It’s been engrained in us to believe that the more we exercise, the more weight we will lose. New research suggests that may not be the case after all. If you are exercising regularly and not losing weight, it may not be because you aren’t exercising enough, but rather because you aren’t doing the right kind of exercise.
Some of the best workouts are just 20 minutes long and are more effective than spending an hour on the elliptical because they incorporate multi-dimensional movements and high-intensity exercise. A multi-dimensional workout that incorporates resistance training and high-intensity exercise will keep your body burning calories at a higher rate and for a longer duration. With the right exercise, your body will keep burning calories at a high rate even after your workout ends.
Best workouts for weight loss
Resistance training. If you want to burn excess fat, you must increase your lean body mass. Resistance training (weight training) will help you not only maintain lean body mass, but also mobility and function as you age.
Body weight exercises. Body weight exercises, such as lunges, squats, burpees, pushups and sit ups, are also effective for building lean muscle mass. Body weight exercises activate more muscle groups, which boosts metabolism by increasing blood flow to multiple muscle groups.
Interval training. Alternate intense exercise with moderate exercise to improve your cardiovascular fitness. Interval training can be as simple as alternating a fast-paced walk with sprints (walking for 2 minutes and sprinting for 30 seconds, for example). HIIT (high intensity interval training) can make for a a very effective workout in a short period of time. Set your timer for 10-15 minutes. Do 8 reps each of squats, bodyweight rows, push-ups and lunges without resting in between. Once you’ve completed 8 reps of all four, rest for one minute and repeat. See how many rounds you can do before your timer goes off.
To get the most benefit from your workout, stay focused on high-intensity movements, intervals and functional training. Functional exercises are movements made across multiple planes — frontwards and backwards, side to side and rotational. Functional exercises work with how your body is designed to move and help prevent muscle imbalances.
When it comes to losing weight, choose quality workouts over time spent working out to get the most out of your time spent exercising.
