Looking forward to an effective way to lose weight? There's much more to weight loss than just dieting. Here're 7 best exercises to lose weight and stay fit.
Weight Loss is not about crash diets and extreme workout routines. It is a process that involves a major change in your lifestyle. Most importantly, it is making sure that you are doing the right things to help your body develop and get in shape. Working out can be time-consuming. For most people, this is one factor that keeps them from committing to a routine that they say for themselves.
What if you had a few effective exercises in your kitty that would help you not only lose weight bust also keep your body in good shape?
Learn more about these 7 best exercises that are quite effective when it comes to losing weight.
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1. Walking/Running
The best part about walking or running is that you do not need any equipment to perform these activities. All you need to do is make some time and get on with them. Walking out in the open has several health benefits besides weight loss. Your body receives a huge dose of oxygen thanks to the fresh air of the outdoors. Being outdoors also calms you down and helps you rejuvenate.
![](https://connect.healthkart.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/run-walk-jog_0.jpg")
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What you can do:
Walking for about half an hour can help you burn about 200 calories. If you can pick up the pace and begin running or jogging, the health benefits are improved. It is very simple, the faster you move, the more calories you burn. A good half an hour’s run or jog around the block can help you lose double the amount of calories that you would burn with walking. All you need is some good music and enough space to walk, run or jog. It helps improve cardiovascular health with regular practice. In addition to that, the endurance of your muscles increases by leaps and bounds.
2. Push-ups
This is one of the most traditional exercises that has been followed by gym-goers for ages. While the primary muscle that is working is your chest, push-ups can condition your whole body. They help develop the muscles in your upper body and give you a strong core. When you do push-ups the right way, you will feel them working on your chest, arms, shoulders, triceps, and biceps.
![](https://connect.healthkart.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/push-ups.jpg")
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What you can do:
Start out with a plank position balancing your body weight on your palms and toes. Make sure your body is aligned and the hips are in line with the rest of your body. Once you are in this position, lower the whole body while bending the elbows. Go as far down as you can and push yourself back to the plank position. If you are new to this, bend your knees and let them rest on the ground while you perform the same movement. Make sure you are leaning ahead. Your palms should be on either side of your chest when you lower the body. As you gain strength, move lower.
Start out with 3-5 push-ups and work your way up to 10-15 pushups in each set. This exercise engages all the muscles in your body helping you burn the maximum amount of calories. It also improves the endurance of the muscles as you consistently practice it.
3. Squats
It is proven that the more you work on your lower body, the faster you shed the extra kilos. This is because you are working a larger group of muscles. As a result, the body needs more energy. To do this fat burning increases and you burn a lot more calories.
![](https://connect.healthkart.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/squats.jpg")
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What you can do:
Start with your feet placed shoulder width apart. Then, keeping your hips back and your back straight, lower your hips. Make sure the weight of the body is transferred to the heels entirely. Go down far enough to bring your knees to a 90-degree angle. Ensure that your knees do not move ahead of the toes. If you are a beginner, you can start out using a chair or a bench. Push your weight back and lower the body so that your buttocks just touch the edge of the chair. Then come back up to the starting position and repeat the whole movement again. The exercise works mostly on the quadriceps or your thigh muscles. But, the whole body reaps the benefits of squats when they are practiced on a regular basis.
You can begin with 10 repetitions per set. Then work your way up till you can perform about 25 per set without feeling too tired.
4. Abdominal Crunches
A flat, washboard stomach is something that everyone dreams of. One of the best abs exercises to achieve this and burn the fat around your abdomen is – crunches. This exercise also helps develop the muscles in the abdomen. The muscles get stronger with time as well.
![](https://connect.healthkart.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/abdominal_crunches.jpg")
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What you can do:
Start by lying down on your back. Then, bend your knees and draw your feet towards the buttocks. The feet need to stay on the ground. After you are in this position bring your palms on the back of your head. Open the elbows out so that your chest opens up too. Now, keeping your neck in line with the spine, lift the shoulders off the ground. While you do this squeeze the abdominal muscle to feel the crunch. The most important thing with this exercise is that your neck should not be pulled forward. That means your chin needs to stay up throughout the exercise. Then, the back should be kept straight, without any arching.
Doing about 20 repetitions per set is recommended. However, if you are just starting out, you can even perform 5 repetitions per set. All you need to ensure is that your posture is right when you perform abdominal crunches.
5. Lunges
Lunges are yet another effective exercise for weight loss. This exercise also works primarily on the muscles of the leg. In addition to that, it also keeps your core engaged and helps the back muscles strengthen.
![](https://connect.healthkart.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/lunges.jpg")
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What you can do:
Take a big step forward with your right leg. Then keeping your weight in the center let the hip sink down. The knees should be bent at a right angle. Then, push back up to the starting position. Then repeat on the other side. You can either perform 10-15 lunges on each side before you move to the next side or you can also alternate between your legs. The latter is more beneficial.
The way to advance in this exercise is to hold a dumbbell in each hand. You can even walk ahead as you switch the legs to perform a lunge. Another effective variation is a plyometric lunge. This requires you to alternate between the legs. You will have to add a jump every time you switch from one leg to the other.
6. Rowing
Rowing is an excellent exercise for fat burning and weight loss. There are rowing machines available at the gym to perform this exercise. However, if you are travelling, a bent over the row will work perfectly for you.
![](https://connect.healthkart.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/rowing.png")
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What you can do:
Keep your legs shoulder width apart. Then, bend forward as you push your hip back. Make sure you feel a stretch at the back of your leg as you move forward. Then soften your knees. Let your hands drop down towards the floor. Then slowly lift your elbows backward as you squeeze the shoulder blades. This exercise is most effective when you use a dumbbell in either hand or use a bar. If you are traveling or cannot access a gym, you can even carry a resistance band with you and perform the exercise just as well.
7. High-Intensity Interval Training
The goal of HIIT is to keep your body in a constant state of motion. Choose 5-8 exercises of your choice. Include one cardio exercise such as jump rope and one endurance exercise such push-ups alternatively for best results.
![](https://connect.healthkart.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/high_intensity_interval_training.jpg")
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What you can do
Perform each exercise for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Allow an interval of 20-30 seconds between each set and continue. You can perform all the exercises that you chose one after the other. Make sure you go in an order and work from the upper body towards the lower body or vice versa.
Repeating four complete cycles makes for a great workout. With HIIT, you also save a lot of time. So, for anyone who is struggling with time constraints, HIIT is the best option available. Whenever you begin a new workout routine, make sure you consult your trainer. Each body requires something different, so you need to choose exercises that are safe for you. In addition to this, making lifestyle changes such as eating right and getting ample sleep will fasten the pace of weight loss. The most important thing to remember with any workout routine is that you need to stay consistent. When you feel like a certain exercise is becoming too easy, challenge yourself and add more resistance or perform more repetitions. The harder you push your muscles, the more calories they will burn.
These 7 weight loss exercises are meant to give you a complete body workout. That way, you are burning more calories and are getting closer to your dream physique.
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