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Choose these four exercises for fat loss
- Cycling
Even at a leisurely pace, cycling can burn about 400 calories per hour. Cycling mainly exercises the heart, core, calves, and glutes. As cycling is a “suspended” activity with no direct impact on the ground, it can effectively reduce the risk of joint injury if you adjust the handlebar and seat position properly.
Expert advice: The joy of cycling lies in the variety of terrains, such as roads, dirt paths, and forest trails. The secret to increasing energy expenditure is to vary the intensity, like cycling fast for 30 seconds followed by 30 seconds of slow cycling. For indoor cycling, try increasing resistance for 1 minute to vary intensity and boost calorie burn.
Frequency: Cycle three times a week, 45 minutes each time.
- Running
Whether it’s sprinting or jogging, running is an efficient aerobic exercise that burns an average of 600 calories per hour. It provides a full-body workout, especially beneficial for cardiovascular health, while strengthening back muscles and toning abdominal, calf, and glute muscles.
Expert advice: Combining running with abdominal exercises is an effective way to achieve visible abs.
Frequency: If you’re not used to running, start gradually. For beginners, try fast walking for 20 minutes, then running for 20 minutes. Run three times a week, 45 minutes each time.
- Boxing
For those with high work stress, boxing is an excellent post-work exercise choice. Boxing works out arms, knees, core, and calves. Punching a sandbag for an hour can burn up to 800 calories.
Expert advice: Boxing consumes a lot of nervous energy, so it’s not advisable when you’re overly tired. Combine it with lighter exercises like cycling or jogging.
Frequency: One hour of boxing training per week.
- Jump Rope
Jumping rope is not limited by venue and is very effective in improving body coordination and strengthening the cardiovascular system. It’s particularly effective in shaping slender arms and calves for fat loss. Jumping rope for an hour can burn about 850 calories throughout the body.
Expert advice: Don’t rush for results. Start with 10 minutes of jumping rope and gradually increase the time.
Frequency: Jump rope for 20 minutes per week.
Common misconceptions about fat loss – don’t fall into these traps!
Misconception 1: Spot reduction
Every summer, fashion magazines repeatedly emphasize the old notion that weight loss can target specific body parts. “Want to eliminate belly fat? Just do a few sets of sit-ups!”
Dream on! While doing hundreds of sit-ups daily will indeed exercise your abdominal muscles, if you have excess fat on your stomach, sit-ups alone won’t give you six-pack abs. Spot reduction is impossible; weight loss must occur throughout the body, and calories burned must exceed calories consumed.
Misconception 2: Strength training will make muscles too big
Globally, especially among women, there’s often a concern: “I don’t want to get too bulky.” Some people shy away from strength training after seeing initial results, worried about becoming a muscle-bound superwoman. In reality, many professional bodybuilders use steroids and other illegal substances. Without these potent drugs, the human body won’t develop such large muscles, and neither will yours.
Misconception 3: Women should train differently from men
There’s a widespread misconception that women will become bulky from strength training. This isn’t true unless you start using drugs or injections. Gender shouldn’t be a reason for different training methods. Men and women build muscle and lose fat in the same way. Although men and women may have different goals, these goals can be achieved through the same fitness methods.
