If you are looking to lose weight quickly, you can perform a variety of exercises that burn calories fast and increase metabolism, or the rate at which the body utilizes energy or fat. Combined with a reduced-calorie diet and whole-body exercise like walking or bicycling, choose exercises that burn through calories for rapid and effective weight loss in a short period of time.
Interval Training
Interval training offers multiple types of exercises that help burn fat quickly, suggests Marie Claire magazine. For example, begin by walking or slowly jogging on a treadmill for about two minutes at a speed of about 7 mph. After your time's up, slow down to about 5 mph for two minutes, repeating this sequence for 20 to 45 minutes. You can also adapt this exercise for outdoors around the block or track by alternating jogging and fast walking. The key is to accelerate the heart rate for a short period of time, rest for a couple of minutes and then repeat the process.
Add Weights
Add ankle or wrist weights to your step or aerobic workouts to help your body burn through more fat, suggests Hot Exercise. Use dumbbells for lunging, squats, shoulder or military presses and even while jogging or stepping in place. Start with 2 lb. dumbbells or wrist weights while walking, making sure to pump the arms, or wrap 3 to 5 lb. weights around the ankles for a fast walk around the block once you feel strong enough. Adding weights to your exercises not only helps build lean muscle mass, but will encourage the muscles to work extra hard, resulting in a higher fat burn per workout.
High Intensity Cardio
Get the heart pumping and burn hundreds of calories a workout while toning and building muscle at the same time. For example, 30 minutes of a step workout can burn up to 400 calories, while bicycling on a stationary bike or if you really push it outside can burn up to 500 calories, states Shape Fit. Increase resistance and speed as safely as you can, push yourself and feel the burn, which means the muscles are working extra hard and burning fat.
You can burn up to 600 calories an hour on an elliptical, or 600 calories an hour jogging or running. If you're not quite up to that, fast walking is an effective, weight-bearing exercise that works the entire body, burning about 180 calories in 30 minutes. That's 360 calories for an hour. Go for two walks a day and burn up to 720 calories and enjoy some fresh air at the same time.
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