10 Best Exercises for Weight Loss

If your goal is to lose weight, it’s important to make changes to both your eating habits and your physical activity so you can burn more calories than you consume. Regular exercise makes a significant difference in helping you achieve your weight loss goals. It’s generally recommended to do at least 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week to lose weight. Below are some of the best exercises for weight loss that can help you along your journey:

1. Walking

If you’re new to regular exercise, one of the easiest exercises for weight loss to get started is walking. Adding just half an hour of brisk walking to your daily routine can help you burn about 150 more calories than usual each day. The longer and faster you walk, the more calories you will burn. You can start small with short walks and build up to longer, more intense journeys.

2. Cycling

Another one of the great exercises for weight loss is cycling. This is a low-impact, adaptable exercise. Just an hour of riding a bicycle can burn around 400 to 750 calories, depending on the type of cycling, how fast you’re pedaling, and your weight. You can hop on a bike and pedal around the neighborhood, visit a gym to ride a stationary bike, or attend a spin class for a more intense cycling workout.

3. Jumping Rope

If you’re looking for exercises for weight loss that don’t require expensive equipment or a gym membership, you can try jumping rope. This exercise is a great way to burn calories fast. Jumping rope burns more calories than walking on a treadmill for the same duration. This workout engages multiple muscle groups, from your lower body to your core to your upper body, and it’s also great for improving coordination.

4. Swimming

Do you need exercises for weight loss but have achy joints? Swimming may be the right exercise for you. This exercise is easy on the joints and works your entire body. Plus, it’s an excellent cardio workout. Swimming for just half an hour a few times a week can help lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and even some cancers while also reducing bad cholesterol and high blood pressure.

5. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

One of the most effective exercises for weight loss is high-intensity interval training, or HIIT. This type of exercise alternates between high-intensity and lower-intensity physical activity. HIIT tends to burn more calories than steady cardio workouts, but you should only do it a few times a week. After this type of workout, your body keeps working and remains in fat-burning mode for up to 24 hours after your workout is over.

6. Lifting Weights

Lifting weights is a type of strength training exercise that uses the resistance from weights to build muscle and strength. This exercise not only helps you lose weight but also builds muscle to help you keep the weight off. This muscle helps your body burn fat more effectively. It’s typically recommended to lift weights three to five times per week for about an hour at a time. Make sure you include a rest day between every two days of strength training.

7. Pilates and Yoga

Though pilates and yoga don’t burn as many calories as some of the other exercises for weight loss, these workouts provide excellent fitness support. Pilates uses precise, fluid movements with a focus on breathing to strengthen the core, improve posture, and prevent injury. Yoga similarly uses specific poses, breathing practices, and meditation to promote balance, increase muscle tone, and stretch the body. These workouts help with weight loss by not only burning calories but also improving physical pain, reducing stress, and fixing sleep patterns that can contribute to weight gain.

8. Stair Climbing

If you have a set of stairs in your home or at work, then you have easy access to one of the lowest-cost exercises for weight loss. While you could use a stair climbing machine, all you really need is to find a trusty set of stairs to climb. Climbing just two flights of stairs each day can lead to six pounds of weight loss in a year. This exercise also increases good cholesterol in your blood and helps promote healthy bones, joints, and muscles.

9. Hiking

Are you looking for more adventurous ways to lose weight? Hiking can be an effective exercise for weight loss. Walking through the woods and maneuvering around obstacles like rocks and tree roots is a great workout. If you hike regularly, this exercise can burn enough calories and build muscle to promote weight loss. This is a fun way to exercise with others as you explore nature together.

10. Any Exercise You Can Do Consistently

The best exercises for weight loss largely depend on you as an individual. If you can find a physical activity that you enjoy and will do consistently, then that’s the best place to start. The key to weight loss is consistency, so doing any regular activity that burns calories and keeps you physically active is better than doing nothing. Find a type of exercise that you enjoy and do it regularly to promote weight loss and help you reach your goals.

Kickstart Your Weight Loss Journey

If you’re just starting out on your weight loss journey, it can be difficult to know where to start. There’s a lot of information out there about how to lose weight with diet and exercise, and it can be a bit overwhelming. To find out how you can maximize your chances of reaching your weight loss goals, check out these tips to kickstart your weight loss journey.