How to choose the right activity?
Running – you can run faster or slower but you can run anywhere. All you need is persistence and a pair of good shoes. An amateur can run around 3.5 kilometers within 30 minutes. Try to fit running into your daily routine, aim to run 5 kilometers 3 times a week. A cardio running workout activates the majority of body muscles, especially leg muscles. The faster you run, the more calories you burn.
To see almost instant results, make sure your workout lasts at least 25 minutes. Ideally, you should spend around 40 minutes working out If you don’t enjoy running, try fartlek run. To get similar results, follow the 5:3 method, that is 5 minutes of medium intensity run followed by 3 minutes of walk to regulate your breath. You can gradually increase the duration of your run and shorten the duration of your walk as you become more fit. It takes more time for fartlek runners than for regular runners to burn the same number of calories.
Cycling is always a good solution
Cycling can be fun, even more so when the weather is fine. You need to keep in mind, however, that a cycling adventure will help you burn extra pounds only if you bike at the right speed. You can bike slowly for pleasure but when you want to see your fat burn fast, you definitely need to speed up. Cycling on different types of terrain, especially inclined, is even better – the more inclines, the greater the number of muscles engaged in the fat burning. Do not forget to bring your helmet – for your own safety and for the safety of those you’re going to meet along the way.
Did you know that the greater the muscle area, the more energy it needs to work and – by extension – the more fat it burns?
The perfect sport for those who cannot...
...place too much stress on their knees. Swimming! The butterfly stroke is the most effective form of swimming; however, it is quite difficult, especially for amateur swimmers. Do not worry though if you are not a professional swimmer. It is enough to go to the swimming pool three times a week and choose any style – even a style that isn’t described in books.
Physical activity in water is good for your joints so it is the perfect sport for people who have health issues. Apart from losing those extra pounds, you can improve your cardiovascular system and respiratory system. Nothing but benefits. Just make sure you don’t go to the whirlpool right in the beginning as it will discourage you from any effort later on. Count laps as you swim, write them down in a notebook so that you can admire your results and your progress in a few weeks. A 50-minute workout of average intensity will help you burn from 200 to 300 calories.
Get in shape with a racket
Tennis is a sport where you can take only one lesson to learn the basic movements and just enjoy the game. Tennis improves your focus, motor coordination and agility. It is a high-intensity workout as the tennis court is large. Once you’ve learnt the basics, you will not only burn the fat tissue but also strengthen the muscles of your entire body. If you choose tennis, you’ll be able to have a good time with your friends and also burn those extra pounds, and it doesn’t matter whether you are an advanced player or not.
Living on the top floor
Not interested in sports that require proper attire and footwear? You can always climb the stairs! A woman weighing 65 kilograms can burn up to 100 calories within 7 minutes! If you live on higher floors, choose the stairs whenever you can. If you can’t use stairs for whatever reason, there is a solution! There are special stair climber machines in every gym. It’s worth giving them a try!
Did you know that there is a sport discipline called Tower Running? It involves racing on the internal staircases of skyscrapers. In Poland, those races are called Bieg na szczyt.
Jumping rope – the ultimate fat burner
If only your body allows you to get an intense workout and jump, choose the jumping rope. A one-hour workout will help you burn from 300 up to 400 calories. It is not always easy to choose the right jumping rope. There are different guidelines but it is worth giving it a try – maybe this is a sport that you will fall in love with? Choose a jump rope with the right weight, especially the handles. The rope should not be too light either because you won’t be able to jump fast.
To check if your jump rope is the correct length for amateur jumping, step on the middle of the rope and pull the rope up toward your shoulders. The handles should hit right around your armpits. Most jump ropes have adjustable handles to shorten or increase the length. If you want to become a professional, the jump rope should reach your anterior superior iliac spines – that length is also more demanding for your arm muscles. Read about 7 benefits of jumping rope – you will definitely be convinced!
What about the diet?
During intense workouts and body mass loss, your body wants to replenish the missing calories. Don’t let your emotions get the best of you. Even if you keep working out from dusk till dawn, you will not see any results if you keep eating as many calories as you burn. You must combine your workout efforts with the right nutrition. Before you eat, drink some water. Have some vegetables cut in strips, fruit, such as apples or apricots, and all types of grain (in moderate amounts!) as a snack.
Your favourite activity
It will be much easier for you to burn calories and fat tissue if you do what you enjoy. Time goes faster when you are having fun and it is much easier to keep doing it for more than half an hour. If you don’t have any idea what you might enjoy, try to recall things you enjoyed in the past – was it volleyball? Swimming? Or maybe horse riding? With the Internet, it is super easy to find a group of like-minded people – Zumba, dancing, roller skates or basketball – you name it. If there is something that has always interested you, now it’s a good moment to start your “career” – even more so because you can try to find out what you like and choose an activity that works best for you.
It doesn’t matter what physical activity you choose, the most important thing is to have fun as you are working out, to make the most of your time, and to strengthen your body. If you also tone it while working out, well, it’s an added benefit. Regularity is the key. Plan several workouts a week rather than working out intensively all week long, only to feel exhausted and rest the following week. So, let’s get going!