How to lose weight in the gym or The best exercises to lose weight. Scientific research

Hello to you too, seeker of how to lose weight. Still convinced that you need to start moving more and take up some kind of sport?

I have two news for you: good and, as always, not so good.

Let's start with the good news: you can lose weight without sports

…

Recent scientific research suggests that exercise of any kind is not very effective in losing weight and that the main cause of obesity in our society is eating too many calories.

, and NOT a lack of physical activity...

Those who have unsuccessfully tried to lose weight by running know what we're talking about.

This does not negate the importance of sport in our lives and the fact that modern people actually move very little. But, nevertheless, I am sure that the idea that “you are fat because you move too little” is firmly in the mind of every overweight person...

Main thoughts:

Cardio training burns slightly more calories than strength training at the gym.

In 1 hour of running or working out in the gym, only the amount of calories equivalent to a Snickers bar is burned; more often - even less...

Strength training for weight loss has a significant advantage over running: the weight loss process does not end after strength training, since the resting metabolic rate remains elevated for many hours after it, increasing calorie expenditure

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is considered one of the best exercises for losing weight: it takes less time to complete, trains all major muscle groups and is as good for heart health as cardio.

Universal Principle: The best exercises for weight loss are those that are performed at high intensity and use more muscles.

The best exercises for weight loss are cardio and a combination of strength training and cardio, a variation of which is high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

A subjective criterion for assessing the benefits of training for weight loss is breathing and heart rate

To lose weight, you need to exercise at least 150 minutes a week. On the one hand: the more, the better. On the other hand: the more, the stronger the appetite, with the ensuing consequences...

The best long-term weight loss strategy is to combine exercise with a proper calorie-restricted diet.

Well, now the bad news, or rather not very convenient: you need to exercise regularly if you want to radically solve the problem of excess weight and the associated deterioration of health, low self-esteem, impaired mobility, condemnation of society and total failures in life.

Our body is designed for movement. Movement determines health, self-esteem and overall success in life, as there is a very close relationship between brain activity, the ability to think creatively, learn, remember, achieve and exercise. And with the right exercises in combination with the right diet, you can lose weight faster

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In this article we will talk about the best exercises for weight loss and health and answer the question of how to lose weight in the gym, comparing the effectiveness of strength exercises with cardio for weight loss.

How many calories can you burn in the gym?

Scientists have long calculated how many different types of exercise burn calories and recorded the data in the appropriate tables.

Remember: all such calculations provide only an approximate estimate. The exact value for each individual person is very individual and is determined at least by body weight, muscle mass in the body, gender, age, intensity of exercise, and genetics.

250 kcal when running at a slow pace for 30 minutes 11 .

If you increase the intensity and run at a moderate pace with an average speed of 9 km/h, you can already burn 365 kcal in 30 minutes 11.

For the same 30 minutes of training in the gym, approximately 130-220 kcal 11.

Cardio training burns slightly more calories than strength training at the gym.

But.

The given figures will be different for a person weighing 73 kg in whose body there is 30% fat and 8% (like an athlete), since in the second case there is more muscle mass, and it requires more calories to maintain activity.

Recommended : How many calories do you need per day to lose weight?

Also, the efficiency of burning calories very much depends on the intensity of the exercises, which, as will be shown below, is one of the main criteria for determining the best exercises for weight loss.

You can work out in the gym in very different ways: with and without breaks of 5 minutes between approaches (or with very short ones), with high intensity. You can also run fast and slow.

So, the relativity of these numbers has been learned. And now the most important thing.

Please note that the amount of calories burned for any exercise (running or working out in the gym) is quite small

: an hour of running or strength training in the gym burns a maximum of 1 Snickers bar, and often even less...

Share with us your experience of losing weight or gaining muscle mass!

At the same time, 1 hour of running, even at a slow pace, is a very difficult task...

In 1 hour of running or working out in the gym, only the amount of calories equivalent to a Snickers bar is burned; more often - even less...

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The benefits of strength training in the gym for weight loss

Although strength training burns slightly fewer calories than cardio, it has important weight-loss benefits.

Strength exercises are known to help build muscle mass, and muscles, even at rest, need energy (calories) to maintain their function, the amount of which is proportional to muscle mass 2.

In other words, the more muscle mass, the more calories are burned, even when the person is not moving - resting metabolism.

Not convincing enough? Let's look at the scientific facts.

In one scientific study, researchers measured the effects of strength training in the gym for 24 weeks on resting metabolism in 40 participants of different genders and ages. As a result, in men (regardless of age) the resting metabolic rate increased by an average of 9% (~140 kcal per day)

,
for women - 4% (~50 kcal per day)
4.

The numbers are small, but nonetheless. All life consists of little things.

After strength training in the gym, your metabolic rate remains elevated for up to 38 hours 5. This means that, compared to running, the weight loss process continues for many hours AFTER the workout.

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Scientists also talk about the incredible health benefits of strength training 3, but this is a topic for another material.

Strength training for weight loss has a significant advantage over running: the weight loss process does not end after strength training, since the resting metabolic rate remains elevated for many hours after it, increasing calorie expenditure

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Benefits of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for Weight Loss

It just so happens that most people’s knowledge of possible types of exercise for losing weight is limited only to running and the gym.

However, there is another type of training, the benefits of which for weight loss are being talked about more and more often by scientists and doctors. This is high intensity interval training HIIT ( H

igh
I
ntensity
I
nterval
T
raining).

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YES!

What makes them special is that they combine the weight loss benefits of strength training and cardio.

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The essence of such training is to alternately perform exercises on different muscle groups with high intensity and short breaks between approaches.

The advantages of HIIT training over cardio and strength training for weight loss are significantly less time spent, more calories burned and activation of internal metabolism as after strength exercise.

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: High Intensity Interval Training: The Best Exercises to Lose Weight

In one study, scientists compared how many calories are burned during strength training in the gym, running and during high-intensity training. Result: High-intensity training burns 25-30% more calories

6.

It is estimated that a 30-minute session of high-intensity HIIT training will burn approximately 300 calories.

for a man weighing 73 kg 1.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is considered one of the best exercises for losing weight: it takes less time to complete, trains all major muscle groups and is as good for heart health as cardio.

A set of exercises for weight loss

The weight loss program, consisting of the following blocks, has proven itself to be excellent:

• warm-up;
• load and pumping of muscles;
• fat burning.

How to lose weight in the gym: pay attention to cardio training combined with strength training. During training, ensure that each muscle is worked, breathe correctly (exhale when you tense, inhale while relaxing) and do not allow your body to dehydrate. It is important to structure classes in such a way as to work problem muscles - special attention is paid to them.

To lose weight quickly, repeat the sets many times, without using weights or resistance. A full-fledged session can be called if the athlete’s pulse is at around 130-160 beats per minute for cardio and 170 for strength training.

Warm-up

Without a set of special actions to warm up the body, it is impossible to imagine a single workout in the gym. This warm-up program develops muscles and joints, tones the body, and increases the heart rate. The purpose of it is to prevent injuries to muscle groups, increase the intensity of training and speed up metabolism. There are complex exercises for warming up before training that are suitable for all athletes:

• rotation of the limbs, development of joints;
• easy running;
• jumping rope;
• for strength training, the warm-up is an imitation of the athlete's movements, but with minimal weight.

In addition to warming up before the main activity, it is recommended to do a cool-down or stretching after it. This includes relaxing actions for 5-10 minutes, which allow the body to calm down, remove lactic acid from the muscles, reduce the heart rate and body temperature, and normalize blood flow. Common cool-down actions include slow running followed by walking, muscle stretching, and stretching.

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Cardio exercises

Cardio exercises for weight loss in the gym bring visible results. They help correct body shape, give vitality, strengthen the heart muscle and blood vessels. Cardio relieves chronic fatigue and is a kind of “marathon” that works well on all muscle groups of the body. Exercise machines used in this direction include a treadmill, elliptical, exercise bike and stepper.

How to Lose Weight at the Gym While Using Cardio: Keep your heart rate between 60-80% of your maximum (counts as 220 minus your age). Perform exercises with a gradual increase in load and back again, monitor the functioning of the joints so as not to harm them. On a treadmill, walk first, then run. On the stepper, train your arms, legs and buttocks, adjusting the load yourself, and on the exercise bike, gradually increase the “mileage”, maintaining your posture and watching your knees while doing the exercise.

Strength exercises

After cardio, it is recommended to do strength training for weight loss in the gym. The goal is to restore body muscles, using your own weight or dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells as resistance. Training increases the amount of muscle tissue, which gradually replaces fat - body volumes are adjusted, the metabolic rate rises, calories are burned more intensely, and it is possible to lose weight faster.

Strength training includes working with weights - lifting barbells, deadlifts, biceps and triceps presses. In addition, popular exercises include push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups, which work all the major muscles. This can be done from the floor, using a wall bars or a special bench for working on your abs.

Stretching and flexibility exercises

To improve muscle elasticity and work out joints, stretching exercises for weight loss are used in the gym. They expand the range of muscle movement and increase the level of stretching. Exercises include elements of yoga, dance, Pilates. Conducted at a slow pace, you can use them as a cool-down, stretching or warm-up, and at a fast pace, stretching exercises will be an excellent stimulator of the heart and blood vessels, and will provide an opportunity to lose weight.

How to lose weight in the gym: the best exercises

So, based on the above facts, it is obvious that any exercise can be effective for losing weight when it is performed intensively and involves the maximum number of muscles .

So, we have identified three types of basic exercises: strength, cardio and high-intensity training.

A typical gym has a cardio zone and a strength zone. HIIT can be done without equipment.

When we talk about the best exercises for weight loss, we mean the number of calories that can be burned with their help and the amount of effort that needs to be spent on them.

Unpleasant news: the number of calories burned per 1 hour of training in all three cases is not very different : 400-600 kcal. Moreover, 1 hour of running at a moderate pace is quite a difficult test, especially if you are overweight... and 40 minutes of intense interval training can bring even a trained athlete to his knees.

What to choose: NOT eat Snickers or run for 1 hour - it's up to you.

In one of the fairly large-scale studies, scientists tested on 119 overweight people the effectiveness of 1) cardio exercises only, 2) strength exercises only, and 3) cardio + strength exercises for weight loss. All participants were divided into three groups and trained for 8 months 7.

After 8 months, participants in the cardio and cardio + strength groups lost more weight than those who trained only for strength. There was no difference in weight loss between those who did cardio and cardio + strength training .

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However, body composition (the ratio of muscle mass to fat mass) improved more significantly in the cardio + strength group.

This means that the best (effective) exercises for losing weight are 1) cardio (running, cycling, etc.) and 2) a combination of strength training and cardio . The advantage of the second type is that it improves body composition.

A type of combined exercise is high-intensity interval training.

We recommend : 9 arguments for strength training for women

We can derive the following universal criterion for the best exercises for weight loss:

Universal Principle: The best exercises for weight loss are those that are performed at high intensity and use more muscles.

Intense performance of the same exercises significantly increases the metabolic rate after training and significantly enhances the “burning” of carbohydrates for energy 8.

This means that a gym workout can be beneficial for weight loss when done intensely, but not beneficial when you rest 5 minutes between sets of 10 reps.

Fast running is more beneficial for weight loss than slow running. Fast walking is more beneficial for weight loss than slow walking. Fast swimming is more beneficial for weight loss than slow swimming...

This also means that to lose weight it is not at all necessary to go to the gym , so to perform one of the most effective exercises for weight loss and health - high-intensity interval training - you do not need special equipment: you can train at home.

The best exercises for weight loss are cardio and a combination of strength training and cardio, a variation of which is high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

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Weight loss program for a girl in the gym.

Monday

Leg exercises. A slight burning sensation in the muscles after or during exercise is normal, pain due to the release of lactic acid after the first workouts is also normal.

1. Squats with a 5x15 barbell, five sets of fifteen times, start with a 20 kg bar, then in all exercises the weight is selected so as to do 15 times
2. Leg extensions on a machine that replaces squats 3x15
3. Leg extensions on the quadriceps (hip extensor) machine 3x15
4. Leg bending at the knees on the hamstring biceps machine 3x15
5. Calf raises with weights in a gag machine, or while sitting with a special simulator
6. Abdominal crunches on an incline bench, right elbow to left knee, left elbow to right 3x30 on the upper and side abdominal muscles
7. Leg raises on the Swedish wall 3x30 for the lower abdomen

Wednesday

Exercises for the chest and arms, many girls, especially overweight ones, have hanging places where the triceps should be, hence there are a lot of exercises for these parts of the arms, and when losing weight, the first thing to lose weight is the chest, so that it is toned and beautiful, you need to do the bench press + wiring Abdominal exercises should be done at every workout. The stomach is one of the most common problems among girls.

1. Bench press 5x15
2. Lying dumbbell fly 3x15
3. Push-ups on parallel bars, if you have enough strength for at least 5 reps, that’s good, the exercise is quite difficult, since the weight is large, if you can’t do it, put this exercise aside and start doing it only after 3-4 months of training
4. Arm extensions on a cable machine from a standing position for triceps 3x15
5. French bench press for triceps 3x15
6. Barbell curl for biceps 3x15
7. Abdominal crunches on an incline bench, right elbow to left knee, left elbow to right 3x30 on the upper and side abdominal muscles
8. Leg raises on the Swedish wall 3x30 for the lower abdomen

Friday

Exercises for the back muscles.

1. Sumo deadlift 5x15
2. Bent-over barbell row 3x15
3. Cable chest row 3x15 for the latissimus dorsi muscles
4. Bend to the sides with a dumbbell in hand 3x30 (remove the “sides” so that they don’t come out of low-waisted jeans)
5. Pull-ups on the bar (through experimental experiments it was found that most girls cannot do pull-ups on the bar even once; this exercise should be included in the training program 3-4 months after the start of training)
6. Abdominal crunches on an incline bench, right elbow to left knee, left elbow to right 3x30 on the upper and side abdominal muscles
7. Leg raises on the Swedish wall 3x30 for the lower abdomen

All workouts should end with stretching the muscles worked that day.

So, by doing this set of exercises, girls are guaranteed to lose weight by following a diet and abstaining from fatty and sweet foods; all you need is a little willpower and desire to change for the better. Having lost weight, you will feel unusual lightness in your body and freedom. Good luck to you, dear girls.

Personal experience

For myself, I have developed the following training regimen in the gym, at home or on the street: I always add elements of high-intensity training to strength exercises .

In practice, it looks like this: after performing an exercise on one muscle group, I move on to performing an exercise on another group with almost no rest (0-10 s), after which, with a slightly longer break (~40 s), I return to the first.

The criterion by which you can and should evaluate the benefits for weight loss and the effectiveness of training is heart rate and breathing. The more intensely you breathe, the more oxygen passes through your lungs, the more active the fat burning process, which requires oxygen.

A subjective criterion for assessing the benefits of training for weight loss is breathing and heart rate

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What exercise equipment should you use to lose weight?

To lose weight, you need to alternate or combine two types of exercise: strength training and cardio. Exercising with free weights allows you to build the necessary muscle mass. For this purpose, dumbbells, weights, barbells, and structures for performing deadlifts are used. Cardio exercise equipment: treadmill, bicycle, steppers help speed up the process of burning fat and increase endurance.

Various types of designs are designed to work a specific muscle group. Before you start mastering iron “units”, you need to familiarize yourself with the instructions for their use and the rules of safe behavior during exercises.

Be sure to read: Training with weights at home: a set of exercises for different muscles

Exercise machines for slimming legs and thighs

To pump the lower body, a large number of projectiles and equipment are used:

• GAKK machine.

There are two types of design: for the squat and for the bench press. When performing the exercises, in both cases, the back is fixed with the backrest, the feet rest on a special support. This is one of the most effective isolating techniques for girls, allowing you to pump up the quadriceps well without loading the spine.

• Leg trainer

This is one of the favorite designs of girls of all ages. The equipment is designed to strengthen the inner thighs, which is considered problematic for many representatives of the fairer sex. In the process of bringing the legs together, the adductor muscles are activated, which helps strengthen and tighten this area.

• Seated leg curl exercise

Designed to work the back of the thigh and calf muscles. Regular exercise leads to increased muscle tone and the formation of clearer outlines of the subgluteal area.

• Smith's machine

A universal apparatus that allows you to perform not only squats, but also various types of presses (lying, sitting), rows (to the chin, bent over), lunges. Taking into account the safety of the structure, if desired, only on it, you can create a whole set of exercises.

• Power frame

Multifunctional device consisting of 4 vertical posts with stop pins. The design ensures a stable position during exercises.

Exercise equipment for slimming arms

Selecting equipment that affects only the hands is quite problematic. When performing biceps or triceps exercises, the shoulder girdle, back muscles or chest may be involved, among other things. The most suitable ones for strengthening the upper limbs include the following:

• "Butterfly"

There are 2 types of simulators. The first is a large iron structure. The equipment is used to “finish off” the working muscles, after a series of basic techniques.

And also, a compact version that can be purchased for home training.

• Gravitron

Ensures the development of a wide muscle mass of the upper body. Pull-ups contribute to the formation of beautiful posture and allow you to achieve relief in the shoulder girdle.

• Rowing

Be sure to read: Circuit training plan in the gym and at home to burn fat

A powerful unit that effectively uses almost all muscle groups. The movement mechanism provides a good load on both the upper and lower body.

Features of cardio for girls

Cardio is an integral part of a weight loss program. The appropriate type of load and duration of classes is selected individually, depending on the age, body weight and characteristics of the woman’s body.

For cardio training in the gyms, the following types of sports equipment are used:

• Treadmill . It is a platform that imitates natural human movements. A convenient panel allows you to set different paces from normal walking to fast running.
• Stepper ladder. Even a 20-minute walk on moving steps provides an effective load on the buttocks, thighs and calves.
• Exercise bike. Modern models allow both long and measured pedaling and short, high-intensity riding.
• Orbitreks. The movements performed on the equipment are reminiscent of skiing. The load is evenly distributed across all muscle groups.

For weight loss, it is recommended to complete the main complex with a 15-25 minute session on cardio equipment. It is better to perform high-intensity interval cardio on a separate day from strength training.

How many times a week should you go to the gym to lose weight?

According to one of the most authoritative sports organizations - the American College of Sports Medicine - to improve health, overweight people are recommended to exercise at least 150 minutes a week , and to lose weight - 200-300 minutes a week, t .e. about half an hour a day 9.

The more, the better the effect. Or not?

Unfortunately, the principle “the more the better” does not seem to work here... proving once again the relativity of everything in our world.

One of the arguments why some modern scientists consider any type of exercise to be ineffective for losing weight

lies in the so-called compensation mechanism.

In a nutshell, its essence is that after training your appetite increases and you want to eat more

.

As a result, the result of more time spent in the gym, in the form of more calories burned, is easily negated by an additional portion of something tasty that has slipped past the censor of conscience under the pretext of “you worked hard and deserved a reward.”

Read more about this phenomenon in the material How to lose weight without sports or Why a proper diet is more important than sports in losing weight.

To lose weight, you need to exercise at least 150 minutes a week. On the one hand: the more, the better. On the other hand: the more, the stronger the appetite, with the ensuing consequences...

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