Trying to lose weight? If the answer is yes, you should concentrate on two elements: diet and exercise. We won’t get into nutrition, but here’s what Harvard University says are the best exercises to get in shape.
Physical activity: More than skin deep
Besides the weight loss, Harvard points out that doing these exercises regularly will also boost your mood, improve your ability to fight off infection and lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and colon cancer. What else has so many benefits?
The secret? Consistency
It takes burning around 3,500 calories to burn a pound of fat, and no matter how hard you work out in a short period of time, weight loss should be sustainable for it to be meaningful. So, Harvard also advises to incorporate these activities into your overall lifestyle and easing into the workouts so they don’t turn you off before you can learn to crave them.
Two wheels, 600 calories
It depends on how hard you ride, but an intense bike session can burn 600 calories per hour.
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Cycling
Whether you practice outdoors or go to a spin class, cycling is one of the sports that burns the most fat. As an added bonus, it strengthens leg and glute muscles too.
Running
Running is a classic cardio activity that can also burn 600 calories per hour of exercise. Not only does it improves endurance and cardiovascular health, but also activates seven different muscle groups, including glutes and core.
Swimming
One of the advantages of swimming is that it works all your body’s muscles, from your legs to your arms and shoulders. It also burns calories like few other activities: as many as 900 in an hour.
Knock out stress and pounds
Besides relieving stress through catharsis, boxing is a complete sport that is great for losing weight. In an intense session, people can burn up to 800 calories in a single hour.
CrossFit
This fitness craze is a fat-burning machine. Depending on the workout intensity, you can burn up to 800 calories in a one-hour session.
The workout that keeps on giving
Another advantage of CrossFit is the ability to work multiple muscle groups simultaneously. And once the session is over, your body will continue to burn calories. Get fit and feel the burn with this group activity.
Row, row, row yourself.
Rowing may not be the trendiest exercise, but it can help you burn between 400 and 600 calories per hour. That’s right, with the very rowing machine that hardly anyone ever uses in the gym.
Pack some extra punch.
If you add a backpack to your walk, you can burn another 100 calories in the same hour. If it weighs a lot, up to 200 calories. But make sure to adjust the backpack properly and evenly distribute the weight to avoid injuries.
Weightlifting
If you think lifting weights is only good for getting jacked, you are sorely mistaken. There are exercises such as squats or pull-ups that work several muscle groups at the same time and help burn calories.
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Credit: msn.com
