There are many exercise routines that people can do at home to lose weight. An effective workout will include exercises that focus on cardio, upper and lower body strength, resistance, core strength, flexibility and stretching. However, the importance of proper nutrition ca not be ignored. In order to lose weight, one must burn off more calories than they consume. A deficit of 500 calories a day will result in a weekly caloric deficit of 3,500 calories, which equals the loss of 1 lb. of fat.
Cardio
Cardio is important for getting the heart rate up so calories and fat can be burned. There are many DVDs to choose from for aerobic activity. Walks or jogs around the neighborhood are also a great idea. person has limited mobility or is obese, he can try marching or walking in place, touching opposite hands to opposite feet, or even moving the legs from side-to-side. "Fitness" magazine even recommends dancing as a form of exercise to do at home to lose weight.
Upper Body
Performing strength and resistance exercises for the upper body will help a person tone down at home. Push-ups are one of the easiest and most effective upper body exercises to do. A modified version of the regular push-up can also be done.
Dumbbells can be purchased at a local retail store and used at home to sculpt muscles. Dumbbells can be used to perform various upper body exercises, including shoulder presses, side and front shoulder raises, chest flys, chest presses, biceps curls and triceps extensions.
Lower Body
There are many lower body exercises that a person can do at home to lose weight. Squats and lunges provide the best way to tone and shape legs at home. Lunges can be performed in a walking pattern, from side-to-side, toward the front or back, and even by dropping one leg behind the other. Deadlifts can work the hamstrings (back of the leg) and can also be easily performed at home. Calf raises can also be done.
Flexibility and Core
Core exercises and stretching are important parts of any home exercise routine. In "Core Performance," Mark Verstegen recommends a bunch of different exercises to strengthen the core. Crunches, core twists and many other balance and core exercises can be performed with a stability ball.
Stretching should be done after muscles are warm, which is after a warm-up period or at the end of the exercise routine. Warm muscles have less chance of being injured. All body parts should be stretched and held for 20 to 30 seconds.
References
- NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training; Michael A. Clark, Scott Lucett, Rodney J. Corn; 2008
- Core Performance; Mark Verstegen; 2004
- Core Performance website
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