5 Getting In Shape Exercises You Should Definitely Try
By now, we all know that working out is essential for our physical and mental health, but when you’re trying to lose weight, exercising becomes even more important. Where shall we begin?
If you’ve found yourself reading this article, that means that you are in the market for a blood-pumping, heart-thumping sweat sesh. And I’ll tell you that you are in the right place. Before you get me wrong, just know that I am all about helping you get sweaty in achieving your goals, whether that means getting strong, losing weight, or just feeling good about yourself. But let’s face it, the tricky thing about weight-loss exercises is that they kind of seem like a myth sometimes. At least that’s what I’ve been feeling like for a long period of time. The thing is that if you’re trying to lose weight, a good exercise regime should be part of your plan. However, that is not the only part.
I can’t stress this enough that exercising alone is not enough to lose weight. There are so many more other things that get into the weight loss process, that sometimes (note: sometimes), exercising is not even necessary to lose weight. If you want to lose weight, adopting healthy eating habits has to be at the top of your list of priorities. Technically, this means that you have to create a calorie deficit – burning more calories than you consume per day. The consumption part plays a much bigger role than burning calories in the gym or, carrying heavy groceries or, other ways you put your muscles to work. Sleep quality, stress management and health conditions (such as thyroid issues) can also impact your weight loss process. In a nutshell, losing weight is a very complex and personal journey that is different for every single person. What might work for me, might not work for you and vice versa.
We’ve heard people who swear by cardio training, as the ultimate calorie-burner, then there are people who say weight-lifting, so which one is it?
On a personal level, I prefer weight training because it has a prolonged calorie-burning effect. And the greater the intensity, the more oxygen your body requires to recover and repair muscles.
But, which exercise exactly burns the most calories?
1. Jumping rope
This exercising tool is very cheap and portable (you can even put it in your purse), and can be used literally everywhere. As it turns out, the rope is actually a fat burner. If you’re rope jumping for an hour, you’ll approximately burn 600-900 calories (if you’re jumping 120 skips per minute).
2. Kickboxing
Little does it matter if you’re kicking it on your own or in the gym, what matters is to keep the resting time between rounds super short. It is recommended to only rest about 30 seconds for every 90 seconds of sparring. Note: a lot of beginners start punching using the strength of their arms, but it is your core where the majority of the power comes from. If you kickbox for about an hour, you’ll approximately burn 600-800 calories.
3. Running
All you need to run is a pair of sneakers and you are good to go. But if you intend to lose weight, a light jog isn’t the way to go. You might want to level up your running game by finding a hill you can sprint up, or crank the incline on the treadmill. With running, you’ll even burn extra calories during the rest of the day (if that’s not enough motivation for you to step up your running game, I don’t know what is). If you run a mile for about 10 minutes, you’ll end up burning approximately 600-900 calories per hour.
4. Crossfit
Ah, my absolute favorite. Crossfit has become a very important factor in the workout industry, as it works miracles. There’s so much variety of exercises that you may be doing anything, from kettlebell swings to rope climbs and weights. The thing with Crossfit is that the workout of the day is designed to be short but intense. However, the most important part of CrossFit is a well-informed trainer who can explain and modify the moves, making sure you don’t push yourself to the point of possible injury.
5. Swimming
If the thought of running or lifting weights just drains you, then there are some very good alternatives. Take swimming, for example, it’s a low-impact exercise that will put all your muscles to work in just a few laps in the pool. But as with most workouts, you have to follow through a plan.
As mentioned earlier, exercise alone is not enough when it comes to losing weight. Your food choices and how you fuel your body is much more important. Plus, if you combine healthy eating habits with workouts, you will definitely burn fat or change your body composition. All the above-mentioned workouts have one thing in common, they all are high-intensity and burn a lot of calories in such a short amount of time.
So, where will you begin? Let us know in the comments below.
You might also want to read:
This Is What To Do If You Need Motivation To Work Out
A Few Exercising Health Benefits You Should Know