Best Exercises for Weight Loss

We all know exercise is essential for overall health, but when you're trying to lose weight it becomes even more important. Where to start? How about the 10 best exercises for weight loss, which target multiple muscles, rev your metabolism, and torch calories.. If they feel hard, remember: Each rep gets you one step closer to your goal weight.

Keeping in mind the eating well and the sleeping enough, there are certain exercises and workouts that can be particularly useful in helping you lose weight or burn fat or change your body composition. These workouts tend to have a couple elements in common: They're generally high-intensity and they burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time. Here are the types of exercise trainers recommend to get the most out of your gym (or park, or living room) time.

1. Interval Training

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The number one training method the experts turn to again and again for weight loss: interval training. What's that? "Any form of exercise where your heart rate spikes and then comes down repeatedly," says Rilinger. This generally means going hard for a set interval of time (hence the name), followed by active rest, then going hard again. That active recovery portion is key. You need to take it down a notch—OK, several notches—before ramping back up to a higher intensity interval.

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is one of the many styles you can do. Another popular one is indoor cycling, though this workout leans heavily toward cardio over strength training, Rilinger explains. She also notes that cycling requires you to use various muscles in your body—quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core, for starters—which once again translates to weight loss. "The more muscles you have to incorporate, the more calories you're going to burn because those muscles all require energy in order to work," she says. "And the more energy you use, the higher those calorie-burning numbers climb. It's all a cycle."

2. Weight Training

Consider weight training "the mother of all weight-loss techniques, the highest in the workout food chain, the top of the totem pole," says Rilinger. Resistance training, whether it's with your bodyweight alone or with added weights, is an effective method to help build muscle and burn fat. Lifting weights has been shown to increase your resting metabolic rate, which means your body burns more calories even when you're not working out. The effect isn't enormous, but building muscle means more muscle mass to churn through calories as you go about your day. Plus, more muscle means you can go harder next time, increasing your weight, and getting even more out of each workout. Plus, if you're lifting at a high intensity, you get the added bonus of the "afterburn effect," which is when you've put down the weights but your body is still using up extra energy.

Rilinger suggests adding weight training to your routine at least three times a week. And since your body adjusts to workouts after being exposed to the same moves at the same intensity, becoming less effective over time, she says to mix it up about every three weeks to keep your body guessing.

3. Boot Camp

For a workout that's going to keep your metabolism elevated, turn to boot camp, as these classes (think Barry's Bootcamp) combine two of the most effective styles of training: interval and resistance. "You'll perform exercises, some more cardio-focused and others strength-focused, full-out for short bursts of time, coupled with short periods of rest," says Adam Rosante, certified personal trainer and author of The 30-Second Body. But if it's your first time going to a boot camp class, speak up. He says a good instructor will help you determine when you need to crank up the weight or intensity (tip: if you can cruise through 10 reps without any trouble, it's too easy), keep your form on par, and can always provide a modification for any move that might be too tough or irritates an injury.

4. Boxing

"At its essence, boxing is really another form of interval training," explains Rosante. But it also makes you feel freaking badass. Here's the trick to remember: It's a common mistake for beginners to punch using only their arm strength, but the majority of your power is going to come from your core and you'll use muscles that are typically ignored in other workouts (hey there, obliques).

It's best to log this type of workout in a class, as Rosante says it's crucial for beginners to learn proper form from an instructor who can help keep your intensity level high.

5. Running

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All you need is a pair of sneakers before you head out the door. But if weight loss is the name of your game, the lackadaisical head-out-for-a-light-jog style of running isn't the way to go. Instead, find a hill you can sprint up, or crank the incline on that treadmill. "Running up hills forces you to work your glutes and legs—two of your body's biggest muscle groups—even more, which requires smaller muscle recruitment and more energy expenditure," explains Rosante. As noted earlier, the more energy you're using, the brighter that calorie-burning fire burns. But proper form here is key. "Lean into the hill, and drive your knees as high as you can, striking the ball of each foot down directly under your body," he says. "Keep your hands open and arms bent at 90 degrees, and drive your arms straight forward up to face level, then backward to the top of your back pocket." And try not to let your arms cross over your body—that'll just waste the precious energy your muscles need. If you're training indoors, here are a few fat-burning treadmill routines to get you started.

6. CrossFit

There's a reason CrossFit has become such a booming part of the workout industry—it works, so long as you don't overdo it. Workouts are varied—you may be doing anything from kettlebell swings to rope climbs and box jumps to front squats—and the routines are designed to be short and intense. The most important thing to find when looking for the box (CrossFit slang for "gym") that fits you best: a well-informed coach who can explain and modify the moves, and make sure that you don't push yourself to the point of injury.

7. Yoga

OK, so yoga alone isn't a great workout for weight loss. But Rilinger says it can be a secret weapon in your weight loss arsenal because it keeps you flexible and healthy for your other, more intense workouts (like that boot camp class). But that's not all. "Yoga requires balance and stability, which promotes functional strength, and it helps our mental health," she says. Aim to squeeze it in at least once a week. And if you can't make it to the studio, there are plenty of flows you can do at home.

8. Swimming

If you can't stand the thought of running, or just want to work out without a ton of pounding on your joints, do a few laps in the pool. It's a low-impact exercise that will work all of your major muscle groups. As with most workouts, it helps to go in with a plan. Try this one, from Rosante: Tread water for as long as possible by standing upright in the deep end and using your arms and legs to stay afloat. Then rest for two minutes. Now swim 10 sets of 100 meters (that's back-and-forth lap in an Olympic-sized pool), resting for one minute in between sets. By the time you climb out of the pool, your muscles will be pleasantly worn out.

9. Jumping Rope

It's time to kick it back to the good ole' days of P.E. class, when you first learned how to swing a jump rope. This tool is cheap, portable (it'll fit in the tiny parts of your suitcase!), and can be used just about anywhere. After just a few minutes you will feel your heart rate racing!

Try it: Here's a speedy routine to try from Rosante:

1.   Warm up with a light 3-minute skip with the rope

2.   Do 100 traditional jumps (both feet leave the floor at the same time, and no extra hops in between)

3.   Once you finish, immediately do 100 jump rope sprints (think regular jumping rope but at an even quicker pace)

4.   Repeat steps 2 and 3, but follow this format: 50/50, 21/21, 15/15, 9/9

5.   If you want more, work your way back up the ladder until you reach 100/100 again

Oh, and whatever you do, don't do it barefoot. "Few things compare to the pain of missing a skip and smacking the tip of your toe with a jump rope," says Rosante. Noted. You can do this entire sequence mock-style, though, if you don't have a rope handy.

10. Lunges

There are many variations to the lunge, but the plain jane forward lunge is still very effective for weight loss, as it works multiple muscles at once (think: glutes, quads, and hamstrings) for max calorie burn. Get ready to move those short-shorts to the front of your closet.

·       Stand tall with feet hip-width apart. Place hands on your hips or hold weights, and take a controlled step forward with your right leg.

·       Keeping your spine tall, lower your body until your front leg and back leg form a 90-degree angle.

·       Pause, then bring your right leg home to start.

·       Now do the other side by stepping forward with your left leg.

·       Repeat 10 times on each side. Do a total of 3 sets.

11. Burpees

This exercise effectively targets your core, chest, and legs simultaneously. Feel the burn and know you're building lots of lean muscle.

·       Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms at your sides. Push your hips back, knees bent, and lower into a squat.

·       Place your hands on the floor directly in front of you and shift your weight to them. Jump back softly to land on your feet in the plank position.

·       Jump your feet forward so they land just outside of your hands. Reach your hands up and jump explosively into the air.

·       Immediately lower back into a squat for the next rep. Repeat 8 to 12 times. Complete 3 sets.

12. Explosive Lunges

High-intensity workouts like this explosive lunge will get you sweating and torch major calories.

·       Start with your feet together, hands on your hips. Step forward with your right leg.

·       Bend until your right leg is at a 90-degree angle. Jump up, switch your legs in midair, and end with the left leg lunged forward.

·       Repeat the lunges, switching sides for 1 minute. Complete 3 sets.

13. Squats

Squats are one of the best exercises for weight loss. When you do them correctly, you engage your core and entire lower body.

·       Start with feet hip-width apart, arms either at your sides or holding weights. Keeping your weight in your heels, begin lowering your legs and raising your arms in front of you.

·       Keeping your back straight, lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Remember to keep your knees in line with your toes the entire time.

·       Maintain an even pace and rise back to a standing position. Repeat 3 sets of 15 reps.

14. Double Jump

Take your traditional squats up a notch by incorporating a jump and lunge. The movement will increase your heart rate and you'll feel the burn in your abs, butt, and legs.

·       Lower into a deep squat and rise up as if you're jumping, but land in a lunge position with your right leg back.

·       Use momentum to jump from this lunge position back to a squat. Continue for 45 seconds, alternating legs. Do two sets total.

15. Mountain Climbers

Whether you use resistance bands or not, mountain climbers are an excellent way to burn calories. The quick leg motion targets obliques, butt, and hamstrings.

·       Loop center of band around a stable post like a couch leg. Start on floor in plank position facing away from post, feet placed in handles like stirrups.

·       Alternately bring right and left knee in toward chest, not allowing toes of bent leg to touch floor.

·       Repeat for 1 minute and rest 20 seconds. Do 3 sets.

16. Tabata Drill

These intervals may be short—but trust us, you'll appreciate the off intervals.

·       Begin with dumbbells up to your shoulders and feet together.

·       The dumbbells jack straight up, until arms are fully extended. At the same time jump your feet outward. Continue with all-out effort for 20 seconds.

·       After 10 seconds of rest, place feet shoulder-width apart, dumbbells at your chest.

·       Begin jabbing the dumbbells across the body. Switching sides, continue with all-out effort for 20 seconds. After 10 seconds of rest, repeat both exercises for 8 rounds.

17. Jump Rope

Jump rope is more than a middle school gym class activity: It's a total-body toner made for weight loss. Challenge yourself to complete a full minute of jumping—we won't judge if you bust out the '90s jams too.

·       Check the length of your jump rope by holding it in your hands and ensuring the handles line up with your shoulders.

·       Start with feet together, hands holding ends of the jump rope, elbows in toward your ribs.

·       Swing the jump rope and hop over with feet together. Do not jump in between, just jump with each swing of the rope. Continue jumping for 1 minute. Complete 3 sets.

18. Body-Weight Exercises

Body-weight exercises get your heart pumping and your muscles activated. Increasing your mucle mass means more calories burned, even when you're not working out.

·       Start with arms at the your side and feet together. Jump feet apart and raise hands into a jumping jack. From there, place hands on the ground, jump feet out and back in. Raise up back into a jumping jack. Continue for 10 reps. Complete 3 sets.

·       Stand with legs straight, right hand on your hip and the left leg lifted. Bend and touch your right knee with your left hand. Continue for 10 reps before switching sides. Repeat for 3 sets.

·       Get into plank position, with hands on the ground and legs outstretched behind you. Begin driving your knee into the opposite shoulder. Continue switching legs for 45 seconds, repeat for 3 sets.

19. Kettlebell Swings

Kettlebells are very effective when used for weight loss because they engage the entire body. Plus, they're low impact yet high intensity—ideal for calorie burn.

·       Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Grasp kettlebell with both hands in front of you.

·       Engage core and slightly squat. Press hips forward as you stand and swing the kettlebell upward. Lower arms and return to the slight squat position for 1 rep. Complete 3 sets of 15 swings.

If you're reading this right now, you're probably in the market for a heart-thumping, blood-pumping, balls-to-the-wall workout. And, friend, we've got you covered. We're all about helping you get sweaty in pursuit of your goals, whether that means getting stronger, hitting a new PR, or losing weight. But let's be real for a second here: The tricky thing about weight-loss workouts is that they're kinda, sorta... a myth. Don't get me wrong—if you're trying to lose weight, a solid exercise regimen should be part of your plan. It just can't be the only part.

Here's the thing: Working out isn't enough on its own to make weight loss happen. There's so much else that goes into weight loss and body fat loss; in fact, exercise isn't even technically necessary in many cases. If you want to lose weight—and it's totally cool if you do and totally cool if you don't—adopting healthy eating habits has got to be step numero uno. To get technical, you need to create a calorie deficit, which means using more calories in a day than you consume—and the consumption part plays a much bigger role in that than burning calories in the gym, or while carrying your groceries home, or any of the other myriad ways you put your muscles to work each day. Other lifestyle habits, like sleep and stress management, and health conditions (think thyroid issues, to name just one of many) also affect your weight. Point is, weight loss is a complicated and extremely personal journey that doesn't look or work the exact same way from one person to the next.

And before we get into it any further, I'd be remiss not to point out another really important detail here: Weight loss isn't for everyone. For some people, it's actually much healthier to ignore your weight altogether, or never think about calories, or focus on literally anything else. That's especially true if you have a history of disordered eating; if that's you, you should talk to your doctor before going on any weight-loss plan at all. In fact, even if you don't have a history of disordered eating you should talk to a doctor about losing weight in a healthy way.

And once you've done all that, there are some additional things you should know about workouts and weight loss.

Very basic things you should know before you get started on a new exercise regimen for weight loss.

1. Your food choices—how you fuel your body—are even more important than your workout choices. 

I covered this above, but it's worth reiterating: Healthy eating habits are even more important than your exercise routine if your goal is to see lasting changes in your body composition.

2. Exercise should become part of your routine in a meaningful way. 

In order to see results, hitting the elliptical for 30 minutes while you catch up with the Kardashians once a week just isn't going to cut it. Instead, aim for three workouts if you're just getting into a routine again, or five to six sessions if you've been at it for a while, says Holly Rilinger, a Nike master trainer, master Flywheel instructor, and star of Bravo's Work Out New York. "And keep in mind that rest is key to reset mentally, physically, and emotionally, so make sure to build in at least one full rest day."

3. You'll need to really push yourself in every workout you do. 

It's kind of a big deal that you bring your A-game to each and every workout. "I'd rather see you do balls-to-the-wall workouts three times a week than see you give 50 percent for five days," says Rilinger. "Decide when you walk through that door you are going to give it 100 percent the entire time, and check in throughout your workout with one simple question: Can I give more?"

4. You'll need to find a workout you genuinely enjoy if you have any hope of sticking with it.

"Finding a trainer or workout that makes you happy is actually really important to weight loss," says Rilinger. When you enjoy doing it you'll be more likely to stick with it. Below are 10 workouts that will help you reach your weight loss goal. If you've tried one of the classes here and there and didn't really love it, don't give up on the sport or practice altogether. You may not have found an instructor you love yet, and that can make or break your goals.

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