If you’re looking to lose weight, it’s a good idea to focus on burning body fat. Burning fat leads to weight loss because you will have less fat stuck to your body.
Losing weight can be a challenge, but engaging in regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to burn calories and shed unwanted pounds.
There are many health benefits for losing belly fat to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and even cancer. Losing weight, especially belly fat, also improves blood vessel functioning and also improves sleep quality.
Some other benefits to having a low body fat percentage, like jeans fitting more comfortably and muscles looking more toned and defined, it also comes with big health benefits.
In this blog, we will explore some of the best weight loss exercises and how they can help you achieve your fitness goals.
Ready to get started? Let’s begin!
- What Are Weight Loss Exercises?
- Type Of Weight Loss Exercises
- How Exercises Help To Lose Weight
- 10 Best Weight Loss Exercises at Home
- 1. Strength Training
- 2. Cardio Exercises
- 3. Do High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
- 4. Abs and Core Focused Exercises
- 6. Walking, Jogging and Running
- 7. Yoga
- 8. Cycling
- 9. Start Swimming
- 10. Stretching Routines and Pilates
- What Causes Weight Gain?
- Takeaways
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What type of exercise is best for weight loss?
- Can you lose weight by exercising 30 minutes a day?
- How Much Weight Can You Lose in 1 Week by Exercising at Home?
- How can a beginner start losing weight?
- References
- 10 BEST Weight Loss Exercises To Reduce Weight At Home
What Are Weight Loss Exercises?
Weight loss exercises are any type of physical activity that helps you burn calories and lose weight.
Weight loss exercises help you burn more calories than you consume. Your body will burn fat to get more calories, which will lead to a reduction in weight.
The majority of weight loss exercises focus on maximizing calorie burn and improving cardiovascular health. Popular cardio options like running, cycling, swimming, and brisk walking engage the leg and core muscles to elevate your heart rate.
Other effective calorie-blasting exercises include aerobics classes, jumping rope, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
If you want to lose weight, choose an easy weight loss workout that will help you lose some extra kilograms without being too hard.
Type Of Weight Loss Exercises
When it comes to losing weight, not all forms of physical activity are equally effective. Certain types of exercise are more effective than others for weight loss.
There are several major categories for the most proven weight loss exercises.
- Cardiovascular (Aerobic) Exercises
- Jogging or running
- Cycling
- Strength Training (Resistance) Exercises
- High Intensity Interval Training
- Swimming and many more
When you start a new exercise program to lose weight, choose activities you like and that are good for your current fitness level. Walking and swimming are good workouts for people who are new to exercise.
As your stamina improves, you can challenge yourself with more intense cardio.
You should choose an exercise routine that will help you lose weight without overexerting yourself or causing injury.
The best way to reduce weight is by doing exercise for 30 minutes, 3 to 4 times per week and eating healthy. This will burn calories and fat in your body.
How Exercises Help To Lose Weight
It has been scientifically proven that regular physical activity can improve overall well-being beyond the aesthetic benefits.
The benefits of exercise are vast and profound, from boosting mood and reducing stress to enhancing cognitive function and preventing chronic diseases.
- Exercising regularly is essential for fat loss. Not only does it burn calories, but it also helps to boost metabolism and build muscle mass.
- Strength training exercises help build muscle. Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue, thus increasing your resting metabolic rate.
- Exercise can help improve insulin sensitivity, which helps in better regulation of blood sugar levels.
- Yoga and Pilates help you to be more flexible and burn calories. Additionally, they reduce stress.
- Regular exercise can improve mood and motivation, which can make it easier to stick to a consistent workout routine.
For you to lose weight while at home, you need to do various aerobic exercises and high-intensity cardio exercise, as those exercises burn the most calories. Apart from aerobic exercises, strength training exercises can help with weight loss by building muscles.
Don’t worry too much about the duration of your training, as long as it’s of high quality, it will still help you burn fat even after your workout.
You just need to make sure that you are exercising for 30-40 minutes three to four times a week.
10 Best Weight Loss Exercises at Home
Here are the 10 best and most popular exercise programs that you can do at home to make yourself stronger, fitter, and healthier.
1. Strength Training
Strength training usually involves lifting weights or doing exercises that challenge your muscles and take a lot of effort.
These intense workouts demand more energy and can increase your metabolic rate both during the workout and afterward as your body recovers.
Working out muscles not only helps you lose weight, but it also keeps your muscles strong and healthy.
As you keep training your muscles and getting stronger, your body gets better at using energy and nutrients. This improved efficiency can lead to a higher metabolic rate even at rest.
This study reviewed 149 studies and found that exercise training programs can be effective for weight loss, body composition changes, and weight maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity.
In a 6-month study, it was found that doing 11 minutes of strength-based exercises three times per week resulted in a 7.4% increase in metabolic rate, on average. This increase was equivalent to burning an additional 125 calories per day.
Strength Training To Weight Loss
- Bodyweight Training: Includes exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, planks, and squats.
- Resistance Bands Exercises: Improve strength, balance, and flexibility. Great for rehabilitation and low-impact workouts.
- Free Weights Exercises: Include dumbbell and barbell exercises. Improve muscle strength, endurance, and coordination.
- Machines: Often easier for beginners to use compared to free weights. Such as leg press, chest press, and cable machines.
- Powerlifting: Builds significant strength and muscle mass. Primarily squats, bench presses, and deadlifts.
- Isometric Training: Improves strength and endurance. Exercises where the muscle length does not change, such as planks or wall sits.
Incline Push Up
Push-up exercises are good as it burns calories quickly and make you focus on the larger muscles in your upper body.
The incline push up reduces the amount of bodyweight you have to lift and puts less stress on your elbows. It’s perfect for beginners and pros who want to build upper body strength.
Working on your chest and core can be beneficial for weight loss, and inclined push-ups can at least burn 7 calories per minute.
Other best Push-ups variation: 20 Different Types Of Push Ups For Mass And Strength
Wall Squat
Wall squats help you burn calories and stop fat from building up in your lower body. This exercise helps to reduce weight and improve balance and mobility.
It’s a highly functional movement, working all the major muscles of the legs. Shaping and strengthening your lower body is needed to torch calories for weight loss.
A beginner should aim for 3 sets of 12-15 reps to get better results.
Related Post: Best Bodyweight Leg Exercises That You Can Do Anywhere
Standing Side Crunch
Oblique crunches done while standing helps build obliques and abdominal muscles for strength and stability. It is also great for improving balance and leg strength.
This is yet another simple and best exercise you can add to your home workout routine for fast weight loss.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced exerciser, these exercises are great additions to your workout routine.
2. Cardio Exercises
Cardio, or cardiovascular exercise, is any type of exercise that gets your heart rate up and your blood pumping. It is a great way to burn calories and lose weight.
Cardio exercises can help to improve your metabolism, which can help you burn more calories throughout the day.
There are different ways to do cardio exercises. You can do them inside or outside, with or without equipment. Therefore, it is important to find an activity that suits you the best and is enjoyable so that you can stick to it in the long run.
Bicycle Crunch
It is one of the best ways to burn calories quickly. To make it easier to do the exercise you can make the angle that your knees make smaller and to make the exercise harder you can make the angle between your legs bigger.
How To Do it
- Lie on the floor with your legs straight and lower back flat on the floor.
- Place your hands behind your head and raise your feet and upper back a little off the floor.
- Slowly start raising your knees at about a 45-degree angle.
- Go through a bicycle pedaling motion with your legs as you alternately touch your elbows to the opposite knees, twisting back and forth
Mountain Climber
A full-body workout that burns excess calories and fat from the body. The targeted areas of this workout are the biceps, hamstring muscles, core, triceps, and chest.
Mountain climbers are one of the best exercises to include in your home workout if you are looking to lose weight.
It is an explosive bodyweight exercise that engages multiple muscle groups at once, helping to improve your balance, agility, coordination, strength, flexibility, and blood circulation. Almost like getting a total-body workout with just one exercise.
3. Do High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT, is a form of interval training, a cardiovascular workout involves alternating between short, intense bursts of exercise and brief recovery periods.
This form of exercise has been shown to increase metabolism and promote fat burning even after the workout is over. Consider incorporating HIIT sessions into your weekly routine to maximize calorie burn.
The research shows that HIIT, especially short, intense exercises like sprinting, is very effective at reducing body fat.
HIIT workouts provide improved athletic capacity and condition, as well as improved glucose metabolism.
The intense intervals spike calorie burn and EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) so your body continues burning more calories after exercise.
How To Start HIIT Workout To Lose Weight
- Duration: Keep HIIT workouts short; typically, they should not exceed 30 minutes.
- Frequency: Due to its intensity, 2-3 HIIT sessions per week are generally sufficient, with rest or lower-intensity exercise on other days.
- Intensity: The high-intensity periods should be performed at near-maximum effort.
- Progression: Gradually increase the intensity or duration of the high-intensity intervals as you get fitter.
HIIT workouts can be done with any type of exercise, but some of the most popular HIIT exercises include:
- Burpees
- Jumping jacks
- Jump rope
- Mountain climbers
- High knees
- Battle ropes
- Butt kicks
- Stair running
- Lunges
4. Abs and Core Focused Exercises
Getting toned, defined abs is often a top fitness goal. Exercises that target the abdominal muscles and core not only build a strong midsection, they also burn belly fat.
A stronger core means better posture, injury prevention, and faster calorie burning. Focus on these key abs and core exercises two to three times per week to trim your waistline.
Bent Knee Lying Twist
Lying Bent Knee twist is a beginner-friendly bodyweight exercise that builds muscle and strength in the obliques. This is a great moderate move and when done correctly, it can effectively target your core and abs.
The lying bent-knee oblique twist is an isolation exercise. You can do the weighted version of the exercise with a ball in between your legs.
Knee Plank
If you want to lose weight quickly, then you need to start doing some simple exercises. One of them is called “Knee plank”.
The plank is one of the best exercises that help you strengthen your core, spine, arms, back and shoulders.
Once you master the Forearm Plank on your knees, you can move up to a full Forearm Plank.
Related Post: Plank Exercise: Benefits, Variations, Muscles Worked, Tips
Alternate Heel Touches
Alternate heel touches also known as lying oblique reach is an at-home workout exercise that targets the oblique and also involves abs.
It is one of the great oblique exercises that can be done easily by a beginner to activate and grow their midsection.
The exercise mimics other oblique exercises such as the dumbbell side bend and oblique crunch.
Best exercises to train oblique: Standing Oblique Exercises For Stronger & Toned Core
Seated Bicycle Twist
If you want to strengthen your core, doing this air bicycle exercise is a good choice. It’s a no-equipment, beginner’s level exercise you can do anywhere. Use it as part of your core strengthening workout, or add it to a full-body fat loss workout.
The seated bicycle twist builds strength in the core and hips, with an emphasis on the obliques.
The exercise also increases strength in the lower back and improves balance, coordination, and stability.
Crunches
Crunch is one of the all-time favorite Abs exercises that you can do at home. The crunch motion occurs in the upper spine, and your shoulders rise a few inches off the floor.
Your lower back remains in contact with the floor, and there is no motion at the hips. This is In contrast to the sit-up, where the movement occurs at the waist and hips.
6. Walking, Jogging and Running
You can walk anywhere if you have time. If work or the grocery store is not far away, consider walking there or riding a bike. It may take you longer, but you’re getting your workout in at the same time.
Depending on your sex and weight, walking a mile (1.6 km) burns approximately 100 calories.
According to a small study, women with obesity who walked for 50–70 minutes three times a week for 12 weeks, on average, lost weight and reduced their waist circumference.
According to Harvard Health, a 155-pound person can expect to burn about 288 calories by jogging for 30 minutes at a pace of 5 miles per hour (8 km/h). If that same person increases their speed (running) to 6 miles per hour (9.7 km/h) for a 30-minute run, they will burn approximately 360 calories.
Activity | Intensity Level | Routine | Progression/Techniques |
---|---|---|---|
Walking | Low | Start with brisk walking. Aim for at least 30 minutes a day. | Gradually increase pace and duration as fitness improves. |
Jogging | Moderate | Begin with 20-30 minutes of jogging, 3-4 times a week. | Incorporate intervals of faster jogging into your regular pace to increase calorie burn. |
Running | High | Aim for 30-45 minutes of running, 3-5 times a week. | Mix long, steady runs with shorter, high-intensity sessions or hill runs. |
7. Yoga
Practicing yoga regularly can also calm you and improve your mental health, leading to more mindful and healthy food choices that directly aid in weight loss.
Studies have shown that yoga can reduce stress and cortisol levels, enhance mood, decrease anxiety and depression, improve sleep, and improve chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.
A 12-week study of 60 women with obesity found that those who did two 90-minute yoga sessions a week lost more weight than those who did not.
A 2015 study found that practising yoga led participants to make healthier eating choices.
Type of Yoga To Lose Weight
- Vinyasa Yoga: Known for its fluid, movement-intensive practices, Vinyasa is great for calorie burning.
- Ashtanga Yoga: A rigorous style of yoga that follows a specific sequence of poses and is great for building strength and endurance.
- Power Yoga: An intense practice that builds muscle, ideal for weight loss and muscle toning.
- Hot Yoga/Bikram Yoga: Performed in a heated room, increases flexibility and calorie burn.
High-intensity yoga styles like Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Power yoga burn the most calories.
8. Cycling
Cycling offers both cardiovascular and muscular benefits, and is an excellent way to lose weight. The exercise is low-impact and high-efficiency, and can be enjoyed outdoors or indoors using a stationary bike.
Cycling is a convenient activity you can do outdoors or while watching TV by using a stationary bike at home. More opportunities to exercise makes weight loss easier.
Harvard Health estimates a 155-pound person burns 252 calories cycling moderately for 30 minutes on a stationary bike, or 288 calories biking at a moderate 12-13.9 mph pace.
Planning Your Cycling Routine
- Choose the Right Bike: Ensure the bike fits you properly and is comfortable for long rides.
- Frequency: Aim to cycle at least 3-4 times a week.
- Duration: Start with shorter rides (20-30 minutes) and gradually increase to longer rides (1-2 hours or more).
- Intensity: Vary your cycling intensity – mix longer, steadier rides with shorter, high-intensity sessions.
9. Start Swimming
If you don’t like going to the gym or can’t do certain things because of joint pain, swimming is a great way to get in shape.
Water-based workouts are low-impact, so they tend to be easier on your hips, knees, and feet.
A 12-week study found swimming 60 minutes 3 times per week significantly lowered body fat, improved flexibility, and reduced heart disease risk factors in middle-aged women.
Here are some of the top reasons how starting a regular swimming program can help you lose weight:
- Swimming can help you burn calories and build muscles without hurting your body like running. Depending on your intensity and weight, swimming burns between 500 and 800 calories per hour.
- The resistance provided by the water activates arm, shoulder, chest, back, leg and core muscles. Building this muscle mass leads to a boosted metabolism.
- It is an ideal activity for beginners or those with injuries since swimming does not put pressure on joints. Low-risk exercise means you can work out frequently.
- Water workouts boost your heart health, improving cardiovascular endurance so your body becomes efficient at burning fat.
10. Stretching Routines and Pilates
Stretching routines alone aren’t usually the best way to lose weight because they don’t burn as many calories as cardio or strength training exercises.
But stretching can make you fitter, more flexible, and help you recover. This can help you lose weight faster.
I. Dynamic Stretching Routine (Pre-Workout)
You can increase the reach, speed, or both of your body with dynamic stretches. They are a good way to warm up your muscles before a workout.
- Leg Swings: Forward, backward, and side-to-side to loosen the hips and thighs.
- Arm Circles: Large and small circles to warm up the shoulders.
- Lunges with a Twist: Helps warm up the legs, hips, and torso.
- High Knees: Lift knees one at a time as high as possible to warm up the hips and thighs.
- Calf Stretch: Against a wall or on the edge of a step.
II. Static Stretching Routine (Post-Workout)
Static stretches involve stretching a muscle (or group of muscles) to its farthest point and then maintaining or holding that position.
- Hamstring Stretch: Sitting or standing, extend one leg and reach toward your toes.
- Quadriceps Stretch: While standing, pull one foot towards your buttocks, feeling the stretch in the front of the thigh.
- Shoulder Stretch: Bring one arm across your body and lightly press it to stretch the shoulder.
- Triceps Stretch: Raise one arm, bend it backward to touch the back, and use the other hand to gently press the elbow.
III. Pilates-Inspired Stretching
Pilates exercises focus on core strength but also include elements of stretching that can improve flexibility and muscle tone.
A study found middle-aged women doing Pilates 3 times a week for 8 weeks significantly reduced waist, stomach, and hip size compared to a non-exercising control group.
- The Saw: Stretches the hamstrings and twists the spine.
- Mermaid Stretch: Side stretches to open up the side of the body.
- Spine Stretch: Sitting stretch that encourages a range of motion in the spine.
What Causes Weight Gain?
Before starting a weight loss exercise regimen, it is important to understand why you are gaining weight in the first place.
Once you understand the reason for your weight gain or obesity, you will know which type of weight loss exercise will be most effective for you.
There are a few common causes of weight gain, including
- Improper lifestyle
- Bad eating behaviour
- Metabolism slowing down with age
- Being less physically active
- Hormones and genetics
- Underlying medical conditions
- Use of certain medications
Once you’ve figured out why you’re overweight, you can start doing weight loss exercises at home to help cut down on it.
Although anyone can try these weight loss exercises at home, certain conditions make weight loss exercise and working out potentially harmful. If you have any of the below conditions, you should not do these exercises and consult a doctor.
- Pregnancy
- A spine injury
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Strained muscles and ligaments.
- Any other medical condition.
Takeaways
Exercise is an essential component of weight loss. You must follow a workout routine that is planned according to your goals and requirements.
You can lose weight fast at home with the above listed workouts, which are easy to do.
A good workout routine and a proper diet plan are required to lose weight. So start your fitness journey with a healthy meal plan and a workout routine that includes the exercises mentioned above.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What type of exercise is best for weight loss?
For anyone looking to lose weight, it is essential to incorporate both strength training and cardiovascular exercises into their routine. This, when combined with the right diet, will help you achieve your weight loss goals.
Can you lose weight by exercising 30 minutes a day?
Yes, you can. But you need to make sure that you do the correct exercises with good intensity, and frequency.
But, if your goal is to lose weight quickly, you have to increase your workout time.
It’s a good idea to get in touch with a certified fitness trainer to understand what exercises you need to do and how.
How Much Weight Can You Lose in 1 Week by Exercising at Home?
The amount of weight you lose is based on how many calories you burn. If you burn around 500 calories a day, you should be able to lose half a kilogram of weight within a week. You can also make changes to your diet to create a calorie deficit.
If you want to shed weight at the rate of 1 kg per week, it is important to know 1 kg is equal to how many calories. There are a total of 7700 calories in 1 kilogram of body fat.
How can a beginner start losing weight?
Regular exercise for at least 30 minutes per day and dietary changes that induce a calorie deficit, such as cutting out empty carbs, processed foods, products with added sugars, etc., can help you lose about half a kilo to one kilo of weight every week.
How To Start The Workout For Fat Loss?
To start the workout, you have to figure out how much you weigh and how much BMI you have. This is not just limited to weight only because your gender, race, and your ethnicity along with height play an equally important role.
Women generally have more fat as compared to men, and the average weight of a man is much more than women. So, you can use any online BMI calculator to figure out your BMI.
Now, simply look for the average BMI for someone your age, height, and gender and this will offer you an estimate of how much weight you need to lose.
In order to lose weight, it is important to exercise as much as possible. But exercising in a gym can be expensive, and not everyone has the time or money to go there. Luckily, we can do some exercises at home that are just as effective.
References
- 1Frequency of Exercise for Body Fat Loss: A Controlled, Cohort Study
- The Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training vs. Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training on Heart Rate Variability in Physically Inactive Adults
- Weight Management: State of the Science and Opportunities for Military Programs.
- Best Exercises for Weight Loss, According to Experts and Research
- Metabolic Adaptations to Weight Loss: A Brief Review
- Weight Loss and Exercise Training Effect on Oxygen Uptake and Heart Rate Response to Locomotion
10 BEST Weight Loss Exercises To Reduce Weight At Home
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this blog post, is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional fitness or medical advice. Exercise routines and fitness recommendations can vary greatly depending on individual health status, physical condition, and fitness goals.
We strongly recommend consulting with healthcare and fitness professionals before beginning any new exercise program. The use of any information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk.
Manish brings over 10 years of hands-on experience in weight lifting and fat loss to fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.
Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.