If you’re looking to lose weight, you don’t immediately need to go to the gym. There are plenty of exercises that you can do at home to help shed those unwanted pounds.
From monitoring your steps with a smart watch uk to climbing stairs, we’ll list down simple exercises that you can do without any equipment. We’ll also provide tips on making your weight loss journey a bit easier. So if you’re ready, let’s get started!
1. Walking – An Unexpectedly Effective Exercise
Walking is probably the easiest and most accessible exercise that you can do at home. Most people underestimate its weight-loss potential, but walking can help you burn many calories.
In fact, according to Harvard Health Publishing, a 30-minute walk can burn around 150-200 calories. And if you up the intensity of your walk, you can burn more.
How exactly does walking help with weight loss?
It helps by increasing your energy expenditure or the number of calories you burn in a day. Try to walk for at least 30 minutes a day, and you will see the difference in your weight over time.
You can also use a smartwatch to track your steps and distance covered. This will help motivate you to walk more and reach your fitness goals. A smart watch tracking your fitness progress is also a great way to stay accountable.
Walking is also a low-impact exercise, which is gentle on your joints. This makes it a good choice for people just starting with their weight loss journey or those with joint pain.
2. Jogging or Running – An Exercise for All Levels
If you want something more intense than walking, you can try jogging or running. Jogging and running are excellent exercises for weight loss as they help you burn a ton of calories.
In fact, according to Harvard Health Publishing, a 155-pound person can burn around 298 calories in 30 minutes of running at a moderate pace!
How can jogging or running help with weight loss?
Jogging and running help by increasing your calorie expenditure. The more calories you burn, the more weight you will lose over time.
Another great thing about jogging and running is that it’s a great way to improve cardiovascular health. Running regularly can help reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. Most of all, you can just jog around your home or neighborhood, making it a convenient exercise!
Tip: Like walking, you can also use a smartwatch to track your jogging or running progress. A smartwatch can help you keep track of your distance, pace, and calories burned.
3. Crunches – The Classic Exercise for a Stronger Core
No equipment? No problem. Crunches are classic exercises you can do at home to tone your midsection. Crunches work by targeting the rectus abdominis or the “six-pack” muscle; the muscle group responsible for giving you a toned and flat stomach.
How can crunches help with weight loss:
Crunches help by toning your stomach muscles and giving you a stronger core. A strong core helps improve your posture, which in turn helps you burn more calories.
In addition, crunches also help reduce belly fat. So if you’re looking to lose weight and get a toned stomach, no other exercise beats crunches!
Lie down with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground to do a crunch. Place your hands behind your head, then slowly lift your head and shoulders off the ground.
Hold this position for a few seconds before lowering yourself back to the starting position. Repeat this process for a total of 12-15 reps.
4. Jump Rope – A Fun Exercise to Get Your Heart Pumping
Jump rope is a great cardio exercise that can help you lose weight. This fun exercise helps by increasing your heart rate and burning calories.
In fact, according to the American Council on Exercise, jumping rope can burn around 200-300 calories in just 15 minutes! Few exercises have the same calorie-burning potential as jumping rope.
How can jump rope help with weight loss?
Jump rope helps by increasing your heart rate and burning calories. The more calories you burn, the more weight you will lose over time.
And like other cardio exercises, jump rope is also great for your heart health. Jumping rope regularly can help reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.
To do a basic jump rope exercise, start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and the jump rope behind you. Swing the jump rope over your head and under your feet to jump.
Do this for a few minutes, then take a break. Repeat this process for a total of 12-15 minutes, and say bye to those calories!
5. Burpee – The Ultimate Full-Body Exercise
The burpee is a full-body exercise that works every muscle in your body. This makes it an excellent choice for those looking to tone their entire body. To do a Burpee, start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Next, lower your body into a squat position with your hands on the ground. From this position, kick your feet back, so you’re in a push-up position.
Do a push-up, then return to the squat position. Finally, jump up as high as you can before repeating the entire process.
How can burpees help with weight loss?
Since burpees work every muscle in your body, this results in a high-calorie burn. The more calories you burn, the more weight you will lose over time. Of course, like all exercises, burpees are also great for your heart health.
6. At-Home Yoga – A Relaxing Exercise to Help You Lose Weight
You may not consider yoga a great workout because of its reputation as a relaxing exercise. But make no mistake – yoga is an excellent way to lose weight. Yoga can even help you burn more calories than other exercises like walking.
How can yoga help with weight loss?
Yoga helps by increasing your heart rate and burning calories. It combines different exercises that tone your muscles and improve your flexibility. Naturally, doing these exercises for a long period helps you lose weight.
Yoga is also a great way to reduce stress. When you’re stressed, your body produces a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol can lead to weight gain and increased belly fat. So by reducing stress, yoga can also indirectly help you lose some stubborn pounds!
7. Pilates – The Surprising Exercise That Gets Results
Nothing says “core workout” like Pilates. This exercise is excellent for toning your abs and improving your posture. But did you know that Pilates can also help you lose weight?
A study by the University of Maryland found that people who did Pilates for eight weeks lost more body fat than those who didn’t exercise. These results were even more pronounced in those over the age of 40.
How can Pilates help with weight loss?
Pilates helps by toning your muscles and improving your flexibility. It also helps to increase your heart rate and burn calories. When doing Pilates regularly, you will notice a difference not only in your weight but also in body shape!
8. Stair Climbing – The Exercise You Can Do Anywhere
Yes, even climbing stairs can help you lose weight. This simple exercise works your legs and glutes and can be done anywhere there are stairs.
How can stair climbing help with weight loss?
Climbing stairs is a great way to tone your leg muscles and improve your cardiovascular health. It is also an excellent calorie-burner; one study found that stair climbing burns more calories than jogging!
Tip: Take advantage of any opportunities to climb stairs throughout the day. If you work in an office, take the stairs instead of the elevator. If you’re out shopping, park further away from the entrance, so you walk a little further. Every little bit counts!
Final Thoughts
Losing weight isn’t about following the latest fad diet or working out for hours. It’s about making small changes in your lifestyle that you can stick with over time.
The exercises listed above are all great exercises to lose weight at home. But to see real results, you need to be consistent with them and make them a part of your daily routine!
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