Any person who wants to lose weight starts looking for a set of magic exercises for weight loss: how to burn more, exercise less and not give up the usual sweets and fast food.
It is important to understand that playing sports to lose weight is an efficient combination of physical activity and proper nutrition. As some trainers say, all training begins in the kitchen.
Today we will understand the intricacies of efficient training, training and implementation techniques, building a regular training week and adjusting the diet.
How to exercise for weight loss
There is no universal set of exercises that will suit everyone and that will guarantee weight loss in the shortest possible time. However, you can create your own plan structure, based on some key principles, and already in it choose the most suitable training, based on technical, physical and temporal capabilities.
What is recommended to pay attention to if the goal of training is to lose weight:
- Combine strength training and cardio. You're not tasked with being a bodybuilder or a marathon runner, so you shouldn't go overboard. Find a happy medium by distributing the load evenly throughout the week.
- Alternate training sessions from different directions. So you will have enough time to recover the muscles involved - you can train more often and more. For example, if your plan is to run on Monday, do arm strength on Tuesday and cycle on Wednesday.
- Do not exercise when you are tired. If you had a hard day at work, you didn't get enough sleep, or you had a long flight on a business trip, you don't need to go to a night workout at any cost. Despite the supercompensation effect promoted by motivational videos (increasing the initial level of the body's ability after intense training), it will only work against the background of normal recovery, including nutrition and sleep.
- Adapt your diet to your exercise. You can't train on an empty stomach, especially if you don't have relevant experience, but you can't go to training immediately after breakfast. The optimal time for classes is two to three hours after a meal.
- The most effective for burning fat is considered to be interval training, where periods of intense load alternate with short periods of rest or low-intensity exercise. An option for interval training can be circuit training at the gym, where intense strength training alternates with short cardio - jogging or brisk walking.
- Do not expect immediate results. No need to weigh yourself every day and see deviations in grams, evaluate progress. Untrained people usually take six to eight weeks to adapt to exercise, after which fitness levels allow for the addition of high-intensity exercise and longer workouts that burn more calories and fat.
- For beginners, 300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week is sufficient. These include: brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, strength and circuit training at the gym, jumping rope, outdoor exercise equipment, hill and trail walking. Distribute the load evenly throughout the day. It could be five one-hour workouts a week, or three one-hour sessions on weekdays and a long two-hour bike ride on the weekend.
A set of exercises to lose weight
Let's take an ordinary person who works on a standard 5/2 schedule and has the opportunity to train only after work on weekdays, as well as on weekends.
Since athletic performance plays a secondary role when losing weight, you should not train on both weekends. Allow yourself a day to fully relax. First, it is necessary to recover physically after a week of work, and secondly, it will allow you to mentally rest from the training process, which will now permeate the weekly schedule in an effort to lose weight.
Example of a training week:
| Day of the week | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Strength training at the gym | Strength training at the gym | Light cardio exercise |
| Tuesday | Light cardio exercise | Outdoor exercise | Strength training at the gym |
| Wednesday | Relaxation | Relaxation | Circuit training |
| Thursday | Strength training at the gym | Light cardio exercise | Relaxation |
| Friday | Circuit training | Strength training at the gym | Strength training at the gym |
| Saturday | Prolonged cardio | Relaxation | Prolonged cardio |
| Sunday | Relaxation | Prolonged cardio | Relaxation |
Strength training at the gym
Strength training, including resistance training, helps improve muscle tone, increase strength, and build muscle mass over time. Weights include dumbbells, barbells, weights, expanders and various simulators.
Strength training is important because it allows you to maintain muscle mass and strength while shedding excess fat. They have also been shown to increase bone density, which in turn reduces the likelihood of developing osteoporosis with age.
Examples of effective fat burning exercises at the gym:
Mahi kettlebell
Kettlebell swings are relatively easy to learn and one of the most effective exercises for burning fat, as they simultaneously engage the gluteal, hip, abdominal, back, arm and shoulder muscles.
Technique:
Stand tall with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold a weight with both hands between your legs. Lean back slightly, straighten your legs at the same time and bring the kettlebell forward with straight arms. The weight will make the reverse movement itself. Your job is to bend your knees slightly and let them go like a pendulum back. Each swing movement is given from the feet to the hands.
Common mistakes:
- Do not round your back, it should be straight.
- Do not try to pull the kettlebell up. All swings are made inertially due to the movement provided by the legs.
- Do not bring the kettlebell too far forward. This will put more pressure on the shoulder joint and can cause injury.
- Don't worry too much. The point of training is to include a large amount of muscle and technically correct execution, and not to lift significant weights.
Squat with dumbbells
Squat is a basic exercise for leg development. If squatting body weight is easy for you, but you are afraid to continue barbell training, start with an easy option - dumbbell squats. This exercise, in addition to the legs, involves the back, abdomen and arms.
Technique:
Stand up straight. Feet slightly wider than shoulders. Hold a dumbbell with both hands at one end and raise it to chest level. Start squatting until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Slowly rise to the starting position. The legs must not move.
Common mistakes:
- Heels off the floor. If you start jumping up and down to get to the starting position, then you have picked up dumbbells that are too heavy.
- Do not round your back. Stay straight at the top and bottom.
Overhead dumbbell or kettlebell press
This exercise can be performed statically and dynamically, combining bench press with squats, which will allow you to burn more calories and fat. In the dynamic version, almost all major muscle groups are included - buttocks, hips, back, stomach, arms, shoulders.
Technique:
Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulders. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand. Bend your elbows, the shell should be over your shoulders. Squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. When rising to the starting position at the top point, squeeze the dumbbell / kettlebell above your head. Return your hands to their original position.
Common mistakes:
- Do not take shells that are too heavy. It is easy to get injured in dynamics, therefore, at the stage of getting used to and mastering the technique, it is better to work with the lightest dumbbell / kettlebell.
- Do not lift your heels off the floor, as this will affect your stability - you may lose balance due to the extra weight on your hands.
- Do not squeeze dumbbells / weights after you stand up. Use the momentum you set with your feet from the bottom point. All movements are performed in dynamics, as in exercises with kettlebell swings.
farmer's walk
The farmer's walk is a heavy walk. This exercise, due to the additional weight, increases the load on the legs, and also includes the shoulders, arms, back and abs.
First, grab a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells with a total weight of 25-30% of your body weight and take 20-40 steps. If it's easy, you can add weight or make the exercise harder and lunge.
Dumbbell bench press
The bench press actively involves the upper body - chest muscles, shoulders, arms.
Technique:
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and lie on a bench. Spread your feet slightly wider than your shoulders and press your heels firmly into the floor. Tighten your abdominal and back muscles. Push the dumbbells up from your chest until your arms are straight. Slowly return them to their original position.
Common mistakes:
- Do not relax your hands when moving down. This can lead to shoulder injuries.
- Do not take dumbbells too heavy, as this also increases the rate of injury. You should be comfortable doing 8-12 reps per set.
Circuit training
The good thing about circuit training is that you can include almost any exercise that you can do at a moderate or fast pace.
Key points to consider when planning circuit training:
- Alternate exercises for different muscle groups alternately resting your arms, legs, back and abs.
- The duration of intensive intervals should not exceed one minute, otherwise the exercise will turn into endurance work. It is important that you do these intervals at a fast or moderate pace (in the case of weight training).
- The duration of low-intensity intervals (walking, jogging) or rest should not exceed 30 seconds.
- The total training period should be 15-20 minutes.
Examples of exercises:
- push-ups;
- lifting bent legs hanging on a horizontal bar;
- squatting;
- dynamic core exercises - rock climber, bike;
- stretching - jumping lunges with a change of legs;
- incline dumbbell row;
- swing weight;
- press dumbbells above your head;
- burpees;
- push-ups on uneven bars;
- jump on the box;
- jump rope;
- lift legs alternately on the board.
Collect blocks of four to eight exercises in a circle. Each exercise is performed for 30-60 seconds with a 30 second rest. Rest between circles - one to two minutes or light jogging if you exercise outside or the gym allows. Complete three to five circuits until the total workout time is closer to 15-20 minutes.
Light cardio exercise
Light cardio is low to moderate intensity exercise lasting no more than an hour. For beginners, it is best to do no more than 30 minutes until you feel that your cardiovascular system has adapted enough that you can train without holding your breath.
One of the markers of cardiovascular fitness is the speaking test. If you can carry on a conversation while doing cardio, then the intensity of the load will allow you to train long enough.
Light cardio exercises include:
- jogging;
- pedaling an exercise bike or bicycle;
- class on stepper;
- jump rope;
- swimming;
- skiing.
Prolonged cardio
Long exercises differ from simple ones only in the time spent. Try to maintain the same intensity that will allow you to complete the speaking test.
To combine business with pleasure, join a running club for a weekend run, cycle with friends in the countryside or go for long hikes in hills and rugged terrain.
Common mistakes:
- Don't start too soon. You don't have to go all out right away. Instead, start your run with a brisk walk and slowly transition into a run. When cycling, don't go straight up the mountain, but ride for 10-20 minutes on a smooth road at a leisurely pace.
- Don't practice on time. Focus on your own feelings. No need to push yourself if you are tired.
- Remember to drink water or isotonic drinks, especially in summer. During prolonged exercise, the body loses fluid through sweat, so this loss must be replenished.
Exercise Tips
- Any exercise begins with a warm-up and ends with a cool-down. Warming up is necessary to warm the muscles and reduce trauma, obstacles - to cool down the body smoothly and reduce blood circulation in the body.
- Don't train the same way two days in a row. Let your muscles relax.
- If you can't do a certain exercise, replace it with a similar exercise. Instead of running, you can walk on a stepper, instead of pressing dumbbells, do push-ups from the floor, instead of pull-ups, do grips in the block simulator. The same muscle group can be loaded with a different set of exercises.
- Start with small weights and gradually increase the load. Linear progress only at first, then it will be more difficult for you to add weight, because it will take more time for ligaments, tendons and muscles to adapt. Excessive enthusiasm and the desire to shake the barbell more can lead to serious injuries and forced to stop training.
- If you feel very tired, take a break for two to three days to allow the body to recover. Arrange periodic deload weeks, for example once a month, when the load is 50-75% of normal. In the deload week, you can remove one or two exercises or simply reduce the time of each session by 15-30 minutes.
Diet tips to lose weight
- Breakfast should be healthy and rich in slow carbohydrates: cereals, whole grain cereals, bananas. Carbohydrates are not only fuel for working muscles (carbohydrates from food are stored in the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen), but also a source of glucose for normal brain function.
- Don't look for quick fixes in trendy low-carb and keto (fat-heavy diets). Stick to the balance of protein (10-30%), fat (25-35%) and carbohydrates (45-65%) recommended by your doctor, and adjust your diet according to your mood.
- To lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit. This means you should spend less than you eat. Intake includes the body's average needs for normal functioning, as well as calories expended in exercise. Consumption should be reduced equally on all components (protein, fat and carbohydrates), and not at the expense of only one, as is customary, for example, in a low-carb diet.
- If you want to calculate everything exactly, install an application on your phone where you will enter all the food eaten during the day. Special applications have their own database, where specific calories and remaining BJU are registered for each product. Over time, you will understand where you can cut extra calories without harming the body.
- Pre-workout nutrition should be athletic - focus on foods that provide enough energy for exercise. Avoid "empty" calories from fast food and sugary drinks.
- Post-workout meals should contain foods rich in protein and slow carbohydrates to ensure muscle recovery and energy reserves. For this purpose, suitable: cottage cheese and fruit, salad with chicken or cheese, sandwich with turkey and fresh vegetables, chicken breast with rice.
- Drink enough water. Losing weight through dehydration is not the best idea, especially when you sweat a lot during exercise. At the same time, forcefully pouring two or three liters of water into yourself is also not worth it. The body itself will tell you when you need to replenish the lost fluids.