There is no magic pill and nothing better than diet and exercise for weight loss has yet been invented. Furthermore, one does not work without the other. But even simple weight loss exercises will help you increase activity, burn calories, and tone your body.
So, you have decided to lose excess weight. What path will you have to travel?
- Understand your diet so you don't eat more than your body needs.
- Review your daily routine, rest and get enough sleep, because fats are burned during sleep.
- Learn a little theory about how the body works, how muscles grow, and how fat is burned.
- Buy sports clothing and shoes to avoid injuries during training.
- Try different exercises and choose the type of activity that you like best.
- Train 3-4 times a week while maintaining a caloric deficit.
- Enjoy your new lifestyle and your body.
By following this plan, you will be able to lose weight and stay fit through exercise and nutrition. Now let's take a closer look.
Proper nutrition for weight loss.
When it comes to losing weight, nutrition is the most important thing. Whatever exercise you choose, you can't do it without understanding your diet. We won't burden you with information about calories and diets, but we will give you basic rules that will help you lose weight. The physical trainer says that 80-90% of weight loss success is due to nutrition. Your goal is to spend more than you consume. Sport can help you accelerate the fat burning process, increase the amount of calories burned, but the basis of everything is nutrition.
The trainer advises:
- Never feel hungry. The hungrier a person is, the more they will eat. When you are barely hungry, this is the time to eat, because in half an hour or an hour you will eat a lot more.
- Maintain your previous diet, but take a tablespoon of your usual portion each day. This is a very small amount, but if you look at it over the course of a week, it's already minus seven tablespoons per meal. The stomach quickly gets used to it, begins to shrink in size, and you feel full with less food.
- Don't overeat. There's no need to wait to feel "ugh, I'm full. "The feeling of satiety appears between 15 and 20 minutes after eating. Only after this time can it be objectively assessed whether a person is full or not. It's best to leave the table feeling full, but not gluttonous, when we're struggling to breathe.
When losing weight, proper nutrition should be predominantly protein and fat. Eat more meat, cottage cheese, eggs, fish. Don't forget vegetables and cereals, whole wheat bread. Healthy fats can be obtained from red fish, nuts and avocados. This type of nutrition will not leave you hungry and will help you obtain all the necessary nutrients.
The diet must be balanced and varied so that there is no desire to decompose. But if you really want to remember the taste of cake and chips, then you can eat the "forbidden" food little by little. It is believed that if you eat 90% correctly, you will be able to afford 10% high-calorie foods.
Should you go on a diet or count calories? Each person chooses for himself a suitable nutrition system. In a diet, certain foods are eliminated and therefore the calorie content of your diet is reduced.
Advice.Try to create a menu for the week with recipes that you like. There is nothing magical about PP recipes and they are often even higher in calories than normal ones, and desserts made with almond flour are time consuming. Stick to simple whole foods and protein foods. Don't you like oatmeal? Have breakfast with scrambled eggs and vegetables. You need a flexible approach to your diet, because a healthy lifestyle will stay with you for life.
And don't forget to maintain a drinking regimen, especially during active sports. Always have a bottle of water on hand. If you find it difficult to drink plain water, add lemon juice or mint leaves to it.
What to choose: train at home or in the gym?
Each person chooses where to train: at home or in the gym. Both options have their pros and cons.
You need to go to the gym, pay a subscription and stick to the schedule if you signed up for group training at a sports club. But it is equipped with all the necessary equipment and exercise devices for effective weight loss.
Home workouts have become very popular lately. You don't need to go anywhere, follow a plan and schedule. But it takes a lot of will and some physical training to perform the exercises correctly.
Exercises to lose weight at home and in the gym are not very different. They must be effective, high intensity and varied. You can build your abs at home and in the gym with equal success. You can work with a trainer via video call.
What you need to start training: equipment and clothing.
If you practice at home, a mat will come in handy. You may need small 2kg and 5kg dumbbells, and fitness bands, if your training program includes them. In fact, you can exercise without any equipment and perform fat-burning cardio and strength exercises with your own weight, without special equipment. The gym has everything you need.
In any case, you will need clothes for sports:
- sports shoes with good cushioning and ventilation;
- tights or well-stretched sports pants;
- several t-shirts made of synthetic fabric (cotton takes a long time to dry due to sweat);
- sports top for women.
This is a basic set that you cannot do without either at the gym or at home. You will also need a container of water and, if possible, a fitness bracelet or a watch with a heart rate function.
Advice.Bring a small towel to the gym. You will need to place it on the exercise equipment when you exercise.
Types and types of training and exercises: what to choose?
Various types of workouts and exercises are effective in losing weight. This is explained by the individual characteristics of the body. The most effective type of training is considered to be aerobic (cardio). But anaerobic (strength) exercise is also necessary so that the skin does not sag after losing weight.
Let's find out what basic types of weight loss training are found in the gym and when we train at home. You will understand why different types of activity are needed to successfully get fit. And finally, decide what is better: cardio or strength exercises?
strength exercises
Strength training aims at hypertrophy, that is, muscle growth. In fact, strength training speeds up the metabolism, but gradually. Typically, those who lose weight opt for other types of training, and there is a reason for that.
What are the benefits of strength training for weight loss?
- After strength training, the body expends calories to recover.
- When working "to failure, " microtrauma occurs in the muscles and the body expends energy to restore them.
- Muscle requires much more energy to "maintain" than fat.
- There are elements of strength exercises in interval training, for the successful implementation of which it is first necessary to master the correct basic execution.
It is a myth that strength training is only suitable for men. Women can also successfully lose weight and build a figure with the help of squats, lunges and weight training with dumbbells and barbells. You should perform strength training 2 or 3 times a week, alternating with cardiovascular exercises to lose weight effectively.
cardiovascular exersise
Cardiovascular exercise is a great option for losing weight. They quickly lead to fat burning and at the same time pump up the heart muscle and respiratory system. You can do cardio at home and in the gym. It's not always a high-intensity workout, but it will take some effort to burn fat. And beginners should join the training gradually.
The best cardiovascular exercises:
- lateral step with raised arms;
- boxing;
- burpee;
- kicks to the side;
- raise your knees after a lunge;
- jump the rope.
Cardiovascular exercise is beneficial for both men and women. You should do weight loss workouts 3-4 times a week for 40-50 minutes. You can finish your strength training by brisk walking on a treadmill or using an elliptical machine.
aerobic training
Aerobic exercise helps you lose weight and improves the functioning of your heart and blood vessels. When doing them, the body consumes a large amount of oxygen. These trainings make a person more resilient. Aerobics are considered the best way to burn calories.
Aerobic exercise, or cardiovascular exercise, as it is popularly called, is the best exercise to lose weight. This includes running, a stationary bike at a vigorous pace, an ellipse, and brisk walking on a treadmill. The important thing is that the fat burning process begins within 30 minutes. The workout should last between 40 and 60 minutes, but it is best to start with 10 to 15 minutes and add 2 to 3 minutes each day.
Aerobic exercise includes running, dancing, group sports, and skating. In short, any load that makes your heart beat faster. However, to burn fat properly through aerobic exercises, it is necessary to respect a certain heart rate zone.
Aerobic exercise can be done every day. If you alternate them with another type of exercise, twice a week is enough.
Anaerobic training
During anaerobic training, the body receives energy without oxygen. Muscles consume glycogen (a breakdown product of glucose) accumulated in the blood. These are strength training in the gym, which aims to develop and strengthen muscles, and short distance running. They do not use fat for energy.
Anaerobic exercise burns fewer calories than aerobic exercise. How then can they be useful to you? The fact is that muscles spend energy for some time after anaerobic exercise: from 12 to 36 hours. Plus, due to muscle growth, you'll burn fewer calories at rest. But still, trainers agree that aerobic exercise is more effective for losing weight.
interval training
To lose weight quickly, you need intense but not exhausting workouts that you can do regularly. HIIT (or HIIT in English) - interval training - is suitable for your goals. They are suitable for beginners and experienced athletes. You just need to adjust the pace depending on the degree of preparation.
A good example of HIIT is Tabata. The exercises should be performed quickly (but efficiently) for 20 to 60 seconds. After this, you rest between 10 and 40 seconds. The longer the rest interval, the less intense the training will be. A HIIT workout might look like this:
- running in place;
- squats;
- squats;
- Lizards;
- pulling your knees towards your stomach on a plank.
As a rule, one circle consists of 5-6 exercises. Most of the time it involves training with your own weight. Beginners can do three laps, advanced ones can do five laps. The exercises can be repeated, but there is the option when each interval is aimed at working certain muscle groups.
Thanks to this scheme, in half an hour you will be wiping off your sweat and panting with happiness for having managed to burn between 300 and 500 additional calories.
Warming up before doing exercises to lose weight: is it necessary or not?
Trainers agree on this: warming up before weight loss exercises is essential. The physical warm-up lasts between 5 and 10 minutes, but it helps you prepare for training, avoid injuries and warm up all muscles and joints.
Before training, even before stretching, you need to warm up. Do the simplest warm-up exercises:
- Slowly turn your head 3 to 4 times clockwise and counterclockwise.
- Perform circular movements with your arms at a medium pace 5 to 10 times back and forth.
- Extend your arms away from your chest 5 to 10 times.
- Rotate your pelvis 5 times in both directions.
- Do 5 to 10 toe bends with your legs straight.
- Make 5 to 10 curves in both directions.
- Rotate your hips.
- Stretch your hands and ankles.
After the warm-up exercises, you can walk on the treadmill at a fast pace for 10 to 15 minutes to warm up. And then head to the main complex.
Exercises to lose abdominal fat: sit-ups, leg raises, vacuum.
It is impossible to lose weight in a single area, because fat leaves the body more or less uniformly. But you can tighten your skin and strengthen your abdominal muscles with exercises to lose weight on your stomach and sides. These are basic strength workouts that will help you burn a little more calories.
Exercises to lose belly fat are no different for men and women: the technique is the same for everyone. The main thing is to train correctly and regularly, and then, as long as you have a caloric deficit and sufficient basic activity, you will have the desired relief. When this happens, in a week, a month or six months, depends on your constitution and nutrition.
Abdominals: straight, inverse, lateral
Lying press abdominal technique:
- Lie face up on the mat with your knees bent.
- Press your chin to your chest and bring your palms together at the back of your head.
- As you exhale, lift your body slightly, lifting your shoulder blades off the mat.
- Tighten your abdominal muscles.
- As you inhale, slowly lower yourself onto the mat without completely straightening up.
It is not necessary to get up too high, lift your chin off your chest and push yourself forward with your arms. The press must be constantly tense.
Reverse crunches on the flooris an exercise in which you need to raise your legs while squeezing your lower abs:
- Lie face up on the mat.
- Bend your knees so that your shins are parallel to the floor and bring your heels together.
- As you exhale, lift your hips and lift your butt off the floor, placing your weight on your shoulder blades and pulling your knees toward your chest.
- As you inhale, return to the starting position without fully stretching your legs. Always keep your abs tight.
Straight and reverse crunches can be done on a bench, holding the bench behind your head with your hands.
lateral abdominalsThe lateral abdominal muscles are strengthened in the abdominals. It is convenient to perform lateral abdominals on a hyperextension machine:
- Adjust the height so that the top of the exercise pad is at the level of your pelvic bone.
- Starting position: legs rest against the base of the simulator, body stretched and arms at chest level.
- As you exhale, tilt your body down, and as you inhale, return to the starting position.
Side crunches should be performed using the oblique abdominal muscles and not by inertia.
Number of repetitions and approximations.. For beginner men and women, three sets of sit-ups of 20 repetitions are sufficient. You can do the exercise at the beginning or end of strength training, in the morning, afternoon or evening.
Periodicity. At least once a week. The result of the abdominals depends on the structure. You can alternate between forward, backward and lateral crunches.
Exercises to lose weight on the side: plank, push-ups, swings.
It is impossible to eliminate the sides with weight loss exercises alone. To burn stored fat, you need to maintain a calorie deficit and move more. Planks, leg swings and push-ups are energy-intensive exercises that will help you lose excess weight, giving your body beautiful curves.
A set of exercises to lose weight on the side at home should include exercises for the oblique abdominal muscles. When combined, these training elements will help you quickly eliminate fat deposits around your waist.
Side plank: strengthens all muscles
One of the basic exercises that allows you to shape your waist, while working the muscles of the abdominals, back, legs and arms. It can be done without special equipment. The side plank has a simple technique:
- Get into a normal plank position, resting on your forearms and toes.
- Turn around and shift your weight to one side of your body.
- Tighten your stomach and straighten your body, leaning on your forearm and ankle.
- Return to the starting position - a normal plank.
For those advanced in side plank, you can add crunches to work your arm muscles and crunches to strengthen your abs.
Number of repetitions and approximations.. It is enough to maintain the static exercise for 30 seconds, gradually increasing the time. The exercise is performed in a single approach.
Periodicity. You can complete every workout with a side plank.
Side bends: remove the sides
Bending over won't help burn fat in the problem area, but it will strengthen the corset muscles that support the spine. Technique for performing lateral curves:
- Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squeeze your shoulder blades and keep your stomach toned.
- Slowly lean to one side, stretching your arm along your body. You need to crouch as low as you can. Then return to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement in the other direction.
- You can do the exercise without anything at first and then add 2kg dumbbells, gradually increasing the weight.
Number of repetitions and approximations.. Three sets of ten technical repetitions on each side are a great addition to your training.
Periodicity. Side bends can be done once a week.
standing hip abduction
The hip abduction movement engages your lateral muscles, which will help you tense your body faster. This exercise has a simple technique, the main thing is to do it carefully and not swing your legs as quickly as possible.
- Stand up straight, place your hands on your waist.
- Extend your leg to the side, trying to maintain an even body position.
- Slowly return your leg to the starting position.
You can also perform hip abduction on a machine or use an elastic band to increase the load.
Number of repetitions and approximations.. Three sets of 15 to 20 repetitions with each leg.
Periodicity. Alternate this exercise with others, performing hip abduction once a week.
Leg raises while lying on your side
Lying hip abduction is the same as standing hip abduction, only it is performed on a mat.
- Lie on your side and stretch your legs.
- As you exhale, lift your leg.
- As you inhale, slowly lower your leg back to the starting position.
You can do leg abductions while lying down with an elastic band or weights.
Number of repetitions and approximations.. Three sets of 15 to 20 repetitions with each leg.
Periodicity. It can be done once a week, alternating with other exercises to lose weight on the sides.
Effective exercises to lose weight in the legs.
The legs and buttocks are a problem area for many women. Fat accumulates here quickly and easily, but it takes a long time and is difficult to lose. But if you do exercises for your hips, you will lose weight faster and you will be able to maintain the results for a long time.
Squats: a basic exercise to lose weight in the legs.
When you squat, you put pressure on all the muscles in your legs and glutes. If you do this exercise correctly, in addition to losing weight, you will be able to tone your hips and buttocks. We will look at simple squats without weight: the exercise will help you develop technique and add weight.
- Stand with your feet apart as if you are about to squat. Feet approximately hip-width apart.
- Straighten up, tighten your stomach, stretch your legs.
- Lower your pelvis while extending your knees out to the sides.
- Squeeze your glutes and stand up straight.
There are many options to make the squat technique more difficult:
- Barbell squats in the gym under the supervision of a trainer.
- He squats with dumbbells in his hands.
- Jump squats.
- Exercises with elastic bands on the hips.
Interesting fact: squats are useful for men and women, but for some reason this exercise is considered purely female. It is not recommended to do it only for people with knee problems.
Number of repetitions and approximations. . Three sets of 25 repetitions with body weight.
Periodicity. You can do bodyweight squats at least every day, but it's best to do them at least every other day to give your muscles time to rest. Within 30 days you will see noticeable results from your hard work.
Exercises to lose weight in the arms.
The exercises are very effective for losing weight in the arms and shoulders. They don't burn fat in this particular area, but they tighten the skin and strengthen the biceps and triceps. As a result, your hands will look slimmer and more beautiful.
Exercises to lose weight in your arms can be done at home without dumbbells. Push-ups are available anywhere and anytime; You can even do them in the office while leaning on your desk.
Push-ups: classic workouts
Proper push-ups are a useful part of your regular weight loss workouts. The exercise works the triceps, abdominals and pectoral muscles. The classic version of push-ups, with wide arms:
- Take a lying position with your arms wider than shoulder width apart.
- Tighten your abdominal muscles and glutes to keep your body position as level as possible.
- As you inhale, lower your body while extending your elbows out to the sides. Lower yourself to the ground, but don't touch it.
- As you exhale, return to the starting position.
Number of repetitions and approximations.. Chances are, you won't be able to do many push-ups at first. Aim to perform 15 to 20 repetitions per set for men and 10 to 15 for women.
Periodicity. You need to do push-ups regularly to improve your technique. Do this at least once a week if you have three workouts in that time period.
knee push-ups
Those who still find it difficult to do regular push-ups should try doing push-ups from the knees. It is easier for girls to perform this particular type of exercise. Technique:
- Get on your knees, place your hands on the floor at shoulder height. The exercise is performed with a wide stance.
- Tighten your abs, back muscles, and buttocks to maintain a straight line from your knees to the back of your head.
- Bend your elbows and touch your chest to the floor, then return to the starting position.
Number of repetitions and approximations.. Three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.
Periodicity. You can do push-ups from your knees at the end of each workout.
Reverse push-ups
The benefit of inverted bench presses is to work the triceps. You can do reverse push-ups from a bench at the gym or from a chair at home. Classic technique:
- Stand with your back to a bench or chair. Place your palms on the support so that your arms are positioned symmetrically with respect to your spine.
- As you inhale, bend your arms at the shoulders and elbows at the same time, lowering your pelvis.
- As you exhale, straighten your arms and return to the starting position.
Number of repetitions and approximations. . For beginners, three sets of 15 repetitions will be enough.
Periodicity. You can include reverse push-ups in every workout.
What to look for when creating a weight loss training program
- Never forget to warm up. A gentle warm-up minimizes the chance of injury and helps you prepare for your workout.
- Don't rest too much between sets. Your workouts should be intense, but not exhausting. Half a minute of rest between sets will be enough.
- Drink water while you rest. It is especially important to replenish water balance while performing cardiovascular exercises.
- If you want to lose weight in one area, you should not do exercises only in it. You'll try to get rid of the belly by pumping your abs and sides, and you'll quickly overtrain, get tired, and give up completely. The set of exercises must be performed harmoniously, including strength, cardio and work on problem areas.
- Choose exercises that you like to do. If you want to lose weight at home without a trainer, here's a tip: exercise for fun. Don't overwork yourself, overloading your muscles and nervous system.
- We recommend that beginners contact a trainer. A professional will help you master the technique of performing exercises, create a training program and menu.
- The best advice for losing weight: combine physical activity with a calorie deficit. You won't be able to lose weight with exercise alone, you need to reconsider your menu.