You might dread walking into a room full of people who are already fit, which can make you feel self-conscious. You may also not have time to go out and exercise, and you might feel shy about working out in front of strangers.
Either way, here are seven of the best weight loss exercises to try at home. Until recently, most people assumed the best weight loss exercises were mainly cardiovascular activities like running, cycling, or using an elliptical machine.
While these exercises offer great benefits and burn calories, they’re not always the most efficient way to spend your workout time if you’re short on time and want quick, sustainable results.
Skipping:
You don’t necessarily need a treadmill or an outdoor track to burn belly fat. Skipping is one of the great cardiovascular exercises that offers metabolic benefits similar to running, boosting calorie burn.
You can burn around 1,000 calories a week by skipping. If you commit to two 10-minute sessions a day, you can burn more than 200 calories.
If you don’t believe it, take a minute to jump rope — you’ll clearly be out of breath. Jump rope is one of the best, most flexible exercise tools you can have at home.
Single-leg Glute Bridge:
There are several helpful variations on this exercise, the glute bridge. It’s number two on our list because you don’t need any fitness equipment, and if you’re a beginner, this is a great place to start. Even if you’re an experienced trainee, this is still one of the best exercises for you.
Lie on your back, then lift your hips up, keeping the heel of one foot on the floor, until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your outstretched leg. Lower yourself back down slowly and repeat on the same side.
Climbing Stairs:
You don’t need anything else. Climbing stairs burns fat quickly, and it also keeps your body active and healthy. The more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism runs, and climbing stairs builds muscle, which in turn helps you lose fat.
If you’re a runner, stair climbing is a great cross-training option. For beginners, it’s best to start with 10-minute sessions three times a week and build up your endurance from there. One hour of this exercise burns roughly 1,000 calories.
Squats:
Squats are an exercise that should be part of any workout routine, regardless of fitness goals, age, or gender. They’re not just for your legs — they benefit the entire body in numerous ways.
Muscle helps control fat metabolism, insulin, and glucose sensitivity, and plays a role in fighting obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
Squats can be effective for anyone trying to lose extra pounds, become more flexible, or walk and run faster. They increase strength and overall muscle throughout the body, clearly building strong legs that support the whole body.
Walking:
A brisk walk is a low-impact indoor exercise that doesn’t put excessive strain on your joints. It’s an ideal exercise for beginners and older adults alike. If you add 30 minutes of brisk walking to your daily routine, you could burn around 150 additional calories a day.
That said, how fast and how far you walk play a huge role in losing weight. To do this comfortably, you’ll want good walking shoes, especially if you have knee osteoarthritis.
Dancing:
Simply pick some of your favorite fast-paced songs and get your heart rate up. Try not to take too many breaks between songs to maximize fat loss and build lean muscle.
Feel free to lose yourself in the music, regardless of who’s watching, and enjoy the calories burned. Dancing has been known to burn around 400 calories an hour, though it depends on how hard you work, the style of dance, and how many breaks you take.
Wall Push-ups:
Building upper body strength is an ongoing process that can take a while, but the effort pays off in better posture, improved muscle tone, and the ability to handle everyday tasks more easily.
What you’ll want to do is perform push-ups against a wall, which makes the movement much more manageable. You’ll be able to build strength while your body burns calories, making this our seventh weight loss exercise on this list.
Traditional push-ups are one of the best things you can do at home to strengthen your arms, back, abs, shoulders, and chest — though many people struggle to complete a full standard push-up, which is exactly why wall push-ups are a great place to start.
