Whether you are just beginning an exercise program or are looking for a boost to your current routine, picking the right exercises is the key to seeing results in as little as two weeks. High-intensity cardio exercises are ideal because they burn calories quickly, while resistance exercises have the advantage of building muscle, which boosts your metabolism and helps you burn fat, even when you’re not exercising. You should also pick an exercise you enjoy and will be motivated to do regularly. If you have any concerns about a new exercise program, talk to your doctor.
Cross-country Skiing
Cross-country skiing is a vigorous, total body workout that will burn fat and build long, lean muscles, whether you do it outdoors or on a machine. Steve Gaskill, author of “Fitness Cross Country Skiing,” notes that it builds high endurance levels and uses more muscles than nearly any other single workout. This makes it ideal for seeing results in as little as two weeks. If you have never skied before, you can begin training using a machine but if possible get outdoors for a greater fitness challenge.
Circuits
Circuits combine cardio and resistance exercise for fast results. Doing circuits that get your heart pumping provides a rigorous total body workout, according to fitness expert Stew Smith. If you are traveling or pressed for time, you can make the most of your time by doing circuits, which you can do with bodyweight exercises, so you don’t even need a gym. Stew Smith’s 20-minute circuit workout incorporates one-minute sessions of pressups, pullups, lunges and squats, as well as situps and jogging. For quicker results, add cardio such as running.
Running
Running burns calories fast while boosting your cardiovascular fitness, according to Richard Brown, author of “Fitness Running.” You can burn up to 800 calories an hour, according to MayoClinic.com, and you can run anywhere, making it an ideal way to get visible results in two weeks. Target problem areas like butt and thighs with hill running and interval training. When you run up hill, your stride changes, and you use your quads and glutes more than you would running on a level surface.
Yoga
Yoga can help you see results fast because, as the book “Yoga Fights Flab” notes, yoga is actually a form of weight lifting. You are doing a series of exercises using the weight and resistance of your own body, which helps tone your muscles quickly, and the controlled breathing has cardio benefits. For total body toning, devote equal time to upper and lower body and core exercises. Poses such as the warrior work your thighs and buttocks, the plank tightens your abs and back, while the inclined plane targets shoulders and biceps.
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