Weight loss can be so elusive. How many times have you felt motivated, tried to get on the right track to lose a few pounds, do a whole bunch of cardio for a few days, and instead of losing weight, you lose sight of your goal? A pretty good rule to follow when weight loss is what you want is to move your body more and eat less. Of course, that may be an oversimplification because what you’re eating is important, and the types of movement matter.
With that knowledge, first, l am focusing on some of the best exercise equipment to help you stay motivated and lose weight. I have carefully worded the phrase, “help you lose weight…” because the equipment you chose is a tool and is not intended to be the only factor in your weight loss journey. I encourage you to make decisions that consider your likes and dislikes, which will help you stay interested and have fun. If you already know that you don’t like lifting weights (I may change your mind on this one), don’t invest in a set of weights that you will not use consistently.
1. The Absolute Best Piece Of Exercise Equipment To Help You Lose Weight Is A Set Of Weights
Why has weightlifting for women increased in popularity? Why is weightlifting so effective for weight loss? Weight training is more effective than straight-up cardio at building muscle, and muscle burns more calories at rest than other types of tissue in your body, including fat. Think of weightlifting as the longest duration of fat burning that you’re going to get even after you’ve completed your exercise. Weightlifting is the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to burning fat. Straight cardio, like running for long periods of time, may lead to weight loss, which can be partly water weight. Effect and long-term results happen when you experience true FAT burning rather than just weight loss. That’s because what you’re losing matters, i.e., water weight vs. fat weight.
Now that we’ve established the benefits of having a good set of weights or a convenient way of weight training on a consistent basis let’s move forward into four more of what I consider to be the best pieces of exercise equipment to help you lose weight.
2. Rowing Machine
As a cardio exercise, rowing strengthens the cardiovascular system, but just a single stroke on the rowing machine also works a variety of muscles. The more muscle you work, the more fat you burn! A rowing machine works your quads, hamstrings, glutes, core, arms, and back muscles. That’s a major bang for your buck.
The rowing machine has an excellent reputation for being a great total body workout. It’d be easy to miss this when most people might consider rowing to be primarily an upper-body exercise. A rowing machine is often overlooked, yet it is an exceptional tool for strengthening muscles and burning fat. Because rowing engages almost the entire body and huge major muscle groups, it means that it will be a huge catalyst to help you lose weight.
3. Treadmill
A treadmill can seem like nothing more than a great way to get in a walk or run without going outside. They are convenient for that, but how can they be used even more efficiently and effectively for weight loss? For starters, think beyond walking and running. You can lose weight fast with comprehensive treadmill workouts that don’t need to be complicated. It will be challenging, yes, but not complicated. This just may have you deciding that a treadmill is what’s right for you to lose weight. Here are some ideas to work more muscles and combine a variety of exercises into a treadmill routine:
- Use The Treadmill – Sounds obvious, but you must actually use the treadmill consistently for it to make a difference in your weight loss journey.
- Walking Lunge – Change the incline on your treadmill to 15. The higher the incline, the more calories you burn at the same pace. Increase the speed to something that is safe for you but challenging. Step as far forward as you can, duck the hips down, legs at a 90-degree angle, then touch the back knee as close to the ground without touching it as you can.
- Interval Sprints – Everyone runs at a different pace, so do what’s challenging for YOU. Walk for a minute, then run “all-out” for 30 seconds. Once that 30-second time frame is up, go back to a walk. Repeat the cycle.
4. Stationary Bike or Cycle Machine
A stationary bike (not to be confused with a recumbent bike) is an efficient and effective way to burn calories and body fat while strengthening your heart, lungs, and muscles. Another benefit of a stationary bike is that it puts less stress on your joints but still gives an excellent aerobic workout to help you lose weight. You may not initially consider that a stationary bike provides as much of an effective workout as running, but you can customize and amplify a workout on a stationary bike or cycle machine.
I once took a Starcycle class, and though I considered myself at a high fitness level, I had trouble making it through the class. A cycling class goes far beyond peddling (faster or slower) to also include stand-up peddling and upper body moves. If you’re considering a stationary bike or cycle machine for weight loss, I encourage you to take a cycling class at a nearby gym. Even if you just attend for a week or a couple of classes, you will walk away with plenty of ideas on how to use a bike to burn mega calories and lose weight fast.
5. Any Piece of Exercise Equipment That You Will Actually Use Consistently
Like what I shared above regarding the treadmill, search for a piece of exercise equipment that is fun for you. Maybe it’s a minitrampoline, a ski machine, a booty, hip, and thigh machine, a stair-step machine, or an elliptical. If it interests you and you can make it fun, then go for it! Always remember to create variety in whatever exercise you do. If you have a booty, hip, and thigh machine, find a creative way to add weights for the upper body or do push-up sets between 1-2 minutes on the device.
There are always ways to get more “burn for your buck” when it comes to any exercise. Once you settle in, do something more to make it an increasing challenge. Even if you lock into using just one machine to lose weight, even that can be filled with lots of variety to help you stay consistent!
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