It is easy to forget the simple ways to lose weight at home with all the commercials and advertisements selling the latest weight loss trends. Don't get lost in a sales pitch if you prefer to work out at home. You can burn calories effectively without leaving your house or your neighborhood. Burning calories can even be fun. For example, try jumping on a trampoline.
Run
Running is a simple at-home workout that can be done on a treadmill if you have one, or around the neighborhood. You can increase the amount of calories you burn by running at high intensities or with interval training. A higher intensity is when you cannot hold a conversation, you are sweating, and you cannot go on forever at that rate. Interval training is when you run at a high intensity for a short period of time followed by a longer low intensity jog. A New York Times article, "A Healthy Mix of Rest and Motion," printed on May 3, 2007, reports that interval training increases the amount of fat your body burns. It also states that interval training can improve your cardiovascular endurance significantly.
Jump Rope
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) describes jumping rope as a cardio exercise with added benefits for body awareness and coordination. Hopping on one foot, alternating feet and matching jumps with arm swings will also increase your balance and core strength. It is an appropriate at-home workout because all you need is a good pair of workout shoes and a jump rope to be on your way to burning calories. Before you jump, check your rope to make sure it is the correct size. It is the right size if, when you step on the middle of it, the handle reaches your chest. You should keep your knees slightly bent and jump lower to the ground. Don't hunch, keep your abs tight and your back straight.
Circuit Train
Circuit training is the combination of cardio and strength training exercises with little to no rest in between. The benefits of circuit training is that you will gain muscle mass which will increase your metabolism as well as tone your body. By keeping your heart rate elevated, you will also burn more calories in a single workout, compared to a typical weight training session. An added advantage is that you save time by doing cardio and strength training exercises in one workout. The Health Corps website recommends setting up different stations in a room. Move from one station to the next to create one circuit set. Do three sets to complete a workout. To create a circuit routine, select a cardio activity and several weight training exercises. Do strength exercises with weights, such as dumbbells, to increase your results. Body weight exercises can be done if you do not have weights to use. A circuit routine could be something like one minute of jumping on a trampoline, 15 walking lunges with an overhead press, 15 deadlifts with a bicep curl and 15 triceps push-ups.
Jump on a Trampoline
Jumping on a trampoline is fun, intense and will burn a lot of calories. The rebound effect can be tricky, so it is a good idea to practice before you start jumping for exercise. Mini trampolines are effective tools to burn calories because you can do a variety of exercises on them. You can run in place, jump straight up or jump side to side or front to back. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests trampoline exercises, because they offer a low-impact aerobic workout. The soft landing of the trampoline provides less impact on your bones, allowing you to perform routines that may be stressful to do without one. There are trampolines that are sold specifically for working out and include workout DVDs. Fitness trampolines may also be referred to as rebounders.
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