees, and ankles, for example), varicose veins in the lower limbs, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.
Losing weight, then, is a great way to lower blood pressure and reduce blood glucose.
Weight loss also helps improve the quality of life in general. and facilitates the execution of daily tasks,
12 exercises that help you lose weight
There are several exercises capable of optimizing weight loss, which can and should be part of the daily life of those who want to lose weight.
So, let’s get into it…
#1. Running
This is an easy exercise to do and does not require a lot other than proper clothing and shoes, of course. It is possible to practice it on the street, but the idea is to use the treadmills found in gyms.
The race is an aerobic activity, ie, the one held for a long period and that the main source of energy comes from oxygen. In addition, there is a high energy demand for its realization, which makes it possible to invest less time to achieve goals such as losing weight.
Depending on the intensity of the run, it is possible to burn around 500 calories in an hour.
#2. Elliptical trainer
The elliptical trainer, also found in gyms, simulates walking but has the advantage of reducing the impact on joints.
With circular movements vertically, the legs move as if they were, in fact, walking – but without any impulse through contact and the subsequent removal of the feet from the ground.
There is also the possibility of exercising the upper limbs since you assist the movement through the support of the hands.
This is a way to eliminate even more fat, in an exercise that allows you to burn up to 600 calories per hour, in addition to promoting resistance gain.
#3. Interval training
This is another effective exercise that combines high and low-intensity aerobic exercise, recruiting various energy production systems to stimulate faster fat burning.
Peaks of effort are performed linked to moments of recovery, which is also an exercise that provides high-fat burning even after the session ends. Thus, the metabolism can remain high for up to 24 hours after the activity is finished.
The main example of interval training is HIIT. The acronym from English can be freely translated to “High-Intensity Interval Training”. It is an activity that can combine running, jumping, push-ups, squats, among other exercises.
#4. Bodybuilding
Contrary to what some people may think, weight training is also an important ally in weight loss through fat-burning.
This is an anaerobic activity in which, unlike aerobics, energy production does not require oxygen as a source.
Here, the main energetic substrates are muscle glycogen and carbohydrates. In addition, in addition to helping to lose weight (spending up to 300 calories per hour), weight training enables the increase of lean mass by increasing the volume of muscle fibers. It causes an increase in basal caloric expenditure, that is, the burning of more calories even when we are at rest.
#5. Spinning
The spinning can be practiced in gyms using bikes.
Practiced in groups and with the accompaniment of a Physical Education professional, this is a motivating exercise, as it is performed with lively music – which makes it even more urgent to pedal.
Because it has the company of other practitioners and the encouragement of the teacher, spinning has a high potential for burning fat and, consequently, losing weight.
In addition, it is possible to control the load and intensity of the exercise, adapting it to the objective of the practitioner.
#6. Cycling
Cycling makes use of free bikes and is usually a long-term activity, which allows for the burning of many calories.
Depending on the intensity with which it is performed, the exercise can burn between 500 and 1000 calories in an hour.
It is possible to practice it in the most diverse terrains, whether uphill, straight, or curved, increasing the level of effort to be made by the muscles.
Added to this is the low impact on the joints, which reduces the risk of injury.
#7. Jump
Quite practiced in the gyms, the jump is another excellent option for those who want to lose weight. In an hour of class, it is possible to burn between 300 and 600 calories. The activity is done with individual trampolines, with the motivating factor of lively music.
Thus, in addition to enabling weight loss, the jump allows the person to have fun, work on body awareness and improve motor coordination through the performance of group choreographies, always accompanied by a teacher. Because it is done collectively , as well as other activities, it increases the possibilities of interaction between practitioners.
#8. Swimming
Swimming alone is great! In the summer , then, the heat becomes another reason to exercise this way. Still, if you want to lose weight in winter , you can take advantage of heated pools in order to burn those fat. Whatever the season, this expenditure can reach 800 calories in an hour.
Because water offers more resistance than air, this is a low impact activity on the joints. This is also why it allows a good gain of muscle mass resulting from your practice, which can be individual or group.
#9. Skipping rope
Activity widely practiced during childhood, jumping rope is also a great alternative for those who want to lose weight.
It only requires a rope and, of course, disposition, and it can burn 800 calories in an hour by jumping.
In addition, it is an exercise with a strong cardiorespiratory factor, which optimizes blood oxygenation and strengthens the heart and lungs.
However, care must be taken when practicing it, as there is an impact on the joints. Ideally, it is ideal that it be done on rubberized floors, and that it is not practiced for more than 60 minutes.
#10. Functional training
Like interval training, functional training is able to activate the aerobic and anaerobic pathways due to the alternation between low and high-intensity exercises.
In it, everyday movements are adapted to optimize strength gain, as well as cardiorespiratory improvement and fat burning.
It is possible to eliminate between 800 and 1000 calories in an hour of exercise.
Not to mention the stimulation and improvement of posture, stability, and flexibility.
The function is conducted by a teacher and makes use of equipment and accessories such as washers, dumbbells, balls, bars, cones, kettlebells, and elastic bands.
It also has as a motivating factor the fact of being done in a group, which encourages each one to give their maximum.
#11. Playing sports
The advantage of playing sports is that, in addition to allowing you to do an activity you like, you can burn several calories.
An hour playing tennis, for example, can cause the loss of 450 of them. In football, as in basketball, there are 600.
And, for those who enjoy fights, it is possible to burn up to 700 calories.
There is the possibility to do group activities and have fun while losing weight.
Sports include various exercises such as running, jumping, and interval exercises, which enhance weight loss.
Another advantage of this practice is the feasibility of varying the intensity and duration.
#12. Dance
Dancing is really great and, to lose weight, it’s even better. With an hour of duration and under high rhythm, we can burn between 600 and 800 calories dancing. In addition to being fun, this activity works not only the body but also the mind, as it allows you to learn something new and relieves the stress and tension of everyday life.
All of this without mentioning that we can choose varied rhythms and interact with other people since classes are usually done in groups.
Feeding tips to lose weight
In addition to exercise, good eating habits should be cultivated by those who want to lose weight. Check below 6 tips for proper nutrition to achieve this goal!
1. Drink plenty of water
Drinking water is a great way to not only lose weight, but also to eliminate fluids from the body. This is explained by the fact that water causes a feeling of satiety, and two full glasses should be ingested before each meal.
SEE ALSO HIIT training can reverse aging!
Water is able to make the kidneys work optimally, which helps to eliminate fluids associated with toxins in the body, causing disinfection. Along with these toxins, substances that impair weight loss may be present. Given so many advantages, it is important to remember to drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day.
2. Have set times for eating
Hunger is already a sign of the organism that there is a lack of energetic substrates for the ideal maintenance of biological processes. Therefore, eating only when you are hungry is not appropriate. To lose weight, it is important to keep our bodies functioning in the best possible way.
It is essential to have set times for eating. Eating about five small meals during the day is a way to increase metabolism from 5 to 15% of normal. As we have already seen, a high metabolism is synonymous with weight loss. Thus, the ideal is to eat an adequate – but not exaggerated – amount of food, and always every three hours.
3. Keep your attention while eating
Although it is a common habit for many people, eating while watching television or using a cell phone is not good for those who want to lose weight. Such practice makes you eat without paying attention to food.
And that is where the danger lies: eating without attention can mean going over the top without even realizing it. Therefore, it is necessary to be vigilant at the moment when we eat to avoid that unrestrained consumption causes an increase in the amount of fat in the body.
4. Restrict the consumption of sweets, fried foods, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages
To lose weight, you must have enough willpower. Although delicious, foods high in sodium, sugar and fat are the great villains of those who want to lose weight. Therefore, one should not eat everything one wants at any time.
It may not be easy to cut sweets, chocolates, fried foods, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks from our daily lives, right? So, a good way out is to restrict consumption to some day of the week, for example (but without exaggeration, of course). Another solution to lose weight is to give preference to those that are light, zero sugar and the like.
5. Prefer whole foods and fruits
Whole foods require more calories to be properly digested. In addition, they have fibers that increase the feeling of satiety and optimize the functioning of the intestine, eliminating toxins that impair weight loss.
Fruits are other great foods that favor weight loss. They contain many fibers, vitamins and minerals that supply the body’s needs without giving it excess calories. So be sure to invest in wholegrains and fruits to lose weight! A good idea is to replace the desserts with fruits that we like.
6. Vary the menu
Anyone who thinks that to lose weight it is necessary to restrict food too much is wrong. Although some products need to be avoided, it is wrong to think that carbohydrates should be cut off for example.
As we explained, our body requires specific energy substrates, and the lack of ingestion of one of them can impair the generation of energy and the proper functioning of the body.
Thus, it is essential to have a versatile and varied menu, even if in small quantities. Insert whole-grain breads and pastas, salads, juices, meats (or other types of protein) in your daily routine, always mixing between meals. Thus, the chances of losing weight are greater and, even better, maintaining health .
How to advance the weight loss process?
In general, there are two extremes of those who want to lose weight: eat little and without awareness of their real needs or eat normally (or even in excess) and practice physical exercises. However, in both cases the fat loss process is hampered.
As we saw during the reading of this post, combining physical exercises appropriate to a good diet is the most efficient way to advance the weight loss process. This is because our body has a so-called energy balance and, to lose weight, it must be negative. In other words, what goes in – the food and, consequently, the calories – must be in less quantity than what goes out – the energy spent on activities.
Why does a gym help you lose weight?
As explained in this article, the gym provides several activities that allow you to lose weight. Spinning, jumping, swimming, weight training, running , HIIT, functional training … the options are so many that it is even difficult not to have the courage to exercise.
Exercising at home does not offer this range of possibilities. In addition, in the gym you have the right equipment for each objective.
There is also the opportunity to be accompanied by an instructor, who will be able to not only inform the ideal activities for each profile, but also give tips on the best way to perform them.
All of this without mentioning the infrastructure, which most of the time has changing rooms, drinking fountains, bins and, in some cases, even a swimming pool so that training can be done without worrying about anything other than achieving our goals.
See how losing weight can be less painful than it looks? Just be focused and disciplined, choosing the most appropriate exercise for your routine and profile. Taking care of food and following the tips given is also essential in this process. So, just enjoy the benefits of a life with quality and well-being!
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