subject: Revealed: The Best Exercises to Lose Weight [print this page] Revealed: The Best Exercises to Lose Weight
If you're on a diet, you might also be wondering about the best exercises to lose weight. After all, exercising helps to lose weight faster, right? If you want to shed both pounds and inches, you need to know the best exercises to lose weight.
Exercise and Weight Loss:
Exercise contributes to losing weight in two ways. First, it burns up calories. As you know, the more calories you burn in excess of what your body needs, the faster the fat comes off. Second, exercise builds muscle, which does a great thing - it raises your metabolism. You see, muscle uses up calories. The more muscle you have, the higher your base metabolism. And that also helps to shed the fat - fast!
Now that you know the two best reasons to exercise if you want to get rid of your excess weight, let's look at some good exercises, that don't require an expensive gym membership.
Walking Away the Pounds:
As you probably suspected, walking is an excellent way to burn up calories. The trick here is to vary your pace, and your heart rate. For example, a lazy stroll doesn't do much for burning fat (although it's far better than being a couch potato). But a brisk walk, followed by a slower cool-down, is excellent.
No special equipment is needed, just good, comfortable walking shoes and appropriate clothes (nothing that binds or chafes).
Resist the Bands:
Resistance bands (also sometimes called exercise or yoga bands) are also among the great exercises to lose weight. These are used to help build and tone muscles, by using the power of the stretchy band as resistance. There are many different kinds, in varying strengths (how much strength you need to pull them). Generally color-coded, they range from very light resistance to very heavy.
Although you will need at least a couple to start with, the bands are inexpensive (generally under $20 for three) and will last quite awhile. You will probably also need a book or DVD to show you the best way to use them - also generally under $20.
Balance on the Ball:
This next in the best exercises to lose weight arena is rather unexpected, and that's using a balance ball. I know, you're thinking, "what good will that do?" but you might be quite surprised!
Just sitting on the balance ball forces your body to make minute adjustments moment by moment, which uses up a few extra calories - and that's before you do any exercises! And speaking of these exercises to lose weight, you can get anything from a gentle workout to a heart-pumping cardio session from these unassuming round objects. So balance balls fall into a category of both able to build and tone muscle, as well as burning calories.
Balance balls generally cost around $15, and you'll probably want a video or two to teach you the best exercises - both strengthening and calorie-burning.
