Lose Weight With These 15 Simple Exercises

Trust me, you can go from being a couch potato to an athlete with exercise. All you need is just a little bit of motivation and a plan.

However, with so many exercises to choose from, it can be difficult for you to know where to even begin–and with the vast amount of conflicting advice out there, it can be hard to navigate through and find out what is worthwhile.

Luckily in this article, we’re going to explore various exercises to help you burn calories to lose weight. From building muscle in your core to burning fat around your waistline, I’ve got you covered.

How to Exercise to Lose Weight

how to exercise to lose weight

1. Plank

The plank exercise is an amazing way to strengthen your core and back. It’s a full-body exercise that helps to burn fat while improving balance and stability. A plank exercise also requires you to engage your gluteal muscles, which are important for keeping good posture.

How to do it:

  • Lay on the floor with your elbows placed on the floor directly under your shoulders.
  • Keep your body in one straight line from head to heels, and slowly raise your toes.
  • Keep your abdominals engaged so that your spine stays in a neutral position.
  • Hold this position until you can’t hold it any longer or for about 30 seconds.

When doing a plank, avoid scrunching up your shoulders, sagging your spine, or bending your hips instead of maintaining a straight line from head to heels.

2. Forward Lunge

how to exercise to lose weight

A forward lunge is a type of exercise that uses the muscles in your buttocks, hamstrings, and quadriceps to boost your body’s metabolism, making you lose weight much faster. This exercise also helps you maintain balance when standing or walking, reducing the risk of falls.

How to do it:

  • Stand with your feet parallel to each other, about hip-width apart.
  • Take a large step forward with your right leg
  • Bend your knees so that your right thigh is parallel to the floor.
  • Put hands on either side of your hips to help guide balance if needed.
  • Slowly stand up again with your right leg before taking another large step forward with your left leg to repeat the process.

3. Burpee

how to exercise to lose weight

The burpee exercise is a great way to get in shape, lose weight, and build muscles. It is also perfect if you’re looking to improve your stamina and cardiovascular health. You can do a burpee anywhere with no equipment (unless you want to add resistance bands or weights).

How to do it:

  • Stand up straight shoulder-width apart with your arms by your sides.
  • Bend your knees and lower into a squat position with your hands on the ground.
  • Jump or step into a plank position
  • Reverse the process to get back into an upright position.

4. Jump Rope

how to exercise to lose weight

Jumping rope is a very effective way to lose weight and stay fit. It’s a fun and challenging exercise that can be done anywhere, anytime.

Not only does it help to lose weight, but strengthens the heart, muscles, bones, and joints without putting too much stress on a particular body part.

How to do it:

  • Hold the handles of the jump rope in each hand, then turn your palms up so that they are facing your body.
  • Put one foot in front of the other, usually with about two feet of space between them.
  • Hold this position for a few seconds before moving on to the next step.
  • Swing the rope and then jump over it with both feet at once by bringing one foot behind the other while lifting your knees into the air.

SEE: Enhance Your Hip Area With Exercises to Get a Bigger Bum

5. Push-up

how to exercise to lose weight

A push-up is a full-body exercise that helps to lose weight. Your legs, hips, back, arms, and core all get a workout. Pushups are also a great way to build up the lower back, hips, and legs since they involve helping to maintain correct alignment during the exercise.

How to do it:

  • Start by getting into a push-up position with your feet width apart.
  • Place your hands on the ground about shoulder-width apart (or as wide as you can comfortably go without feeling too spread out).
  • Look straight ahead or slightly up at the sky.
  • Keep your abs engaged to support your spine.
  • Push off the ground with both hands until you feel a stretch in your chest
  • Pause for a few seconds then lower yourself back down to starting position.
  • Repeat as many times as desired

6. Kettlebell Swing

how to exercise to lose weight

A kettlebell swing exercise is a type of weight training exercise in which you swing a kettlebell between your legs. There are many benefits to this exercise, including burning calories, strengthening and toning your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back muscles.

How to do it:

  • Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart (never lock them).
  • Bend your hips forward and grip the handle of the kettlebell with both of your hands.
  • Swing the kettlebell over your head and let it fall between your legs.
  • Repeat this movement for the next swing. 

7. Squat

squat

The squat is one of the best exercises you can do for your booty, hips, and thighs. It helps to lose fat in your lower body while also strengthening the muscles around your hips and buttocks.

How to do it:

  • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed forward, and knees slightly bent.
  • Push your hips back as if you’re about to sit in a chair behind you
  • As you push your hips back, bend your knees until they are at about 90 degrees (keep your weight on the heels of your feet).
  • Pause at the bottom of the movement before slowly raising yourself back to an upright position.
  • You can do a body squat using no weights, or with light weights, it works either way.

8. Explosive Lunge

explosive plunge

An explosive lunge is another simple exercise that can be done at home. This lunge strengthens your lower body muscles, increases mobility, and helps you lose weight. It also increases your balance and stability, which is vital if you are very active.

How to do it:

  • Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
  • With one leg bent behind you, take a big step forward with the other leg so that it is straight in front of you.
  • Lower yourself down into the lunge until your back knee nearly touches the ground.
  • Jump off with both, switching legs before you land on your feet.
  • Repeat this movement for 10 repetitions on each leg.

SEE: Weight Loss for Black Women — Your No-Fail Guide

9. Mountain Climber

mountain climber

If you’re looking for a challenging exercise that will give you a full-body workout, then a mountain climber might be just what you need. It’s like a plank exercise, but instead of staying in the same position, you’re doing a full range of motion by alternating between lifting one leg and then the other up.

How to do it:

  • Start in a plank position with both hands on the gym mat.
  • Bring your right knee towards your chest and then return it to the starting position.
  • Repeat this motion with your left knee without raising your hips.
  • Continue alternating moves for at least 20 seconds.
  • Take a break for 30 seconds before doing it again for two or three sets.
  • As you alternate, focus on contracting your stomach muscles and bringing your core close to the ground.

SEE: Discover Best Yoga Mats Appropriate for Beginners

10. Walking or Running

how to lose weight with exercise

Walking or running is one of the best ways to burn calories to lose weight. And if you are overweight or obese, you can lower your risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

These similar exercises can also trigger the release of endorphins from the brain into the bloodstream which increases feelings of calm, happiness, and contentment.

11. Cycling

cycling

Cycling is the perfect way to exercise and lose weight. It’s an activity that anyone can enjoy, regardless of age, fitness levels, or physical ability. It helps you burn calories in a fun way, while also enjoying the outdoors.

The more you cycle, the more calories you burn. And if you’re cycling uphill or against the wind, you’re burning even more calories. Moreover, when you cycle indoors on a stationary bike, it’s possible to track your progress with precision.

12. Rowing

rowing

Rowing is an excellent exercise for losing weight because it helps to burn around 500-700 calories per hour. It also helps to improve cardiovascular health, increase energy, bone density, and stamina.

You can row indoors by using a rowing machine, or ergometer. But if you want to get into traditional rowing, it would be good to get a trainer who knows the basics of how it works and has some experience in getting people started on rowing.

SEE: What Does a Waist Trainer Do? See What You Should Know Before You Get One

13. Swimming

lose wieght with exercise

This is a great way to achieve your weight loss goals, reduce stress, and keep you in shape. When you swim, you burn about 500 calories per hour, and the water supports your body weight so you may not realize how much effort you’re putting in.

Swimming is also an excellent cardiovascular workout because the water supports your body as it moves. This means that there is less impact on your joints than running on land for example, which can help those with arthritis or other joint problems.

14. Climbing Stairs

step up exercise

Climbing stairs is a great and easy way to lose weight. It is an added activity that can be done throughout the day, and it does not have to require a huge time commitment. In fact, some stair climbing workouts last only for a few minutes.

For example, if you get off of an escalator and there are stairs, you can choose to go up the stairs instead of taking the escalator back down. Doing this once in a while will not only help with your weight loss goals but also with your overall health and fitness levels.

15. Yoga

yoga

Yoga, which is one of the most ancient practices in the world, has been found to have real-world benefits for weight loss. It can help you become more self-aware which is an important step in managing emotions that come with losing weight.

Practicing yoga can also help you maintain a healthy diet by reducing cravings and giving you more energy to do other activities throughout the day. It also offers benefits like muscle toning, flexibility, increased strength, improved stamina, reduced stress levels, and better sleep quality.

SEE: Reviewers Choice: Top 10 Yoga Pants for Women

FAQs

balance-ball

Can I exercise at home?

Yes, you can. Exercising at home is a great way to stay fit without spending much time or money.

You also get to know your body better when you exercise in the comfort of your own home instead of a crowded gym with people who might be doing something different from you are.

What exercises burn the most belly fat?

Do a mix of both cardio and strength training exercises. This includes push-ups, squats, rowing, lunges, and planks.

These exercises are not only good for burning fat in your abdominal area, but they also develop your core muscles, improve posture, and reduce back pain.

What’s the easiest exercise to lose weight?

Walking. This is the easiest exercise to lose weight because it doesn’t require any expensive equipment or a gym membership.

Walking helps to burn a lot of calories while relieving stress, which can lead to overeating and weight gain. It also gives your heart and lungs a workout, which will make them healthier.

Conclusion

One of the most effective ways to lose weight is to exercise. This will help you burn more calories and keep your body in shape so that you can be healthy and fit.

Additionally, it’s important to remember that when you exercise, you are not just burning calories. You are also boosting your metabolism and improving your balance and stability.

From simple exercises like climbing stairs and walking to more challenging exercises like plank and lunges. These exercises are guaranteed to help you achieve your weight loss plan.

Thanks for reading.

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