Best Beginner Exercises to Lose Weight Fast

Best Beginner Exercises to Lose Weight Fast
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Any time you want to drop pounds in a short amount of time, you have to have a strong will and determination. Exercise is a big part of this plan. Beginner exercises, specifically, do not necessarily mean easy; they're just not complicated. The key thing is that you do the right type of exercise, and you enjoy it. If you try doing something you don't like, you run the risk of falling off the wagon.

Walking

Cardiovascular exercise is performed in a steady, repetitive motion while walking, and it involves the major muscles of the body. During cardio, you use no resistance or very little for an extended period of time. This causes you to breathe heavily, break a sweat and burn a large amount of calories. Walking is a beginner form of cardio that you can do on a treadmill or outside. As you get into better shape, steadily increase your speed to a jogging/running pace. The faster you move, the more calories you will burn. You also have the option of using machines to do your cardio, such as stationary bikes, elliptical machines or rowers.

Time Devoted to Exercise

To lose weight fast, you have to be willing to exercise often and for a long-enough time frame. The American College of Sports Medicine, or ACSM, recommends 60 to 90 minutes of cardio performed five days a week for the best results. You can break this up into smaller chunks throughout the day and accumulate your time if it better fits your schedule.

Strength Training

Strength training is an important part of fast weight loss. Being that you are a beginner, only do exercises that you feel comfortable doing. Weight machines are good options because you operate them from a seated or lying position. Perform exercises that target all of your major muscles, such as chest presses, shoulder presses, back rows, tricep extensions, bicep curls and leg presses. By building muscle, you will increase your resting metabolic rate and cause faster weight loss. According to the University of Michigan, 1 lb. of added muscle burns between 30 and 50 extra calories a day.

Interval Training

Although working out at a moderate pace is beneficial for weight loss, you can boost your progress by doing interval training. This is performed by alternating your intensity back and forth throughout your workout, such as alternating walking and sprinting. The Mayo Clinic notes that interval training causes a high caloric expenditure and also boosts your aerobic capacity. You can also apply interval training to weight lifting by doing circuits. String a series of exercises together, take short rest breaks in between each one, then repeat the circuit three or four times.

Dieting

Proper dietary habits need to be addressed when you are trying to lose weight quickly. Even if you exercise every day of the week, you will not make much progress if you feed yourself a steady diet of cheeseburgers, fries and doughnuts. Stick with foods that are lower in calories and higher in nutrients such as fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains and leafy greens. To create a twofold effect, cut your calories in conjunction with your exercise program. A reduction of 500 calories a day can lead to about 1 lb. of weight loss a week, according to MedlinePlus.

References

Article reviewed by OmahaTyppo Last updated on: May 26, 2011

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