So you want to learn the best fat burning workout? Are you looking for a way to lose some extra inches on your waist?
This article is going to talk about how to burn fat, give you some fat-burning exercises you can try at home, and even provide fitness tips for the best, most long-lasting results.
WHY SHOULD YOU WANT TO LOSE FAT
First of all, getting slimmer is a personal choice, and it should be done in a healthy manner. Slimmer does not always mean “fitter” or “more athletic.” It is a personal matter. Some of the best athletes are not necessarily “skinny.”
With that being said, being overweight or obese does increase your odds of developing serious health problems. Specifically, the more abdominal fat you have, the more visceral fat you have, otherwise known as the “hidden fat” stored in the abdominal cavity and around the organs, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
When should you be concerned that you are obese? Waist measurements of 35 inches in women or 40 inches in men are considered abdominal obesity. Additionally, a BMI of greater than 30 is considered obese.
For most adults, if your BMI is:
below 18.5 – you’re in the underweight range
18.5 to 24.9 – you’re in the healthy weight range
25 to 29.9 – you’re in the overweight range
30 to 39.9 – you’re in the obese range
40 or above – you’re in the severely obese range
WHAT CAUSES FAT LOSS?
Let’s discuss the scientific causes of fat loss.
Two different factors primarily influence the amount of fat we burn.
The first is the amount of fat we burn throughout the day during regular activities such as walking, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.
In fact, our bodies are always burning calories, even when we sleep, because our body is constantly burning energy to sustain life via pumping your heart, breathing, and digesting. The amount of energy or calories we need to sustain being alive is referred to as basic metabolic rate.
The second is the amount of fat we burn during exercises. This type of calorie burn is from physical exertion.
Some workouts have a big “after burn” effect, meaning we continue to burn calories even after the workout is done. Experts call this phenomenon excess post exercise oxygen consumption. This is usually accomplished through intense resistance training of our biggest muscle groups. As we recover, we burn even more calories at rest than we usually do in our typical basic metabolic rate.
Studies suggest that the more we perform resistance training, the more calories we burn at rest, “Ten weeks of resistance training may increase lean weight by 1.4 kg, increase resting metabolic rate by 7%, and reduce fat weight by 1.8 kg. Benefits of resistance training include improved physical performance, movement control, walking speed, functional independence, cognitive abilities, and self-esteem.”
In other words, after ten weeks consistent training, participants saw fat loss and they burned more calories at rest. The more muscle you have, the more fat you burn.
Related Post: How To Lose Belly Fat: Small Changes, Big Results
WHAT IS THE QUICKEST WAY TO BURN FAT?
First and foremost, what is the quickest way to burn fat is not always the most sustainable way. Usually, if you want to lose fat, it is a slow and steady process. But that is good because slower results last the longest. Often times, people who drop weight rapidly regain the fat right back.
So, when it comes to weight loss, slow and steady wins the race.
Of note, I hate to break it to you, but it is impossible to spot reduce fat. Exercises that encourage spot reduction just don’t exist. To reduce unwanted adipose tissue, one must incorporate lifestyle changes that will lead to a decrease in total body fat.
A popular saying is “You can’t out-exercise a bad diet”. To be fair, there isn’t one single perfect diet out there that will make losing fat a leisure walk in the park. However, you can’t go wrong with whole foods such as fresh fruits, veggies, and lean meats. Additionally, avoiding fast food and alcohol will not hinder your fat loss journey.
One other important factor for fat loss is to get good sleep. There are studies that point to a link between obesity and sleep disturbances, however it is hard to say what came first, the chicken or the egg?
What is clear is that obesity is known to cause sleep disorders as well as people with sleep disorders are more likely to become obese. Lab experiments have exhibited that decreasing either the amount or quality of sleep increases the risk of developing obesity.
So if you wanna lose fat, get good quality sleep.
WHAT IS THE BEST WORKOUT TO BURN FAT?
What are the best fat burning workouts?
The way to burn fat is to burn more calories than you eat in your diet. Keep in mind, that sometimes calories burned will not specifically burn fat, it may also draw energy out of muscles. Going for a 30 minute walk WILL burn calories, but it is also important to incorporate weight and resistance training to preserve muscle mass.
Weight bearing activities will also help keep your metabolism up, since resistance training is known to increase the basic metabolic rate. Simply, the more muscle you have, the more fat your burn even while at rest.
Ideally, you will get a good mix of cardiovascular and strength training, and you will train in 60% to 90% of your max heart rate. (Your max heart rate is simply 220 minus your age. So if you are 30 years old, 220 – 30 = max heart rate of 190 beats per minute.) When you get your heart pumping, you burn calories.
HIIT (high intensity interval training) is known to be a fat blaster. This is because you are pushing your muscles to a “pumped” feeling, and your body is needing to use more oxygen to recover these muscles. This leads to – you guessed it – fat loss, and this sums the phenomenon referred to as excess post exercise oxygen consumption. When you are needing to recover your muscles due to resistance and strength training, you increase your metabolism.
FAT BURNING WORKOUT ROUTINE YOU CAN DO AT HOME
Each of these moves should be done for 30 seconds consecutively. Once you have done each move, you may rest for 60 seconds.
By doing each move back to back, you will help keep your heart rate up.
It is important to do each exercise as intensely as possible while putting safety first.
Repeat for four rounds.
BURPEES
- Start in a plank position with arms extended.
- Jump your feet forward and stand up.
- Jump up in the air, and return to the start.
- Repeat for 30 seconds.
SQUAT JUMPS
- Stand with shoulder feet apart.
- Lower your body into a squat position
- Launch into an explosive jump.
- Land lightly on your feet and squat once again.
- Repeat for 30 seconds.
HIGH KNEES
- From a standing position, run in place, alternating lifting your knees to your chest.
- At a non-stop pace, keep running in place and swinging your arms.
- Continue for 30 seconds.
SKATER JUMPS
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- With your weight on your right foot, cross your left leg behind you and out to your right side. Simultaneously, swing your arms in the right direction.
- Jump to the left food and repeat the movement on your left side.
- Continue leaping back and forth.
- Repeat for 30 seconds.
REST FOR 60 SECONDS BETWEEN ROUNDS. REPEAT EACH EXERCISE FOR 3 ROUNDS.
THE BOTTOM LINE ABOUT FAT BURNING WORKOUTS
If you want to burn a lot of fat, it is a good idea to try to incorporate cardiovascular and resistance training in your exercise regime. The more muscle you build, the more calories you will burn at rest due to the “after burn” effect. also known as excess post exercise oxygen consumption which leads to a faster metabolism.
Burning calories may cause muscle mass loss, so it is important to incorporate weight training.
Working out is just one ingredient when it comes to total fat loss. It is also important to eat a whole foods diet and get quality sleep as this improves overall health.
I hope you found this article helpful in your fat loss journey.
Disclaimer: Exercise is not without its risks. If at any point while doing a workout from this website you begin to feel faint, dizzy or have physical discomfort, you should stop immediately and consult a medical professional. By performing any fitness exercises without supervision such as with at-home workouts, you are performing them at your own risk. See a fitness professional to give you advice on your exercise form. Elizabeth Vigen will not be responsible or liable for any injury or harm you sustain.
