If one of your goals is to lose weight, you should know that not all exercises are equal. Just like you have to adjust to your food to lose weight, you may also need to adjust or start your exercise routine to reach your goal.
It is stated that all kinds of exercise help you raise your heart rate, which allows you to burn calories. With so many options out there, it can get confusing to understand which workout can get you the exact result you want for the time and energy you invested in.
Every exercise can aid with weight loss, can be a great mood booster, and provide other health benefits. But if you are constantly feeling stuck in your current exercise routine, willing to spice things up, or want to lose weight more effectively and efficiently.
- Cardio
The first exercise that many people engage in when they want to lose weight is cardio. Cardio is great for elevating your heart rate and burning calories, it’s not the most effective exercise for weight loss, but Cardio is important to lose weight, but to really achieve your desired result you need to add in some exercise that will build your muscles too. Cardio is an important part of any exercise routine, and you should include it in your weekly routine.
Cardio Intervals vs Steady-State training
All type of cardio is important for a well-balanced workout program. Not all cardio is the same when it comes to weight loss. The two main types are steady-state cardio and interval-based cardio.
Cardio intervals: cardio intervals can consist of any type of exercise you enjoy, like, running, jogging, walking, and cycling. You can alternate an intense period with lower intensity periods to recover, like alternating jogging with a sprint. Intense periods are shorter like one to two minutes.
Steady-state cardio: steady-state cardio is when you involve in exercise, like running or cycling and stay at a steady pace. Steady cardio is effective for improving your endurance and stamina and will enable you to burn calories.
Research shows that interval training is more effective than engaging in cardio. There are many cardio exercises to engage in. such as biking, jogging, walking, dancing, and walking. Just because weight loss is a goal.
High-impact vs. low-impact cardio
Both forms of cardio are quite effective if you are concerned about how your joints and the impact of your new workout routine. Or you once sustained an injury that limits you from engaging in high-impact movement, low impact cardio is a great option to consider.
You can combine both bodyweight exercise and low-impact cardio (a low-impact, high-intensity workout). Some of these exercises include squats, inchworms, modified burpees, and marchers. Justin Norris, a personal trainer, and co-founder of LIT Method said;
“Compound low-impact movements are the best exercises for weight loss as these movements involve multiple major muscle groups, resulting in max calorie burn and save your joints,”
2. Strength training
Strength training is very vital in weight loss since, strength training is one of the most effective ways to shade weight. First, lifting weight can help you lose fat while still building muscle. Which is awesome for your metabolism. You burn more calories every day when you have more muscle. Even while you are sleeping. Strength training often involves using dumbbells or weight machines. The fitness coach and founding trainer of beRevolutionarie, Bryna Carracino, said;
“Strength training is key in weight loss because the more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you burn,”
3. Compound movements
“Some of the best exercises for weight loss are full-body compound movements cycled with cardio sessions,” Said Brooke Taylor a certified personal trainer and founder of ignite program
“A compound movement is a multijoint exercise that is designed to target multiple muscle groups at one time”. Brooke Taylor also said: “It is so important to mix in both weights and cardio interval training if you want to change your body composition, improve muscle mass, and tone up the supporting muscles.
This goes hand in hand with building bone density and strengthening your cardiovascular system”