Effective exercises for rapid weight loss

exercises for weight loss

There is no magic pill and nothing better than diet and exercise has yet been invented for weight loss. Furthermore, one does not work without the other. But even simple weight loss exercises will help you increase activity, burn calories and get a toned body.

So you have decided to lose excess weight. Which road are you going through?

  1. Understand your diet so you don't eat more than your body needs.
  2. Go through your daily routine, get enough rest and sleep because fat is burned during sleep.
  3. Learn some theory about how the body works, how muscles grow and fat burns.
  4. Buy sports clothes and sneakers to avoid injuries during training.
  5. Try different exercises and choose the type of activity you like.
  6. Exercise 3-4 times a week while maintaining a calorie deficit.
  7. Enjoy your new lifestyle and your body.

By following this plan, you can lose weight and stay in shape through exercise and nutrition. Now let's take a closer look.

Proper nutrition for weight loss

When losing weight, nutrition is the most important thing. No matter what training you choose, you cannot do without your diet. We will not fill you with information about calories and diets, but will give you basic rules that will help you lose excess weight. The fitness trainer says that 80-90% of success in losing weight is nutrition. Your goal is to spend more than you consume. Sports can help you speed up the process of fat burning, increase the number of calories burned, but the basis of everything is nutrition.

The trainer advises:

  1. Never make yourself feel hungry. The hungrier a person is, the more he will eat. When you're barely hungry, it's time to eat, because in half an hour or an hour you'll eat a lot more.
  2. Keep your previous diet, but take a spoonful from your usual portion each day. This is a very small amount, but if you look at it over the course of a week, it is already minus seven spoons per day. meal. The stomach quickly gets used to it, begins to decrease in size, and you are satisfied with less food.
  3. Do not overeat. There is no need to wait for the feeling of "poof, I'm full. "The feeling of fullness comes 15-20 minutes after eating. Only after this time can you objectively assess whether a person is full or not. It is better to leave the table with a feeling of satiety, but not gluttony, when it is difficult to breathe.

When losing weight, proper nutrition should be predominantly protein and fat. Eat more meat, cottage cheese, eggs, fish. Don't forget vegetables and grains, whole grain bread. Healthy fats can be obtained from red fish, nuts and avocados. This type of nutrition will not leave you hungry and will help you get all the necessary nutrients.

The diet must be balanced and varied, so that there is no desire to break down. But if you really want to remember the taste of the cake and chips, then you can eat the "forbidden" food little by little. It is believed that if you eat 90% right, then you can afford 10% high-calorie food.

Should you go on a diet or count calories? Everyone chooses a suitable nutrition system for themselves. On a diet, you eliminate certain foods and thereby reduce the calorie content of your diet.

low calorie foods

Advice.Try making a weekly menu with recipes that you like. There is nothing magical about PP recipes, and they are often even higher in calories than regular ones, and desserts made with almond flour take a lot of time. Take simple whole foods and protein foods as a base. Don't like oatmeal? Eat breakfast with scrambled eggs and vegetables. You need a flexible approach to your diet, because a healthy lifestyle is with you throughout your life.

And do not forget to maintain a drinking regime, especially during active sports. Always have a bottle of water handy. If it is difficult to drink plain water, add lemon juice or mint leaves to it.

training at home

What to choose: Training at home or in the gym?

Each person chooses where he wants to train: at home or in the gym. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages.

You must go to the gym, pay for a subscription and stick to the schedule if you have signed up for group training at a sports club. But it is equipped with all the necessary equipment and exercise equipment for effective weight loss.

Home workouts have become very popular recently. There is no need to go anywhere, stick to a plan and schedule. But it requires a strong will and some physical training to do the exercises correctly.

The exercises for losing weight at home and in the gym are not very different. They must be effective, high intensity and varied. You can pump up your abs at home and at the gym with equal success. You can work with a trainer via video call.

What you need to start training: equipment and clothes

If you work out at home, a mat will come in handy. You may need small dumbbells of 2 and 5 kg, and fitness bands if the exercise program includes them. In fact, you can train completely without equipment and do fat-burning cardio and strength training with your own weight, without special equipment. The gym has everything you need.

In any case, you must use clothing for sports:

  • sneakers with good cushioning and ventilation;
  • leggings or well-stretched sweatpants;
  • several T-shirts made of synthetic fabric (cotton takes a long time to dry from sweat);
  • sports top for women.

This is a basic kit that you cannot do without in the gym or at home. You must also use a water container and, if possible, a fitness bracelet or a watch with a heart rate function.

Advice.Bring a small towel to the gym. You must place it on the training equipment when you do exercises.

equipment for training at home

Types and types of training and exercises: what to choose?

Different types of training and exercises are effective in losing weight. This is explained by the individual characteristics of the body. The most effective form of exercise is considered to be aerobic (cardio). But anaerobic (strength) exercise is also needed so that the skin does not sag after weight loss.

Let's find out the basic types of exercises for weight loss that exist in the gym and when you work out at home. You will understand why different types of activity are necessary to get in shape. And finally decide what is better - cardio or strength exercises?

Strength exercises

Strength training is aimed at hypertrophy, i. e. muscle growth. In fact, strength training speeds up your metabolism, but gradually. Typically, those who lose weight choose other forms of exercise, and there is a reason for that.

What are the benefits of strength training for weight loss?

  1. After strength training, the body uses calories to recover.
  2. When working "to failure", microtraumas occur in the muscles and the body uses energy to restore them.
  3. Muscle requires much more energy to "maintain" than fat.
  4. There are elements of strength exercises in interval training, for the successful implementation of which you must first master the basic correct execution.

It is a myth that strength training is only suitable for men. Women can also successfully lose weight and build a figure using squats, lunges and weight training with dumbbells and barbells. You must strength train 2-3 times a week, alternating with cardio for effective weight loss.

Cardio exercises

Cardio training is a good option for weight loss. They quickly lead to fat burning, and at the same time pump the heart muscle and the respiratory system. You can do cardio at home and at the gym. It's not always high-intensity exercise, but it will take effort to burn fat. And beginners must gradually participate in the training.

Best Cardio Exercises:

  • side steps with raised arms;
  • boxing;
  • burpees;
  • kick to the side;
  • to raise the knees from a lunge;
  • skipping rope.

Cardio training is beneficial for both men and women. You must train for weight loss 3-4 times a week for 40-50 minutes. You can finish your strength training by walking briskly on a treadmill or using an elliptical machine.

running for weight loss

Aerobic training

Aerobic exercise helps you lose weight and improves the function of your heart and blood vessels. When you perform them, the body consumes a large amount of oxygen. These workouts make a person more resilient. Aerobics is considered to be the best way to burn calories.

Aerobic exercise, or cardio exercise as it is popularly called, is the best exercise for losing weight. This includes running, an exercise bike at an intense pace, an elliptical, and brisk walking on a treadmill. The important thing is that the fat burning process begins within 30 minutes. The training should last 40-60 minutes, but it is better to start with 10-15 minutes and add 2-3 minutes every day.

Aerobic exercise includes running, dancing, group sports and ice skating. In short, any strain that makes your heart beat faster. However, to burn fat properly through aerobics, you must adhere to a specific heart rate zone.

Aerobic exercise can be done every day. If you alternate them with other forms of training, then twice a week is enough.

Anaerobic training

With anaerobic training, the body gets energy without oxygen. Muscles use glycogen (a product of glucose breakdown) stored in the blood. It is strength training in the gym, which aims to develop and strengthen the muscles, and short distance running. They do not use fat as energy.

Anaerobic exercise burns fewer calories than aerobic exercise. So how can they be useful to you? The fact is that the muscles use energy for some time after anaerobic training - 12-36 hours. In addition, due to muscle growth, you will burn fewer calories at rest. But still, trainers agree that aerobic exercise is more effective for losing weight.

Interval training

To lose weight fast, you need intense but not exhausting exercise that you can do regularly. HIIT (or HIIT in English) - interval training - suits your goals. They are suitable for beginners and experienced athletes. You just need to adjust the pace depending on the level of preparation.

A good example of HIIT is Tabata. Exercises should be performed quickly (but effectively) for 20-60 seconds. Then you rest for 10-40 seconds. The longer your rest interval, the less intense the workout. A HIIT workout might look like this:

  • running in place;
  • squats;
  • pleat squats;
  • push-ups;
  • pulls the knees to the stomach in a plank.

As a rule, one circle consists of 5-6 exercises. Most often this is training with your own weight. Beginners can drive three laps, advanced - five laps. Exercises can be repeated, but there is an option when each interval is aimed at training specific muscle groups.

Thanks to this scheme, within half an hour you will wipe off your sweat and gasp with happiness that you managed to burn 300-500 extra calories.

warming up before exercise

Warming up before doing exercises for weight loss: is it necessary or not?

Trainers agree here: Warming up before weight loss exercises is a must. Physical warm-up takes 5-10 minutes, but helps you get ready for training, avoid injuries and warm up all muscles and joints.

Before exercise, even before stretching, warm up. Do the simplest warm-up exercises:

  1. Slowly rotate your head 3-4 times clockwise and counter-clockwise.
  2. Make circular movements with your arms at an average pace 5-10 times back and forth.
  3. Stretch the arms away from the chest 5-10 times.
  4. Rotate the pelvis 5 times in both directions.
  5. Make 5-10 tilts towards the toes with straight legs.
  6. Do 5-10 bends in both directions.
  7. Rotate your hips.
  8. Stretch your hands and ankles.

After your warm-up exercises, walk on the treadmill at a brisk pace for 10-15 minutes to warm up. And then proceed to the main complex.

Exercises to lose belly fat: crunches, leg lifts, vacuum

It is impossible to lose weight in any area because fat leaves the body more or less evenly. But you can tighten your skin and strengthen your abdominal muscles with exercises to lose weight on your stomach and sides. These are basic strength training that will help you burn a little more calories.

Exercises to lose belly fat are not different for men and women: the technique is the same for everyone. The most important thing is to exercise correctly and regularly, and then, provided you are in a caloric deficit and sufficient basic activity, you will get the desired relief. When this happens - in a week, a month or six months, depends on your constitution and nutrition.

stomach crunch exercise

Abcrunch: straight, reverse, side

Horizontal press crunch technique:

  1. Lie on your back on the mat with your knees bent.
  2. Press your chin to your chest and bring your palms together at the back of your head.
  3. As you exhale, lift your body slightly and lift your shoulder blades off the mat.
  4. Tighten your abdominal muscles.
  5. As you breathe, slowly lower yourself down onto the mat without straightening up completely.

There is no need to get up too high, lift your chin from your chest and pull yourself forward with your arms. The press must be constantly tense.

Reverse crunches on the flooris an exercise where you have to lift your legs while tightening your lower abdominal muscles:

  1. Lie on your back on the mat.
  2. Bend your knees so your shins are parallel to the floor and bring your heels together.
  3. As you exhale, lift your hips and lift your butt off the floor, placing your weight on your shoulder blades and pulling your knees toward your chest.
  4. While inhaling, return to the starting position without fully straightening the legs. Always keep your abs tight.

Straight and reverse crunches can be performed on a bench while holding the bench behind your head with your hands.

Side crunchesThe lateral abdominal muscles are strengthened on the abdominal muscles. It is convenient to do lateral crunches on a hyperextension machine:

  1. Adjust the height so that the top of the training pad is level with the pelvic bone.
  2. Starting position - legs rest against the bottom of the simulator, body straightened, arms at chest height.
  3. As you exhale, tilt your body down, and as you inhale, return to the starting position.

Lateral crunches must be performed using the oblique abdominal muscles, and not by inertia.

Number of repetitions and approaches. For beginner men and women, three sets of crunches of 20 repetitions are enough. You can do the exercise at the beginning or end of strength training, in the morning, afternoon or evening.

Periodicity. At least once a week. The result of sit-ups depends on the structure. You can switch between forward, back and side crunches.

side plank

Exercises to lose weight on the sides: plank, bends, swings

It is impossible to remove pages of weight loss exercises alone. To burn stored fat, you need to maintain a calorie deficit and move more. Planks, leg swings and push-ups are quite energy-intensive exercises and they will help you lose excess weight, giving your body beautiful curves.

A set of exercises for losing weight on the sides at home must include exercises for the oblique abdominal muscles. When combined, these exercise elements will help you quickly eliminate fat deposits around your waist.

Side plank: strengthens all muscles

One of the basic exercises that allows you to shape your waist while working the muscles of the abs, back, legs and arms. It can be done without special equipment. The side plank has a simple technique:

  1. Get into a regular plank position, resting on your forearms and toes.
  2. Turn around and shift your weight to one side of your body.
  3. Tighten your stomach and straighten your body, supporting yourself on your forearm and ankle.
  4. Return to the starting position - a regular plank.

For those who are advanced in the side plank, you can add sit-ups to work the arm muscles and crunches to pump up your abs.

Number of repetitions and approaches. It is enough to hold a static exercise for 30 seconds, gradually increasing the time. The exercise is performed in one approach.

Periodicity. You can complete each workout with a side plank.

Side bends: Remove the sides

Bending will not help burn fat in the problem area, but it will strengthen the corset muscles that support the spine. Technique for performing side bends:

  1. Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squeeze your shoulder blades and keep your stomach toned.
  2. Slowly lean to the side, stretch your arm along your body. You must bend as low as possible. Then return to the starting position.
  3. Repeat the movement in the other direction.
  4. You can do the exercise without anything at first, and then add 2 kg dumbbells, gradually increasing the weight.

Number of repetitions and approaches. Three sets of ten technical reps on each side is a great addition to your workout.

Periodicity. Side bends to the side can be performed once a week.

Standing hip abduction

The hip abduction movement involves the lateral muscles, which will help you tighten your body faster. This exercise has a simple technique, the main thing is to perform it carefully and not swing your legs as quickly as possible.

  1. Stand straight, put your hands on your waist.
  2. Extend your leg to the side and try to maintain an even body position.
  3. Slowly bring your leg back to the starting position.

You can also do hip abduction on a machine or use an elastic band to increase the load.

Number of repetitions and approaches. Three sets of 15-20 reps on each leg.

Periodicity. Alternate this exercise with others and perform hip abduction once a week.

Leg raises while lying on your side

Lying hip abduction is the same as standing hip abduction, only performed on a mat.

  1. Lie on your side and straighten your legs.
  2. As you exhale, lift your leg up.
  3. While inhaling, slowly lower your leg to the starting position.

You can perform leg abductions while lying down with an elastic band or weights.

Number of repetitions and approaches. Three sets of 15-20 reps on each leg.

Periodicity. Can be done once a week, alternating with other exercises to lose weight on the sides.

exercises to lose legs

Effective exercises for weight loss on the legs

Legs and buttocks are a problem area for many women. Fat accumulates here quickly and easily, but it takes a long time and is difficult to lose. But if you do exercises for your hips, you will lose weight faster and be able to maintain the results for a long time.

Squats - a basic exercise for losing weight on legs

When you squat, you strain all the muscles in your legs and buttocks. If you do this exercise correctly, in addition to losing weight, you will get toned hips and buttocks. We will look at simple squats without weight: the exercise will help you develop technique and add weight.

  1. Stand with your feet apart as if you are about to squat. Feet approx. hip width apart.
  2. Straighten up, tighten your stomach, straighten your legs.
  3. Lower the pelvis while spreading the knees out to the sides.
  4. Tighten your glutes and stand up straight.

There are many ways to make the squat technique more difficult:

  • Barbell squats in the gym under the supervision of a trainer.
  • Squats with dumbbells in hands.
  • Jump squats.
  • Exercises with elastic on the hips.

Interesting fact: squats are useful for men and women, but for some reason this exercise is considered purely female. It is not only recommended to do it for people with knee problems.

Number of repetitions and approaches. Three sets of 25 bodyweight reps.

Periodicity. You can squat with your own weight at least every day, but it is better to do it at least every other day so that the muscles have time to rest. Within 30 days you will see noticeable results from your hard work.

push-ups

Exercises to lose weight on your arms

Exercises are very effective in losing weight on your arms and shoulders. They do not burn fat in this particular area, but they tighten the skin and strengthen the biceps and triceps. As a result, your hands look slimmer and more beautiful.

Exercises to lose weight in your arms can be done at home without dumbbells. Push-ups are available anywhere, anytime - you can even do them in the office while leaning on your desk.

Push-ups - classic training

Correct push-ups are a useful part of your regular weight loss workouts. The exercise trains triceps, abdominal muscles and chest muscles. The classic version of push-ups - with wide arms:

  1. Assume a lying position with your arms wider than shoulder width apart.
  2. Tighten your abs and buttocks to maintain as even a body position as possible.
  3. As you inhale, lower your body while spreading your elbows to the sides. Lower yourself to the floor, but do not touch it.
  4. As you exhale, return to the starting position.

Number of repetitions and approaches. Most likely, you won't be able to do many push-ups at first. Aim for 15-20 repetitions persets for men and 10-15 for women.

Periodicity. You need to do push-ups regularly to improve your technique. Do this at least once a week if you have three training sessions in that period.

Knee push-ups

Those who still find it difficult to do regular push-ups should try doing push-ups from their knees. It is easier for girls to do this particular type of exercise. Technique:

  1. Get on your knees, place your hands on the floor at shoulder height. The exercise is performed with a wide stance.
  2. Tighten your abs, back muscles and glutes so that you maintain a straight line from your knees to the back of your head.
  3. Bend your elbows and touch your chest to the floor, then return to the starting position.

Number of repetitions and approaches. Three sets of 10-15 repetitions.

Periodicity. You can do push-ups from your knees at the end of each workout.

Reverse push-ups

The advantage of reverse bench push-ups is to work the triceps. You can do reverse push-ups from a bench at the gym or from a chair at home. Classic technique:

  1. Stand with your back to a bench or chair. Place your palms on the support so that your arms are positioned symmetrically in relation to your spine.
  2. As you inhale, bend your arms at the shoulders and elbows at the same time and lower the pelvis.
  3. As you exhale, straighten your arms and return to the starting position.

Number of repetitions and approaches. Three sets of 15 repetitions will be enough for beginners.

Periodicity. You can include reverse push-ups in every workout.

What to look for when creating an exercise program for weight loss

  • Never forget to warm up. A gentle warm-up minimizes the risk of injury and helps you get ready for your workout.
  • Don't rest too long between sets. Your training should be intense but not exhausting. Half a minute of rest between sets will be enough.
  • Drink water while resting. It is especially important to replenish your water balance while doing cardio exercises.
  • If you want to lose weight in one area, you should not perform exercises only in that area. You will try to remove your belly by pumping up your abs and sides and you will quickly overtrain, get tired and give up completely. The set of exercises should be built harmoniously, including strength, cardio and training of problem areas.
  • Choose exercises that you enjoy doing. If you want to lose weight at home without a trainer, here is some advice: Exercise for fun. Do not work too hard, overload your muscles and nervous system.
  • We recommend that beginners contact a trainer. A professional will help you master the technique of performing exercises, create a training program and menu.
  • Top tip for losing weight: Combine physical activity with a calorie deficit. You will not be able to lose weight through exercise alone; you need to rethink your menu.