Exercises for weight loss: 5 best ones to try at home

Exercises for weight loss helps boost sports performance. (Photo via Pexels/Pavel Danilyuk)
Exercises for weight loss helps boost sports performance. (Photo via Pexels/Pavel Danilyuk)

If you are trying to lose weight, adding specific exercises for weight loss to your workout routine can be effective. Following a regular weight loss workout plan not only helps you burn calories and lose weight, but also works wonders on improving your muscle strength and boosting your overall athletic performance.

There are several types of exercises for weight loss, but to achieve the best results, it is important to focus on compound exercises that target different muscle groups at the same time. While workouts are sure to help you lose weight, keep in mind that spot reduction is not possible and the amount of weight you lose may vary depending on your diet and training intensity as well.

With that said, below we have listed a few of the best exercises for weight loss that are sure to kickstart your weight loss journey. What’s more? You can do the below-given weight loss exercises at home without worrying about handling complicated weights and gym machines.

5 exercises for weight loss

Here are the best workouts to lose weight at home:

1. Bodyweight squats

Squats are one of the best exercises for weight loss as it’s a compound exercise that works on major upper and lower body muscles simultaneously. This includes abs, back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Squats are considered the best cardio for weight loss as this exercise adds a great level of functionality to your overall training.

How to perform bodyweight squats?

Start standing with your feet positioned at a hip-width distance and your toes pointed forward. Now bend your knees and push your hips back while keeping your torso upright as you squat down until your thighs get parallel to the floor.

Keep your abs tight and do not allow your knees to cave inwards. Squat as low as possible and then push into your heels to return to the standing position. Repeat the exercise.

Squats are one of the best exercises for weight loss. (Photo via Pexels/MART PRODUCTION)
Squats are one of the best exercises for weight loss. (Photo via Pexels/MART PRODUCTION)

2. Mountain climbers

Mountain climbers are also one of the best exercises for weight loss. It is a high-intensity workout that helps burn a lot of calories in a shorter duration while also boosting core strength and stability. When done correctly, mountain climbers target hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, and abs.

How to perform mountain climbers?

Start with your hands placed on the floor and your legs extended behind with your feet together, your toes curled under, and your hips lifted. Make sure that your body is in a straight line from your heels to your head. Now, with your right foot straight, pull your left knee in towards your chest and then immediately bring it back to the start. Repeat the movement with the opposite leg and continue for a few seconds or reps.

3. Plank

The plank is one of the best belly fat burning exercises that targets the entire core muscle, even the internal ones, and helps tone the midsection. It is an isolation exercise that particularly targets and strengthens the abs, arms, legs, and back.

How to perform the plank?

Lie face down on the floor with your elbows resting next to your chest. Now push your body off the ground to get into a tabletop position. Engage your abs and ensure that your body is in a straight line from your toes to your head.

Hold the position for a few seconds and then repeat the exercise for as many sets as you can. If you are a beginner, do this exercise on your knees and slowly work your way up to get into a standard plank position.

Planks are one of the best exercises to reduce belly fat. (Photo via Pexels/Klaus Nielsen)
Planks are one of the best exercises to reduce belly fat. (Photo via Pexels/Klaus Nielsen)

4. Lunges

Lunges are among the most effective exercises for weight loss. It works most of the lower body muscles, including the quadriceps, glutes, calves, and hamstrings while also strengthening the core.

How to perform lunges?

Start in a standing position with your feet together. From there, step one leg forward and then bend down to get into a lunge position. As you do this, ensure that your front and back knees are at a 90-degree angle. Press through your front foot and stand back up to the start. Repeat the exercise on the other leg.

5. Push-ups

Just like the aforementioned exercises, push-ups are also compound exercises that target multiple muscles of the body at once. When done in the right way, a push-up targets the triceps, biceps, shoulders, abs, chest, glutes and hamstrings while boosting your muscle strength.

How to perform push-ups?

Take a plank position with your palms on the floor and legs extended behind. Keep your hands slightly wider than your shoulders and balance on your toes. As a beginner, you can balance on your knees and gradually move up to balance on your toes.

From there, bend your arms and lower your body towards the floor until your chest nearly touches the ground. Finish the exercise by pushing yourself back up to the initial position.

Push-ups are a great full-body weight loss exercise. (Photo via Pexels/Marta Wave)
Push-ups are a great full-body weight loss exercise. (Photo via Pexels/Marta Wave)

As you can see, the aforementioned exercises for weight loss are quite simple and can be easily done without weights. You can always add a dumbbell or any other free weight to these exercises. If you are a beginner, however, start without weight until you gain more strength and confidence.

To achieve the best results, add these exercises for weight loss to your full-body workout training and be consistent with your practice.

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