When it comes to getting fit, sometimes you just don’t feel like going to the gym to workout. Whether it’s the cost of a membership or you just don’t feel like being swept up in a sea of sweaty people, the gym isn’t always the most appealing place to go after a long day of work.
The Department of Health and Human Services reported in Be Active Your Way that adults need about 150 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise every week and muscle-strengthening exercises twice a week to maintain a healthy status. While most people think these numbers can only be achieved by utilizing a gym full of expensive exercise equipment, that’s just not the case. Here are some exercises to help you burn calories in the comfort of your own home.
1. Squats
Not all squats have to be weighted squats in order to be effective. Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart. Bend your knees and lower yourself into a squat position without letting your knees go over your toes. For greater intensity, lace your fingers together and extend your arms straight ahead while you stand and rotate them side to side as you squat. Shape magazine said this move works your legs, butt and core all in one. This exercise can also be a great way to warm your body up for the rest of your workout, so begin with this move. Try doing two sets of 25 reps.
“Adults need about 150 minutes of exercise every week.”
2. Jumping jacks
Another effective warm up exercise is jumping jacks. If you’re looking to burn calories fast, this is the exercise for you. Prevention magazine suggested doing 5 to 10 minutes of jumping jacks. A 150-pound woman will burn close to 90 calories in just 10 minutes of performing this exercise. This is another easy exercise to do it home, just make sure you give yourself the space to jump and move your arms. Start by trying to do as many jumping jacks as you can in 5 minutes.
3. Couch climbers
This is a fun way to incorporate your furniture into your work out! If you are familiar with mountain climbers, this exercise is quite similar. Face your couch and put your hands on the seat cushions, extending your arms fully. Walk your feet out so that you are in the same position you would be in if you were starting a pushup. Once you have set yourself up in the ready position, begin alternating knees to chest as if you were running. Shape recommends doing this as fast as possible for a minute to really work your arms and abs. Do as many as you can in 60 second increments.
4. Cross Crawl
Health magazine suggested doing a cross crawl exercise to tone and strengthen while shedding fat. To complete this workout, all you have to do is raise your arms, then lift one knee and bring down the opposite elbow to meet it. Repeat this move on the opposite side and continue to alternate for about 2 minutes. By twisting your core, lifting your legs and raising your arms you are working multiple muscles in your body. This is great for those interested in reducing fat in numerous areas.
The Cross Crawl works your core, legs and arms all in one.5. Sitting reverse crunches
If you are looking to tone up your tummy, this is the exercise for you. Sit at the edge of a chair or your couch and hold your hands on your hips. Lift both of your feet off the floor while keeping both of your knees bent at 90 degrees. From here, extend your feet in front of you while just tapping the floor with your toes and then bring your knees back to your chest. Shape says to continue this exercise for 20 reps for a great core workout.
If you’re not satisfied, try a new approach
Sometimes, if results don’t show up exactly the way we wish they would, it’s easy to get discouraged. Don’t let stubborn fat dishearten your drive to stay in shape. If you’re looking for that extra push to help you in toning up your abs or thighs, you may want to consider Coolsculpting. This is an FDA-cleared, noninvasive treatment that trims the fat from those unwanted areas of the body. The natural-looking results will appear after just one session, providing pure fat reduction in those tough areas.
