Home Workouts for Weight Loss
Working out at home comes with many benefits. You get to exercise on your own terms: there’s no need to wait for a certain type of equipment to open up, you don’t have to structure your day around a specific class schedule, and there’s no commute involved. Plus, you can say goodbye to swapping germs with other gymgoers and driving around in circles to find a parking spot.
Of course, exercise itself has many advantages in itself. Here are just some of the perks of being physically active:
- Reduced risk of many serious illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers
- Stronger bones and muscles
- Enhanced ability to complete daily activities
- Increased longevity
- Better management of chronic health conditions
- Improved brain health
While all these benefits are certainly noteworthy, they’re not always the first reasons that people pursue exercise. Many people exercise to lose or maintain weight — which is a perfectly valid reason. Maintaining a healthy body weight comes with countless benefits, including a reduced risk of many health issues, from sleep-related challenges like snoring and sleep apnea to arthritis, gallstones, and heart disease. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with the inherent mood boosts that can come with losing weight, too. From simply feeling more energized to being more confident in your own skin, many people who lose weight report improvements in their mood.
If you’re ready to begin your home workouts for weight loss, our trainers can help. We’ll meet with you during a one-on-one session to discuss all the factors that contribute to weight loss and management, including your current activity level, any existing health conditions, and diet and exercise preferences. From there, we’ll create a structured, personalized workout program designed to get you the weight loss results you’re after. Of course, you may just be dipping your toes into the world of home workouts. If that’s the case, here are a few exercises you can try first.
4 Types of Home Workouts for Weight Loss
Cardio
The right amount of cardio for weight loss varies from one person to the next. Some people will benefit from 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio, while others may see better results from 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic exercise. Others still may benefit most from a combination of the two types. Factors such as genetics and diet, among others, will influence your results.
The types of cardio home workouts for weight loss you can do span far and wide. Of course, they’ll depend on whether or not you want to use equipment. For instance, riding a stationary bike at a speed of over 10 mph can burn 295 calories in 30 minutes, while treadmill walking at a speed of 4.5 mph burns roughly 230 calories. Swimming also burns significant calories – about 255 in 30 minutes.
No equipment? No problem. There are still plenty of heart-pounding aerobic exercises you can do right in your living room to lose weight. Running in place is one option to consider, as are jumping jacks, burpees, squat jumps, toe taps, and plank jacks.
Weight-Bearing Exercises
As their name suggests, weight-bearing exercises involve using weights to strengthen targeted muscle groups. And while cardio may seem like an attractive option for weight loss due to its high calorie burn, you shouldn’t sleep on strength moves. Bodies with higher muscle composition have an increased metabolism, which means you’ll burn more calories at rest when you’re stronger.
While the gym has plenty of machines you can use, there’s no shortage of weight-bearing exercises you can do at home. All you’ll need to start is a pair of free weights that challenge you appropriately.
If you’re new to weight-bearing exercises, start with simple moves to work different muscle groups. For example, combine chest flies, rows, bicep curls, and tricep extensions to work various muscle groups in your upper body. For your lower body, hold your set of weights while performing squats and lunges.
Bodyweight Moves
Bodyweight moves are similar to weight-bearing exercises, except they require no equipment. Don’t be fooled, though — you can still get a highly effective home weight loss workout by doing bodyweight moves if you don’t have a set of weights. These moves boast many of the same benefits as weight-bearing exercises, including increased muscle mass to burn more calories. Try your hand at bodyweight moves like planks, pushups, bridges, and burpees.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
It’s no secret that you need a well-rounded exercise regimen to achieve weight loss. But if there’s one type of workout that will deliver the most powerful results, it’s HIIT. Research indicates HIIT is an excellent way to burn more calories in less time. When done the right way, it can build strength and endurance, and yield faster and more effective weight loss results than lower-intensity exercise.
HIIT is a unique form of cardio exercise that couples short periods of vigorous exercise with active recoveries or rest periods. These fast-paced workouts may combine traditional cardio exercises such as jumping jacks with weight-bearing moves, such as kettlebell swings. They could also add in bodyweight elements; for instance, turning a traditional squat into squat jumps increases the intensity.
The Bottom Line: How to Get Results from Home Workouts for Weight Loss
As you can see, there’s no single formula for home workouts that will result in weight loss. That’s because the formula is different for everyone. While many workout programs will encompass elements from all of the above categories, finding the perfect ratio and determining the specific moves, number of sets and reps, and days of the week for working out will depend on many variables.
If you’re ready to take the guesswork out of home workouts for weight loss, our trainers can help. Our team works with clients with varying needs, from postpartum moms to mature adults and teens looking to maximize their athletic performance in competitive sports. Whether your goal for exercise is to lose weight or you have a different milestone in mind, turn to us for results. To get started, schedule your complimentary in-home session now.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htmhttps://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/
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https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/#howMany
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/cardio-to-lose-weight#best-cardio-exercises
https://www.beaumont.org/services/weight-loss/exercise-for-weight-loss
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