Anyone who’s been on the roller coaster known as weight loss knows that it requires 2 things: a well balanced diet and regular physical activity. Most of us have a handle on one or the other; we eat properly and get very little physical activity or we work out regularly and have a poor diet.

{Even small weights can help boost your weight loss.}

The key is to get to a point where these two paths sync up and help you get to the finish line known as successful weight loss. For those of you who eat healthy but don’t get enough exercise or those of you who simply need a few more exercises to add to your workout regimen, keep reading for 7 exercises for weight loss!

Burning Calories

The point of exercising for weight loss is to create the calorie deficit that allows weight loss to occur. Certain exercises and physical activities are more effective calorie burners but the truth is that successful weight loss means finding exercises and activities that you are willing to do.

Find strength training and cardio that you enjoy and are willing to do regularly to lose weight.

Weight Lifting

So many dieters are terrified of lifting weights for fear that they will end up looking like a bodybuilder. It would be great if weight lifting could produce those kinds of results but the truth is that you’d need a good diet and a structured weight training program for that to happen.

Weight lifting is an effective exercise for weight loss because it helps you build muscle, which burns more calories than fat, according to the Mayo Clinic. Weight lifting will also help shape and tone your body so when those layers of fat are gone you’ll look the way you’ve always wanted.

You don’t need to lift 50-pound weights to have an effective weight loss program, you just need to do enough repetitions to burn fat and build muscle. What’s more is that even a light weight lifting workout for weight loss will burn about 250 calories per hour. For perspective consider that an intense weight lifting program will burn and additional 300 calories per hour!

Swimming

If you’re looking for an effective calorie burning exercise for weight loss that isn’t too hard on your body, consider swimming. Swimming is one of the best workout exercises for weight loss because it works nearly all the muscles in the body plus enhances your endurance and improves your heart health.

If you’ve just begun your weight loss efforts swimming is a good place to start because unlike running, it doesn’t place undue stress on your knees and ankles. Start a swimming workout for weight loss until your muscles are strong enough for a land-based workout.

The type of stroke you choose can be a determining factor in how many calories you burn during your workout. The butterfly stroke is the most effective calorie burner, burning more than 1,000 calories per hour!

Old School Aerobics

You didn’t read this subheading wrong, performing aerobics is a great way to burn calories and build muscle for weight loss. If you’re looking for an exercise that gives you a full body workout without the boredom then consider old school aerobics.

Your Jane Fonda spandex is optional, but seeing it through to the end is not! Whether you choose step aerobics or general aerobics you’ll get an intense workout for weight loss that you’ll feel the next day. One hour of general aerobics can help you burn more than 600 calories in an hour, which can help you produce that all important calorie deficit for weight loss.

{Aerobics classes are filled with men and women seeking to transform their bodies.}

Beginner dieters or older dieters may want to consider water aerobics which can produce the same benefits without putting so much pressure on certain bones and joints. Although water aerobics aren’t quite the calorie burner that general aerobics are, when combined with a well-balanced diet it can still be an exercise for weight loss.

Many gyms and recreation centers are offering old school style aerobics classes to get your heart pumping!

Running

It’s no secret that running is at the top of the list of effective workout exercises for weight loss. It improves your heart health, builds muscles and burns a massive amount of calories. Specifically running targets all the thigh muscles so you can thin out that problem area by pounding a little pavement.

When combined with a healthy low calorie diet, running alone can help you produce the calorie deficit you need to lose weight effectively. Whether you run a 12-minute mile or a 5 minute mile, running can burn from 930 calories per hour up to well over 1,600 calories per hour! Of course it will take some time, but the more often you run the more effective it will be as a calorie burning exercise for weight loss.

Cycling

If you hate hopping on a stationary bike and going nowhere then dust off your old bike and strap on a helmet because cycling is a great exercise for weight loss. Being outside in the fresh air isn’t just an ideal way to boost your mood; it’s an incredible calorie burner. Moderate bicycling, which is about 12 to 14 miles per hour can burn 745 calories per hour—more than enough to help you lose 1 pound per week.

If you think you don’t have time to get in one hour of cycling each day then find creative ways to make sure you have time. If possible ride your bicycle to and from work or to the grocery store to pick up just a few items. Run your errands using your bicycle and place a carrying basket on the front or back if you need to pick up items.

The point is that cycling is an amazing exercise for weight loss and if you’re serious about weight loss you will make time for the calorie burning boost you get from bicycling.

Rollerblading

Although the 90’s are over it is still cool to rollerblade, especially if you need to give your fat loss effort a boost. Strap on your in-line skates and safety gear and get ready to build up leg and core muscles while you burn plenty of calories. One hour of rollerblading can burn more than 1,100 calories!

{Grab a friend and do this fun activity to burn calories!}

The way that rollerblades are made requires good balance, which is why your inner thighs and abdominal muscles also receive a great workout in addition to the fat burning. What’s more, rollerblading uses your bodyweight as resistance which helps you improve your bone strength. Just like cycling, rollerblading lets you get a peek at ever-changing scenery so you never get bored with your exercises for weight loss.

Play Sports

If traditional exercises bore you and lead you to give up after a few days or even a few weeks, then consider sports as an alternative exercise for weight loss. Sports keep you interested in the activity and they’re competitive so you’re not watching the clock waiting for your hour of exercise to be over.

Sports like soccer, water polo, martial arts, paddleball and rugby all burn more than 900 calories per hour. By reducing your calorie intake and playing any (or all) of these sports 3 days each week, you can still create a 3,500 calorie deficit so you can lose weight.

Now that you know what you need to do to help boost fat burning, its time to get your diet under control. Read our review of Eat Stop Eat to learn how intermittent fasting can help you control your diet.