Anyone who sets out to lose weight starts looking for a magic set of weight loss exercises: how to burn more, exercise less, and not give up the usual sweets and fast food.
It is important to understand that playing sports for weight loss is a competent combination of physical activity and proper nutrition. As some coaches say, all training starts in the kitchen.
Today we will understand the intricacies of competent training, exercises and execution techniques, building a typical training week and adjusting the diet.
How to exercise to lose weight
There is no universal set of exercises that will suit everyone and guarantee weight loss in the shortest possible time. Nevertheless, you can create your own plan structure, based on several key principles, and already choose the most suitable exercises from it, depending on technical, physical and time capabilities.
What it is recommended to pay attention to if the goal of training is to lose weight:
- Combine strength and cardio exercises. You aren't tasked with becoming a bodybuilder or marathon runner, so you don't have to go to extremes. Find a happy medium by spreading the load evenly throughout the week.
- Alternate workouts from different directions. Thus, you will have enough time to recover the muscles involved - you will be able to train more often and more. For example, if your plan is to run on Monday, do arm strength on Tuesday and spin the bike on Wednesday.
- Don't exercise when you're tired. If you've had a hard day at work, haven't had enough sleep, or had a long flight on a business trip, you don't need to work out at night at all costs. Despite the overcompensation effect promoted by motivational videos (increase in the initial level of bodily capacities after intense training), it will only work in the context of normal recovery, including nutrition and sleep.
- Adapt your diet to your workouts. You should not train on an empty stomach, especially if you do not have the necessary experience, but you should not train immediately after breakfast. The optimal time for classes is two to three hours after eating.
- The most effective for burning fat are considered interval training, in which periods of intense load alternate with short periods of rest or low-intensity exercise. An option for interval training can be circuit training in the gym, in which intense strength exercises are alternated with short cardio - jogging or brisk walking.
- Don't expect immediate results. No need to weigh yourself every day and watch the discrepancies in grams, to assess progress. Untrained individuals typically take six to eight weeks to adapt to exercise, after which fitness level allows for the addition of high intensity exercises and longer workouts that burn more calories and fat.
- For a beginner, 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week will suffice. These include brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, strength training and circuit training in the gym, jump rope, outdoor exercise equipment, walks on the hills and on the paths. Distribute the load evenly over the days. It can 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 for weight loss
Consider the average person working a standard 5/2 schedule and having the ability to train only after work on weekdays, as well as weekends.
Since sports performance plays a secondary role when losing weight, you should not train on both weekends. Allow yourself a day for complete rest. Firstly, it is necessary to recover physically after a week of work, and secondly, it will allow you to take a mental break from the training process, which will now permeate the weekly program in pursuit of weight loss.
Examples of training weeks:
| Day of the week | Option 1 | Option 2 | Variant 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Bodybuilding in the gym | Bodybuilding in the gym | Light cardio workout |
| Tuesday | Light cardio workout | outdoor training | Bodybuilding in the gym |
| Wednesday | Relaxation | Relaxation | Circuit training |
| Thursday | Bodybuilding in the gym | Light cardio workout | Relaxation |
| Friday | Circuit training | Bodybuilding in the gym | Bodybuilding in the gym |
| Saturday | Extended Cardio | Relaxation | Extended Cardio |
| Sunday | Relaxation | Extended Cardio | Relaxation |
Bodybuilding in the gym
Strength training, including resistance training, helps increase muscle tone, increase strength, and build muscle mass over time. Weights include dumbbells, dumbbells, dumbbells, expanders and various simulators.
Strength training is important because it allows you to maintain muscle mass and strength while getting rid of excess fat. They have also been shown to increase bone density, which reduces the likelihood of developing osteoporosis as you age.
Examples of effective exercises to burn fat in the gym:
Kettlebell Mahi
Kettlebell swings are fairly easy to learn and are one of the most effective fat burning exercises out there as they work the glutes, hips, abs, back, arms and shoulders simultaneously.
Technical:
Stand straight with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders and slightly bent at the knees. Hold the weight with both hands between your legs. Lean back a bit, straighten your legs at the same time and drive the kettlebell forward with straight arms. The weight will itself do the opposite movement. Your task is to slightly bend your knees and let it swing like a pendulum back. Each swinging movement is given from the legs to the arms.
Typical errors:
- Don't round your back, it should be straight.
- Don't try to pull the kettlebell up. All swings are made by inertia due to the movements given by the legs.
- Don't carry the kettlebell too far forward. This will put more strain on the shoulder joints and can lead to injury.
- Do not take too heavy a weight. The meaning of the exercise is to include a large number of muscles and technically correct execution, not to lift a large weight.
Squats with dumbbells
Squats are a basic exercise for leg development. If the bodyweight squat is easy for you, but you're afraid to switch to barbell training, start with an easy option - barbell squats. This exercise, in addition to the legs, involves the back, abs and arms.
Technical:
Stand straight. Legs slightly wider than the shoulders. Grasp a dumbbell with both hands at one end and lift it to chest level. Start squatting until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Slowly rise to the starting position. The feet should be stationary.
Typical errors:
- Heels on the floor. If you start jumping up and down to get to the starting position, then you've picked up a heavy dumbbell.
- Don't round your back. Stay straight up and down.
Overhead dumbbell or kettlebell presses
This exercise can be performed both statically and dynamically, combining bench presses with squats, which will allow you to burn even more calories and fat. In the dynamic version, almost all major muscle groups are included - buttocks, hips, back, abs, arms, shoulders.
Technical:
Stand straight with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders. Grab a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand. Bend your elbows, the shells should be on your shoulders. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. As you rise to the starting position at the highest point, squeeze the dumbbells/kettlebells overhead. Return your hands to their original position.
Typical errors:
- Do not take shellfish 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 dumbbells / kettlebells.
- Don't lift your heels off the ground as this will compromise stability - you could lose your balance due to the extra weight in your hands.
- Do not squeeze dumbbells/weights after standing up. Use the momentum you set with your feet from the lowest point. All movements are performed dynamically, as in an exercise with a kettlebell swing.
peasant walk
The step of the peasant is a balanced step. This exercise, due to the extra 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 body weight and take 20-40 steps. If it's easy, you can add weights or make the exercise harder and do lunges.
Dumbbell bench press
The bench press actively involves the upper body - the pectoral muscles, shoulders, arms.
Technical:
Take a dumbbell in each hand and lie down on a bench. Spread your legs slightly wider than your shoulders and press your heels firmly to the floor. Contract your abdominal and back muscles. Push the dumbbells up from your chest until your arms are straight. Slowly return them to their original position.
Typical errors:
- Do not relax your hands when going down. This can lead to shoulder injuries.
- Do not take too heavy dumbbells, as this also increases the injury rate. 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 you can do at a moderate or fast pace.
Key points to consider when planning circuit training:
- Alternate exercises for different muscle groups to take turns resting your arms, legs, back and abs.
- The duration of the intensive interval should not exceed one minute, otherwise the exercise will turn into endurance work. It is important that you perform this interval at a fast or moderate pace (in the case of strength training).
- The duration of the low intensity interval (walking, jogging) or rest should not exceed 30 seconds.
- The total training time should be 15-20 minutes.
Examples of exercises:
- shoes;
- raise the bent legs in suspension on the horizontal bar;
- squats;
- dynamic basic exercises - climber, bike;
- stretching - jumping lunges with change of legs;
- incline dumbbell row;
- porch swings;
- dumbbell resting on your head;
- burpees;
- push-ups on the uneven bars;
- jump on the box;
- jumping rope;
- alternating plank leg lifts.
Gather a block 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 a light jog if training outdoors or the gym permitting. Do three to five circuits until the total workout time is closer to 15 to 20 minutes.
Light cardio workout
Light cardio is a low to medium intensity workout that lasts no longer than an hour. For beginners, it's best not to do more than 30 minutes until you feel the cardiovascular system has adapted enough that you can train without holding your breath.
One of the markers of cardiovascular readiness 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;
- course on the stepper;
- jumping rope;
- swimming;
- ski.
Extended Cardio
Long workouts differ from easy workouts only in the amount of time spent. Strive to maintain the same intensity that allows you to complete the speaking test.
To combine business with pleasure, join a running club for weekend races, cycle with friends in the countryside or go for long hikes in hills and rough terrain.
Typical errors:
- Don't start too quickly. You don't have to do everything right away. Instead, start your run with a brisk walk and slowly progress to running. When cycling, do not immediately climb the mountain, but ride for 10-20 minutes on a smooth road at a leisurely pace.
- Don't train strictly on time. Focus on your own feelings. No need to force yourself if you are tired.
- Remember to drink water or isotonic drinks, especially in summer. During prolonged exercise, the body loses fluid through sweating, so these losses must be replenished.
Exercise tips
- All training begins with a warm-up and ends with a cool-down. A warm-up is necessary to warm up the muscles and reduce trauma, a hitch - to gently cool down and reduce blood circulation in the body.
- Don't train the same way two days in a row. Let your muscles rest.
- If you can't do a certain exercise, replace it with a similar exercise. Instead of running, you can step on a stepper, instead of a dumbbell press, do push-ups from the floor, instead of pull-ups, do pull-ups in a block simulator. The same muscle group can be loaded with a bunch of different exercises.
- Start with small weights and gradually increase the load. The linear progression is only at the beginning, then it will be more difficult for you to add weights, because it will take longer for the ligaments, tendons and muscles to adapt. Overzealousness and the desire to shake the bar more can lead to serious injury and forced downtime in training.
- If you feel that you are very tired, take a break for two to three days so that the body recovers. Periodically schedule a week of unloading, such as once a month, when the load is 50-75% of normal. During the discharge week, you can remove one or two training sessions or simply reduce the duration of each session by 15-30 minutes.
Diet tips for weight loss
- Breakfast should be healthy and rich in slow carbohydrates: cereals, whole grains, bananas. Carbohydrates are not only fuel for working muscles (carbohydrates from food are stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen), but also a source of glucose for normal brain function.
- Don't look for a quick fix in low carb and keto (high fat diet) fad diets. Stick to your doctor's recommended balance of protein (10-30%), fat (25-35%), and carbohydrates (45-65%) and adjust your diet based on how you feel.
- To lose weight, you have to be in a calorie deficit. This means that you should spend a little more than you consume. Consumption includes the average body requirement for normal functioning, as well as calories expended in training. Consumption should be reduced evenly on all components (proteins, fats and carbohydrates), and not at the expense of only one, as is customary, for example, in a low carbohydrate diet.
- If you want to calculate everything with precision, install an application on your phone in which you will enter all the foods consumed during the day. Special applications have their own database, where certain calories and BJU balance are recorded 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 foods and sugary drinks.
- Post-workout meals should include foods rich in protein and carbohydrates to ensure muscle recovery and energy stores. For these purposes, suitable: cottage cheese and fruits, 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 profusely during your workout. At the same time, forcibly 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 lost fluid.