Health x Wellness
Effective Workouts for Weight Loss
Shed weight with these fat burning exercises
Determination and motivation play a significant role when it comes to weight loss. It is definitely possible to add a workout or two into your schedule, no matter how busy you are. All it takes is your drive to get fit and healthy.
Here are several short and simple workouts you can do if you are facing time constraints:
Commute
If you don’t live far from your office, walk to work instead of driving or taking the public transport. Ride a bicycle so that you can exercise while being on time for work.
Take a longer route post-lunch when walking back to the office. Though it requires more time, you could quicken your pace to make up for the time loss on your lunch break.
Brisk Walking
Make use of your errands as a form of your exercise session. You can speed walk or jog your way to the various locations to do your errands.
Aim to go for morning or evening walks. Not only does it let you exercise, it also helps you to clear and relax your mind before or the end of the day.
Desk-bound jobs do not restrict your time to perform exercises. Use your break time to do subtle workouts at your desk. Besides waiting for the elevator, make your way up or down with the staircase. You can also bring small dumbbells to your office and do squats before sitting down at your desk.
You can also invest in standing desks to improve your body posture. It also helps to lessen eye strain as compared to using the desktop while sitting down.
Multitask on a Treadmill
To maximise your time at the gym, take a dumbbell in each hand while you brisk walk on the treadmill. This is an effective cardio exercise as it challenges your core muscles while increasing your heart rate.
Walking with hand weights also burn more calories. However, only carry hand weights if your body’s ready to handle such pressure on the upper body. Refrain from carrying too heavy weights so that you do not injure yourself.
Aerobic Exercises
Rearrange your schedule to make time for exercise. Instead of lazing on the bed watching your favourite drama or movie, put on your exercise gear and go for an exercise session. If you must watch a show, do workouts such as push-ups, crunches, squats and jumping jacks during commercial breaks or in between episodes. You can also do leg exercises while watching the show.
Power Climbing
Climbing the stairs can keep you fit. As compared to jogging, it burns more calories and plays a part in maintaining your weight while building muscles. Climbing stairs also minimises the risk of medical conditions such as diabetes and even dementia.
Challenge yourself by increasing your speed when climbing the stairs. To check if your body is ready for vigorous exercise, count the number of steps that you take in a minute and check your breathing/heart rate. Always listen to your body to prevent injuries.
Keep Moving
Aim to stay active throughout the day. Do household chores in the day to burn calories or power walk when you are out doing your grocery shopping. When preparing dinner, you can even do jumping jacks while waiting for the pot to boil or do a few sets of dumbbell exercises before sleeping.
Losing weight takes time and effort through regular exercise and proper diet. Keep yourself motivated by getting appropriate sports gear or ask a buddy to join you in cultivating a clean diet coupled with regular exercise.
