Losing weight is a journey that lots of people can find tricky and,at times, very confusing! We all know it involves a mix of healthy eating and exercise but, knowing exactly what exercise to do to achieve your goals is where most of us get lost!
Firstly, it's important to remember that exercise plays a crucial role in burning calories, building muscle, and improving overall health so including in your weekly routine has major benefits and will help you lose weight quicker than if you didn't exercise at all.
In this blog post, I'm going to talk to you about the best exercises for weight loss and how they can be integrated into your fitness routine for maximum results.
Why Exercise Matters for Weight Loss
Exercise contributes to weight loss by:
- Burning Calories: Physical activity increases your energy expenditure meaning you burn more calories/body fat.
- Building Muscle: The more muscle tissue you have the more calories you burn even when you're resting!
- Boosting Metabolism: Regular exercise can elevate your metabolic rate meaning you burn calories quicker.
- Enhancing Mood: Exercise releases endorphins, which can improve mental health and put you in a great mood! This also really helps you sustain your fitness long-term and reach your goals.
Top Exercises for Effective Weight Loss
Below are some ideas for what exercise you might like to incorporate into your weekly routine. The most important thing you can do is choose a form of exercise you enjoy. This will mean you'll be more likely to actually do it
and keep it up in the long run.
Aerobic Activities:
- Walking: A great starting point for beginners. A brisk 30-minute walk can burn around 150 calories or you can set yourself a daily step goal to help keep you moving.
- Running/Jogging: High-intensity running can burn between 600-1000 calories per hour, depending on your speed. Try signing up for a charity race such as Race for Life. This will help give you a purpose and improve your motivation to keep running.
- Cycling: Whether stationary or outdoor, cycling can burn 400-600 calories per hour and is gentle on the joints so a win for those in need of low impact exercise.
- Swimming: Provides a full-body workout and burns about 500-700 calories per hour. Also a fab low impact option.
Strength Training:
- Weightlifting: This helps build muscle, which boosts your resting metabolism and means you burn calories more calories even when you're sleeping! A session can burn around 300 calories per hour.
- Bodyweight Exercises: You don't need any equipment at all to exercise. Push-ups, squats, and lunges are effective for muscle toning and can be done anywhere!
- Resistance Bands: Really great for targeting smaller muscle groups and enhancing muscle definition.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT):
- HIIT alternates between short bursts of intense activity and periods of lower intensity or rest. Its great for people who ar short on time but still want to get a real sweat on! A 30-minute session can burn as many calories as a longer steady-state workout AND continues to burn calories even when you've finished. Just put HIIT workouts into youtube and loads will come up!
Flexibility and Balance Exercises:
- Yoga: A much more gentle form of movement which helps improve flexibility and muscle strength while burning about 200-400 calories per hour.
- Pilates: Focuses on core strength and can burn around 170-250 calories per hour.
The Role of Personal Trainers
While many people successfully lose weight on their own, a personal trainer can significantly enhance your journey and help you along with your goals: There are many benefits to having a Personal Trainer, such as;
- Creating Personalized Workouts: Tailoring exercises to your specific needs and fitness level, particularly if you're a beginner.
- Ensuring Proper Form: This is especially true for strength training. Having a trainer to teach you how to perform exercises correctly will help prevent injuries and ensure you're maximizing the benefits of each exercise.
- Providing Motivation: Trainers are great for keeping you accountable and motivated to stay on track.
- Offering Nutrition Advice: Many trainers can provide guidance on healthy eating and the correct nutrition to complement your exercise routine. Weight loss is 80% food and 20% exercise so knowing about nutrition is key for weight loss.
- Tracking Progress: This is so important if you want to see results and having someone to help perform regular assessments and adjust your workout plan accordingly will ensure you continue to improve.
Tips for Starting Your Weight Loss Exercise Routine
- Set Realistic Goals: Start with achievable targets to build confidence and momentum. Small goals, one day at a time.
- Mix It Up: Try a variety of exercises until you fid something you enjoy and know you're going to stick at..
- Listen to Your Body: Allow time for recovery and don't go in all guns blazing. You want this amazing new habit to be sustainable so be realistic with how much you can do.
- Talk to a Personal Trainer: If you’re new to exercise, just getting back into it or want to be pushed to the next level then consider having a chat with a personal trainer to see how they can help.
In summary
Finding the best exercise for weight loss involves combining activities that you enjoy and that fit your lifestyle and routine. Whether you prefer running, lifting weights, or practicing yoga, consistency and a balanced approach are key. Getting yourself a personal trainer or online coach can really help you with your efforts and be a great place to start if you're feeling lost. Feel free to drop me a message in the contact section if you'd like some help or advice.
Stay strong and keep moving
