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It’s no secret that people these days are getting fatter. The modern world, with all its technological advances and easy access to fast food, has caused waist lines to expand. Most people are aware of this, but not everyone actually does something to stop it. A big reason for this is people are unsure of the type of exercises they should do. The best exercises for weight loss are aerobic. In order to sustain itself during aerobic exercise, your body needs to use massive amounts of energy. It gets this energy from your fat. As long as you do some aerobic activity for at least 30 minutes, 3-4 times a week, you can stop fat gain in its tracks and start on the road to a lean sexy body. Let’s look at the best aerobic exercises for achieving weight loss.
Bike Riding
If you haven’t been on a bicycle since you were a kid, you are missing out on one of the best fat burning exercises out there. The only thing you need to watch out for is the temptation to coast on a flat stretch of road instead of pedaling. You want to make sure you are putting in a constant effort. If you don’t like the idea of riding a bike all over the road or on trails you can also use a stationary bike set up in your home or the gym. These give the exact same benefit of a real bike with the added bonus that it is impossible to coast.
Stair Climbing
As anyone who has had to stop and catch their breath after going up a flight of stairs can tell you, stair climbing can be hard work. But the benefits are amazing. In addition to the calorie burn, you will also help develop your balance and coordination. Stairs also have the added benefit of giving you a built in rest period while still working out: Going up the stairs is tough and going down the stairs gives you time to catch your breath while still moving. If you want to maximize your fat loss with this exercise, you can also try the stair climbing machine at your local gym, which mimics the experience of only going up stairs thereby accelerating the amount of calories burned.
Swimming
There is a reason all the Olympic swimmers you see on TV look so lean and fit. Swimming may not look like a fat burning exercise, but it is a secret fat burning tool that many people never take advantage of. Because you are in the water, you don’t work up a sweat, and therefore don’t feel you have worked as hard. Swimming uses both your arms and legs and, when done consistently, helps them to look lean and toned. One word of caution; swimming may look easy, but if you haven’t learned correct form, you may tire yourself out too soon and therefore not get all the benefits you should. If you have not had any swimming instruction since you were a kid, you should look for a qualified instructor to give you a few lessons and perfect your form before you try working out alone.
Dancing
This is not social or ballroom dancing. This is dancing that uses the whole body and keeps it moving for a sustained period of time. Think hip hop or Latin style. A current trend in many gyms right now is Zumba, which is a specially designed dance program that focuses on weight loss and improving fitness. And above all, dancing is fun.
Running
For the absolute best calorie burn that results in the most fat burned of any aerobic exercise, all you need to do is literally lace up you sneakers and put one foot in front of the other. Running is the oldest of human aerobic activities. It is what we are built to do. There is no special equipment to buy, (except maybe a good pair of comfortable running shoes) and you can literally start seeing results in a few weeks time.
These aerobic exercises are the best they are at what they do. And what they do is burn fat and help keep it off. But the best part is that you don’t have to choose one. Do as many as you like and mix it up. The more options you have the less likely you are to get bored and quit. Put these aerobic exercises to work for you and soon you too will be the proud owner of a lean, healthy body.
Mayo Clinic has a page which lists types of exercises and the amount of calories you can burn off doing each one in your weight class. Check it out Exercise for weight loss: Calories burned in 1 hour .
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