If your goal is to lose weight, these workouts can help.
If you're reading this right now, you're probably
in the market for a heart-thumping, blood-pumping, balls-to-the-wall
workout. And, friend, we've got you covered. We're all about helping you
get sweaty in pursuit of your goals, whether that means getting
stronger, hitting a new PR, or losing weight. But let's be real for a
second here: The tricky thing about weight-loss
workouts is that they're kinda, sorta a myth. Don't get us wrong, if
you're trying to lose weight, a solid exercise regimen should be part of
your plan, but it can't be the only part.
Here's
the thing: Working out isn't enough on its own to make weight loss
happen. There's so much else that goes into weight loss and body fat
loss; in fact, exercise isn't even technically necessary
in many cases. If you want to lose weight—and it's totally cool if you
do and totally cool if you don't—adopting healthy eating habits has got
to be step numero uno. To get technical, you need to create a calorie
deficit, which means using more calories in a day than you consume—and
the consumption part plays a much bigger role in that than burning
calories in the gym, or while carrying your groceries home, or any of
the other myriad ways you put your muscles to work each day. (If you
have a history of disordered eating, please talk to your doctor before
making changes to either your eating or your exercise habits, to make
sure you're doing it safely.) Other lifestyle habits, like sleep and stress management, and health conditions (think thyroid issues,
to name just one of many) also affect your weight. Point is, weight
loss is a complicated and extremely personal journey that doesn't look
or work the exact same way from one person to the next.
Here are some very basic things you should know before you get started on a new exercise regimen for weight loss.
1. Your food choices—how you fuel your body—are even more important than your workout choices.
I covered this above, but it's worth reiterating: Healthy eating habits are even more important than your exercise routine if your goal is to see lasting changes in your body composition. Here are 27 tips from registered dietitians on how to eat healthier this year.2. Exercise should become part of your routine in a meaningful way.
In order to see results, hitting the elliptical for 30 minutes while you catch up with the Kardashians once a week just isn't going to cut it. Instead, aim for three workouts if you're just getting into a routine again, or five to six sessions if you've been at it for a while, says Holly Rilinger, a Nike master trainer, master Flywheel instructor, and star of Bravo's Work Out New York. "And keep in mind that rest is key to reset mentally, physically, and emotionally, so make sure to build in at least one full rest day."3. You'll need to really push yourself in every workout you do.
It's kind of a big deal that you bring your A-game to each and every workout. "I'd rather see you do balls-to-the-wall workouts three times a week than see you give 50 percent for five days," says Rilinger. "Decide when you walk through that door you are going to give it 100 percent the entire time, and check in throughout your workout with one simple question: Can I give more?"4. You'll need to find a workout you genuinely enjoy if you have any hope of sticking with it.
"Finding a trainer or workout that makes you happy is actually really important to weight loss," says Rilinger. When you enjoy doing it you'll be more likely to stick with it. Below are 10 workouts that will help you reach your weight loss goal. If you've tried one of the classes here and there and didn't really love it, don't give up on the sport or practice altogether. You may not have found an instructor you love yet, and that can make or break your goals.
Now that we've set the expectations a bit (sorry if it sounds a little womp womp—this stuff is complex!), let's get to the workouts.
1. Interval Training
High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is one of the many styles you can do. Another popular one is indoor cycling,
though this workout leans heavily toward cardio over strength training,
Rilinger explains. She also notes that cycling requires you to use
various muscles in your body—quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core, for
starters—which once again translates to weight loss. "The more muscles
you have to incorporate, the more calories you're going to burn because
those muscles all require energy in order to work," she says. "And the
more energy you use, the higher those calorie-burning numbers climb.
It's all a cycle."
Try it: Here are 4 fat-burning stationary bike workouts that you might like. If you're more of a treadmill person, this 20-minute treadmill interval workout will kick your butt in the best way. And if you want to skip the equipment altogether, this 10-minute lower body bodyweight interval workout is a good place to start.
2. Weight Training
Consider
weight training "the mother of all weight-loss techniques, the highest
in the workout food chain, the top of the totem pole," says Rilinger.
Resistance training, whether it's with your bodyweight alone or with
added weights, is an effective method to help build muscle and burn fat.
Lifting weights has been shown
to increase your resting metabolic rate, which means your body burns
more calories even when you're not working out. The effect isn't enormous,
but building muscle means more muscle mass to churn through calories as
you go about your day. Plus, more muscle means you can go harder next
time, increasing your weight, and getting even more out of each workout.
Plus, if you're lifting at a high intensity, you get the added bonus of
the "afterburn effect," which is when you've put down the weights but your body is still using up extra energy.
Rilinger
suggests adding weight training to your routine at least three times a
week. And since your body adjusts to workouts after being exposed to the
same moves at the same intensity, becoming less effective over time,
she says to mix it up about every three weeks to keep your body
guessing.
Try it: First, if you've never done it before, be sure to read these strength training tips for beginners before you get started. And check out this primer on how to choose the right weights for your workout.
Now here's a quick 10-minute total-body dumbbell workout and another 10-minute living room dumbbell workout to get you started. Here's a 20-minute strength workout for when you have a bit more time. Here's some info about how to superset at the gym. And if you're going to use kettlebells
and barbells in your strength workout routine, be sure to work with a
personal trainer to make sure you're using proper form. You've got this!
3. Boot Camp
For a workout that's going to keep your metabolism elevated, turn to boot camp, as these classes (think Barry's Bootcamp)
combine two of the most effective styles of training: interval and
resistance. "You'll perform exercises, some more cardio-focused and
others strength-focused, full-out for short bursts of time, coupled with
short periods of rest," says Adam Rosante, certified personal trainer
and author of The 30-Second Body. But if it's your first time going to a boot camp class,
speak up. He says a good instructor will help you determine when you
need to crank up the weight or intensity (tip: if you can cruise through
10 reps without any trouble, it's too easy), keep your form on par, and
can always provide a modification for any move that might be too tough
or irritates an injury. If you can't make it to a studio, though, you
can virtually sweat it out with Rosante in his 20-minute C9 Challenge, or try this bodyweight-only 16-minute routine.
4. Boxing
"At
its essence, boxing is really another form of interval training,"
explains Rosante. But it also makes you feel freaking badass. Here's the
trick to remember: It's a common mistake for beginners to punch using
only their arm strength, but the majority of your power is going to come
from your core and you'll use muscles that are typically ignored in
other workouts (hey there, obliques).
It's best to log this type of workout in a class, as Rosante says it's crucial for beginners to learn proper form from an instructor who can help keep your intensity level high. Here are 18 boxing gyms worth visiting. But if you want to brush up on your skills at home, try this beginner-friendly video from Milan Costich, founder of Prevail boxing gym in Los Angeles.
5. Running
All
you need is a pair of sneakers before you head out the door. But if
weight loss is the name of your game, the lackadaisical
head-out-for-a-light-jog style of running isn't the way to go. Instead,
find a hill you can sprint up, or crank the incline on that treadmill.
"Running up hills forces you to work your glutes and legs—two of your
body's biggest muscle groups—even more, which requires smaller muscle
recruitment and more energy expenditure," explains Rosante. As noted
earlier, the more energy you're using, the brighter that calorie-burning
fire burns. But proper form here is key. "Lean into the hill, and drive
your knees as high as you can, striking the ball of each foot down
directly under your body," he says. "Keep your hands open and arms bent
at 90 degrees, and drive your arms straight forward up to face level,
then backward to the top of your back pocket." And try not to let your
arms cross over your body—that'll just waste the precious energy your
muscles need. If you're training indoors, here are a few fat-burning
treadmill routines to get you started.
Try it: You can do these 4 fat-burning workouts on a treadmill. Or you can take them outside if you'd like—for incline work, just fine a good hill.
6. CrossFit
There's a reason CrossFit
has become such a booming part of the workout industry—it works, so
long as you don't overdo it. Workouts are varied—you may be doing
anything from kettlebell swings to rope climbs and box jumps to front
squats—and the routines are designed to be short and intense. The most
important thing to find when looking for the box (CrossFit slang for
"gym") that fits you best: a well-informed coach who can explain and
modify the moves, and make sure that you don't push yourself to the
point of injury. Here are a few things to keep in mind before every WOD, and here are 11 of the best CrossFit gyms in America.
7. Tabata
If
your biggest excuse for skipping a workout is being crunched for time,
Tabata is your dream come true. It's designed to be four minutes of
high-intensity interval training that consists of 20 seconds of all-out
effort, followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated eight times, explains
Shanon Squires, an exercise physiologist and human performance lab
coordinator at Colorado University Anschutz Health and Wellness Center.
And you can use this protocol with any number of different exercises.
You'll spike your metabolism and heart rate in four minutes, but Squires
warns against making this time frame a habit if you're trying to lose
weight. "Your body will quickly adapt to that interval, and you'll need
to increase the volume or intensity to continue getting a benefit from
it," he says. To do that, Rosante suggests extending your session to 20
minutes and following the same format. Simply pick four exercises—think
jump rope, squats, mountain climbers, and squat jumps—then do each for
20 seconds as hard and fast as you can (while maintaining proper form,
of course), then recovering for 10 seconds and 10 seconds only. Repeat
for eight rounds on that one move (so, four minutes of work) before
resting for one minute and moving on to the next exercise.
Try it: Here's a 4-minute Tabata you might want to try.
8. Yoga
OK,
so yoga alone isn't a great workout for weight loss. But Rilinger says
it can be a secret weapon in your weight loss arsenal because it keeps
you flexible and healthy for your other, more intense workouts (like
that boot camp class). But that's not all. "Yoga requires balance and
stability, which promotes functional strength, and it helps our mental
health," she says. Aim to squeeze it in at least once a week. And if you
can't make it to the studio, there are plenty of flows you can do at
home.
Try it: Here's a yoga flow sequence for stronger abs. Here's one to help you wake up in the morning. And here's a yoga workout for arms.
9. Swimming
If
you can't stand the thought of running, or just want to work out
without a ton of pounding on your joints, do a few laps in the pool.
It's a low-impact exercise that will work all of your major muscle
groups. As with most workouts, it helps to go in with a plan. Try this
one, from Rosante: Tread water for as long as possible by standing
upright in the deep end and using your arms and legs to stay afloat.
Then rest for two minutes. Now swim 10 sets of 100 meters (that's
back-and-forth lap in an Olympic-sized pool), resting for one minute in
between sets. By the time you climb out of the pool, your muscles will
be pleasantly worn out.
10. Jumping Rope
It's
time to kick it back to the good ole' days of P.E. class, when you
first learned how to swing a jump rope. This tool is cheap, portable
(it'll fit in the tiny parts of your suitcase!), and can be used just
about anywhere. After just a few minutes you will feel your heart rate
racing!
Try it: Here's a speedy routine to try from Rosante:
- Warm up with a light 3-minute skip with the rope
- Do 100 traditional jumps (both feet leave the floor at the same time, and no extra hops in between)
- Once you finish, immediately do 100 jump rope sprints (think regular jumping rope but at an even quicker pace)
- Repeat steps 2 and 3, but follow this format: 50/50, 21/21, 15/15, 9/9
- If you want more, work your way back up the ladder until you reach 100/100 again
Oh,
and whatever you do, don't do it barefoot. "Few things compare to the
pain of missing a skip and smacking the tip of your toe with a jump
rope," says Rosante. Noted. You can do this entire sequence mock-style,
though, if you don't have a rope handy.
Courtesy Self
Courtesy Self
