Losing weight means following a healthy, dedicated diet and regular exercise program. But where to start ? If you’re in a rut before you even start, don’t worry. Nobody said losing weight would be a walk in the park, but we’re here to help. Eat this, not that! spoke with fitness pros who offer seven fat burning exercises for weight loss. You can count on these moves to burn lots of calories and activate muscle groups throughout your body.
Increasing your physical activity is an integral part of weight loss and helps you maintain your new healthy weight, the Mayo Clinic explain. A combination of resistance training (strength work) and aerobic exercise helps you prevent muscle breakdown and bone loss while you lose weight. It is recommended by the US Department of Health and Human Services to do at least 150 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of aerobic exercise at a vigorous level on a weekly basis. As for strength training, the recommendation is at least twice a week.
If you’re ready to kick your workout routine into high gear, let’s get started! Keep reading to learn all about the best fat burning exercises for weight loss, then be sure to check out 7 Simple Dumbbell Exercises to Lose Weight in 30 Days.
You will begin this first exercise standing with your back straight and your feet shoulder-width apart, Cleveland Clinic explain. Your arms should be at the sides of your body. Next, bend both knees as you descend into a squat. Place your hands on the floor in front of your body and press your legs back to assume a high plank/the top of a push-up. Next, lower yourself to the bottom of a push-up, lowering your chest toward the floor. Lean on a high board before bringing your legs forward to squat. Jump explosively and raise your arms to the sky. This completes a full burpee.
Next are bodyweight squats. This exercise will activate the lower body muscles – the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and glutes, PureGym explain. You will start by planting your feet hip-width or shoulder-width apart. Bend both knees and hinge your hips back to sit up in a squat. Push your knees outward on the way down. Feel free to keep your arms straight out in front of you for added stability. You should lower yourself until your thighs reach a position parallel to the ground. Push between your feet to get up.
In addition to burpees and squats, Tyler Readthe founder of PTPioneer.com and a NASM-certified personal trainer who has been involved in health and fitness for the past 15 years, also recommends sprinting as one of the best fat burning exercises for weight loss. Speaking of the three exercises, he explains, “When done in intervals, you get a great metabolic boost and can also build muscle, although the main focus is on calorie burning and conditioning. “
Then we have deadlifts, which are recommended by Anthony J. Yeung, CSCSfitness expert and founder of GroomBuilder. You will start standing with a barbell placed a few inches from your shins. Your feet should be planted hip-width apart. Maintain a straight back and squeeze your shoulders down and back. Grasp the bar and “pull” it up while rotating your hips forward.
The squat to press will have you holding two dumbbells by your shoulders. Your feet should be planted shoulder-width apart and your toes should be slightly apart. Begin the movement by descending into a squat and pressing into your knees. Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor while keeping your lower back flat. Once you reach the bottom, press through both heels to come back up and press the dumbbells overhead.
For the renegade row, you will place two kettlebells shoulder-width apart. Grasp the handles when assuming a push-up. Your feet should be in a wide stance. Go down in a pump. Once you reach the top, row one of the kettlebells back up, then do the same on the opposite side. This completes a full repetition.
Finally, the best exercises for weight loss end with mountain climbers. Place your feet on sliding boards or sliding discs, Yeung instructs. Next, assume a pump. Maintain a tight core and “run” as fast as you can while keeping your feet on the slide board. Make sure your head stays straight and your hips are low.
Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is the associate editor of Eat This, Not That!’s Mind + Body, overseeing the M+B channel and delivering compelling stories about fitness, wellness and self-care to readers. Learn more about Alexa