It’s no secret that exercise is very important when it comes to losing weight. When you stay physically active, you’re able to speed up your metabolism which allows you to burn more calories. Luckily, certain kinds of exercises like cardio workouts are a great way to boost your weight loss efforts. They promote overall health by elevating your heart rate and keeping oxygen in your body flowing.
Cardio exercises come in many forms–HIIT Training, running, and swimming are just some examples. Want to know which ones are the most ideal for weight loss? We spoke with NASM-certified personal trainer and performance coach Keith Hodges, founder of Mind In Muscle Coaching in Los Angeles, to find out.
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Incline Treadmill Walk
Walking on an incline on a treadmill is actually one of Hodges' top recommendations because it's considered as low impact steady cardio. "It's a form of cardiovascular exercise that isn't taxing on your joints. You can perform it for long periods of time because it doesn't elevate your heart rate too high and you can do it just about everyday," he explains.
Hodges adds, "In terms of weight loss, treadmill walking at a moderate pace means oxygen will be available for your body to sustain the exercise consistently." Simply put: in order to burn fat, you need oxygen to be broken down. The more aerobic capacity you have (or the more oxygen your body uses), the more fat you'll be able to burn.
Jogging
According to Hodges, "Jogging is an excellent way to burn excess calories faster than walking to help with weight loss." However, keep in mind that it's important for you to do warm up exercises before jogging. You definitely don't want to get injured along the way! Stretch those muscles, get your blood flowing, and prepare yourself mentally. Of course, it goes without saying that you should always wear the proper shoes too.
Boxing
If you want to lose weight and achieve a more toned body, Hodges suggests boxing. This type of workout covers everything from head to toe. He says, "Boxing is an intense form of cardio that utilizes your full body along with hand eye coordination, rhythm, and timing. This is also a great way to help define your abs, arms, legs, back and shoulders." Boxing burns calories, builds muscle, gets your heart pumping, and overall contributes to your weight loss efforts.
What You Need To Know About Weight Loss And Working Out
Friendly reminder: there's more to weight loss than exercise! For Hodges, "The key to healthy and sustainable weight loss is much more complex than simply working out." You also have to keep tabs on staying hydrated, eating nutritious food, and getting enough sleep. These habits all work together so that your body can function at an optimal level.
Hodges emphasizes, "Remember: one form of cardio training is not better than the other. So mix it up [and] pay attention to how your body responds. More intense cardiovascular exercises such as boxing, fast jogging/sprinting, or HIIT can be performed for short periods of time, whereas low impact forms of cardio such as walking, biking, [and] hiking can be performed for longer periods of time. When coupled with proper nutrition, it should lead to weight loss in the form of a reduction in body fat."
At the end of the day, Hodges wants everyone to know that, "Weight loss is a marathon not a sprint." Listen to your body and go at your own pace. He shares, "Every individual's weight loss journey is different. [You] have to be completely focused on [your] goals by doing [your] best to eliminate distractions that can cause [you] to compare [your] progress to someone else's. I tell [my clients] to ignore fad diets and find a nutrition program that is healthy, not too complicated, and one they can commit to throughout their weight loss journey."
