What Is The Best Exercise For Weight Loss?

Everywhere you look online, you’ll see ways to lose weight. Do more cardio. Lift more weights. If you’re not sure where to get started, you might be wondering what is the best exercise for weight loss? Keep reading, as we’ll explore the best choices.

Learning The Basics

In order to start losing weight, you need to have a calorie deficit. That means you need to eat 3,500 fewer calories per week than you are eating.

But if counting calories is not for you, just start thinking about eating real, fresh, whole foods while eliminating processed, boxed foods as much as possible. Adding exercise into your strategy is also a great place to shave off extra calories.

To find the calorie allotment that is right for your lifestyle, you may want to use this calorie calculator.

Not only is exercise a healthy choice but it can really make an impact on your weight loss efforts. Exercise can help you shed extra fat while providing some great health benefits.

Some of the best reasons to add exercise into your regular routine include: better moods, stronger bones, and lowering the risk for many chronic diseases (such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers).

Here are our top picks for the best weight loss exercises.

1. Walking

There are so many reasons why walking is a great exercise for weight loss. It is convenient, easy, inexpensive and low stress on the body. That means you have less chance of getting hurt when you walk.

When you walk consistently, you can definitely lose weight. Walking tends to burn fat instead of stored carbohydrates which makes it a healthy weight loss option.

Walking is super low stress on the body. It creates much less stress on the joints compared to other forms of working out. When an exercise is less strenuous on the body, it is easier to stick with.

Other positives for walking include the fact that it can be done anytime, anywhere and it costs no more than a pair of supportive sneakers. Plus, if you don’t have time to commit to a single walking workout, you can add walking steps easily into your day.

Try walking during your lunch hour, parking further from the door, take the stairs more, or walking your dog more.

2. Cycling

Incorporating cycling into your exercise routine is a great way to get in shape and lose weight. It provides excellent cardiovascular benefits which makes it heart-healthy, too.

Traditionally, cycling was always done outside on a bicycle. But nowadays, gyms cater to those who love cycling. And there are many great home cycling machines that get the job done.

Using a machine like Peleton can really help you to shed calories and have a long caloric after-burn. Obviously, the harder you ride the bike, the more calories you will burn.

You want to be able to still talk without being out of breath when measuring your exertion level. If you find yourself struggling to speak, reduce your intensity.

Cycling is a great exercise for weight loss. Another bonus with cycling is that it can be done by anyone, regardless of their fitness level.

It is low-impact and non-weight-bearing too, which makes it easier on the body. Those who cycle regularly can also enjoy its heart-healthy benefits and increased insulin sensitivity.

3. Yoga

When you think of doing yoga, you probably don’t see it as a huge fat-burning exercise. However, adding yoga to your workout routine can help you with better breathing, posture, body control and focus.

Doing yoga is a great way to relieve stress. Its low-impact movements can have fat-burning effects too. Learning how to deep breathe while doing concentrated poses feels great and burns calories at the same time.

Studies have shown that doing just 2 – 90 minute yoga sessions a week can significantly lower stress and improve mental focus. Lowering stress to reduce cortisol is also an important component when you want to lose belly fat.

The mental improvements that can be found with regular yoga can help with mindfulness. Ultimately, this can help you to make better decisions including choosing healthier foods, listening to your body’s natural hunger cycle, and controlling your overeating.

Moreover, yoga does not just have to be done in a structured class anymore. There are many guided yoga routines available on the market which allow you to practice it anytime in the comfort of your home.

4. Pilates

There are pilates routines for all levels of fitness. But if you are just starting out with exercise, a beginner’s pilates routine is a great place to start.

Even though pilates doesn’t burn a huge amount of calories, unlike other activities such as jogging, it does offer a low-impact method that can help people lose weight while firming muscles. Many people enjoy the stretching moves of pilates which may make it more enjoyable and therefore, easier to keep doing long-term.

Pilates can reduce waist circumference, shed weight from the hips and abs and tone the body overall. Other benefits of pilates include: reduced back pain, better flexibility, balance and strength.

Many gyms now offer regular pilates classes but online routines are also available so you can do them at home at your convenience. Try adding some pilates to your healthy eating and other cardio exercises for extra weight loss effects.

5. Running

All you need to start running for weight loss is a good pair of athletic shoes. You can do it anywhere and anytime which makes it a convenient choice for many people.

When you run, the bulk of your exercise burn is coming from the large muscles in your legs. Running is a heart-healthy exercise and can help you shed calories for weight loss.

Should you want even more caloric burn, try sprinting uphill. That extra exertion will burn even more calories. Plus you’ll have a longer after-burn effect when you stop.

Trainers advise to do 20-30 minutes of running 3-4 times per week for the best effects on weight loss.

Adding jogging to your workout routine can also help burn dangerous visceral belly fat. This is the kind of fat that surrounds organs and contributes to chronic health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

Although running has many benefits, it is also a high-impact exercise that can negativity affect joints. If you find yourself struggling with sore joints, consider running on softer surfaces or using a treadmill.

6. Interval Training

There has been a lot of talk regarding the weight loss benefits interval training or high-intensity interval training (HIIT). This type of exercise is one where quick, intense exercise is alternated with shorter movements for recovery.

Most common are HIIT exercises that last anywhere from 10-30 minutes, depending on the fitness level. Performing HIIT has been shown to burn 25-30% more calories per minute than other forms of cardiovascular exercise.

The appeal of interval training is that many more calories can be burned in significantly shorter periods of time. The goal is to boost your metabolism. So if you are not a person who enjoys long workouts, this may be your exercise answer.

Moreover, HIIT has been shown in several studies to help burn belly fat. Losing belly fat is always important for better health because it can help reduce the risks of certain chronic conditions.

Doing an interval training routine does not have to be complicated or costly. It can be as simple as cycling hard for 30 seconds and then cycling slower for 1 minute to recover.

Keep repeating for 10-30 minutes. And you can even alter your cardio exercise for your preference to add variety.

7. Low-Intensity Cardio

Doing low-intensity cardio can be another effective way to lose weight. It is especially good if you prefer less intense movements on your joints.

This type of workout is suitable for all fitness levels. There are many classes available at gyms and also online for home routines.

Some of the exercises with low-intensity cardio include: dancing, jogging, cycling and power walking. As you get stronger, you can increase your level of intensity by adding hand weights or increasing the rise on your treadmill for 30 second bursts.

8. Weights

Contrary to what many people think, adding weight lifting to your workout routine is an excellent way to promote weight loss. Strengthening your muscles helps improve metabolism. This can help you burn more calories even while at rest!

Studies have shown that when metabolic rate is raised over time, it leads to more calories per day being burned. In fact, compared to doing just cardio alone, research has shown that adding weights to your workout helps keep the calories burning for hours afterwards.

Not only will you burn calories while lifting weights, but you will continue to burn calories after your workout. Weight training is an effective way to strengthen and tone muscles which helps improve metabolic function.

9. Strength Workouts

Doing cardio is an excellent way to burn calories. But adding strength training routines is a great way to improve metabolism.

When you add to your muscle mass, your body requires more energy. This then leads to more burned calories per day. Feeling that workout burn can really help you lose weight and burn fat over time.

One way to achieve this is to add a low-intensity workout into your routine. It should be one that includes working smaller and larger muscle groups as well.

The only negative of strength routines is that if you do them too frequently, you can be left with very sore muscles. When this happens, you are less likely to want or be able to continue to do them. Just be careful not to over do it!

10. Swimming

Want to have fun while you lose weight? Try swimming. This cardiovascular exercise is low-impact, and therefore easy on your joints.

Swimming can burn a lot of calories. It requires the muscles to work against the resistance of the water. This is a very effective exercise for using many muscles groups all at the same time without stressing the joints.

Although not everyone can have their own pool, there are many gyms and community centers that offer access to pools. If you want to burn fat, improve flexibility and get fit without taxing your joints, swimming might be the right choice for you!

How Much Weight Can You Lose?

How much weight anyone will lose on any diet or exercise plan will vary by individual. Every person is unique. But several factors also play a part:

Age – older people tend to carry more fat and less muscle which impacts resting metabolic rate. Therefore, weight loss can become more difficult with age.
Gender – men tend to lose weight quicker than women. This may have something to do with women having more fat and less muscle than their counterparts.
Original Weight – people that start out heavier than lighter people will tend to lose more weight and often quicker.
Diet – eating a diet that is full of protein, healthy carbs and fats is optimal for weight loss. Eating fewer calories than you consume is vital for losing pounds.
Genetics – research is showing there may be a genetic link to your weight. If you came from an obese family, you may be more predisposed to this condition.
Health – some people may lose weight slower if they have a medical condition such as hypothyroidism.
Sleep – if you’re not getting your 7 plus hours a night, you may be slowing your metabolism and having more cravings. Lack of sleep can affect weight loss results.

Recommended Guidelines For Losing Weight

Even though most people want to lose weight as quick as possible, it is not recommended for many reasons. Experts suggest aiming for 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week in order to see healthy, sustainable results.

Losing weight too quickly can be harmful to your health and lead to regaining it all back. There are real dangers of fast weight loss including: malnutrition, dehydration, gallstones, irregular periods and muscle loss.

Create a plan and a strategy to lose weight over time. Slow, steady weight loss is the ultimate goal. That way you will have time to readjust to new habits which you can maintain for the long term.