How to lose weight without going to a gym. Here are 9 healthy shortcuts | Health - Hindustan Times
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How to lose weight without going to a gym. Here are 9 healthy shortcuts

Hindustan Times, Delhi | ByKabir Bhandari, Hindustan Times, Delhi
May 29, 2018 07:53 PM IST

Want to lose weight without going to a gym? You can exercise at home and still be fit. Burpees, push-ups, lunges and planks are some of the exercises one can do easily at home.

Not a big fan of the gym? Maybe it’s not really laziness, but the fact that you find working out in gyms monotonous and boring. That’s OK.

Want to lose weight without going to a gym? Try some basic exercises, like push ups, that do not require heavy gym equipments.(Shutterstock)
Want to lose weight without going to a gym? Try some basic exercises, like push ups, that do not require heavy gym equipments.(Shutterstock)

With our ‘10 exercises to do at home’ plan, you don’t need to go to the gym to lose weight. Do these exercises at home regularly and you will be losing weight and getting in shape before you know it. Of course, the discipline and dedication will have to come from your side.

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We give you a set of 10 exercises to do at home, for which no equipment is needed. So go ahead, get started and get fit at home!

Warm Up

Warm up is absolutely essential, since you want your body and joints to be ready to tackle the exercises for the rest of your session. Warm up helps increase the body temperature, which helps the muscles to contract more forcefully and also relax smoothly. Muscle elasticity also improves, due to which there is less risk of pulling or straining your muscles.

How to do it:

Roll your head in half circles slowly, from shoulder to shoulder.

Slowly roll your shoulders forwards and backwards.

Keep your legs stationary, and twist your torso, left and right.

Burpees

“The burpee is a full body strength training exercise and the ultimate example of functional fitness. With every rep, you’ll work your arms, chest, quads, glutes, hamstrings and abs. Burpees are a bodyweight exercise that can be done anywhere, anytime. All you need is enough space to perform a push up, and you’ll be able to do a burpee,” says Nitin Khatter, Fitness Expert, The Gym, Delhi.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re doing HIIT training, regular resistance training or a cardio workout, burpees can be adapted to suit your needs.

How to do it:

Stand with your feet at shoulder width. Push your hips back, and with bended knees, lower your body into a squat position. Put your hands on the floor right in front of your feet.

Jump lightly and land on the balls of your feet in the plank position. Jump back such that they land just out of your hands. Put your arms over your head and jump. Once you land back, get into the squat position for your next rep.

Jump Squats

Jump squats help tone the calves, glutes, hamstrings, core and quadriceps. Lower your body as much as you can by squatting down. A squat or jumping exercise works numerous muscles in the lower body, core and even the upper body. The major muscles used are the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, lower back and the abdominals.

How to do it:

Stand keeping your feet shoulder-width apart. Begin by doing a regular squat, then involve your core and jump up with full force. When you land on the ground, get back into the squat position. This finishes one rep. You need to master this so that you land as quietly as possible. Do two sets of 10 reps each.

Mountain Climbers

“Mountain climbers are a great total body exercise. You will be utilising your core because you are starting from a plank position. Mountain climbers are a killer exercise that get your heart rate up fast while also firing nearly every muscle group in the body — deltoids, biceps, triceps, chest, obliques, abdominals, quads, hamstrings and hip abductors,” Khatter said.

“They are a compound exercise, meaning they work several joints and muscle groups simultaneously. The steady running motion targets your glute and leg muscles, including your quadriceps and hamstrings,” he said.

How to do it:

Start by getting into the traditional plank position. Once your core is involved, bring your right knee forward below your chest, with the toes just over the ground. Return to the basic plank position.

Now bring your left knee forward. Keep changing your legs until you pick up pace and you feel as if you are running in one spot in the plank position. Do this for a minute.

Russian Twists

Russian twists are one of the best ways to work your obliques, the muscles that help rotate your torso. These are often neglected by bodybuilders seeking a tapered torso, women who want a smaller waist and fitness fanatics obsessed with the 8-pack abs.

Russian twists works more than just your abdomen. It engages all the abdomen muscles and strengthens the rectus abdominis, internal obliques and the external obliques.

How to do it:

Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your heels a foot from your butt. Gradually recline backward till you feel your lower abs engage. It is important that you keep your back straight and not let it curve.

Put your arms in front of you, on top of each other. Pull your navel towards your spine and twist gradually to the right. Inhale and rotate to the left. This finishes one rep. Do 16 full rotations to complete a set.

The Superman

The Superman is one of the best exercises to strengthen your upper and lower back muscles. If done regularly, the Superman may help alleviate back pain related to weak back muscles. In addition to strengthening back muscles, the Superman works your glutes and your hamstring muscles.

How to do it:

Lie with your face towards the floor and your arms and legs extended. Your neck should be in a neutral position. Lift your arms and legs towards the ceiling such that you form an elongated ‘U’ shape with your body.

Hold in this position for 2–5 seconds and lower your back down to complete one rep. Do three sets of 10 reps each.

Knee Ups

You should do 50–100 knee ups according to your capacity and start slowly. This exercise has some serious health benefits and helps in strengthening the core.

How to do it:

Lie with your back on a flat bench, with your hips bent and legs in the air. Now draw in your navel and contract your glutes. Lift your hips off the bench, pressing your feet up towards the ceiling.

Push Ups

Push ups are beneficial for strengthening the chest and arm muscles.

How to do it:

Get down on the ground and set your hands at a distance wider than the shoulder. Look straight ahead of you and get started.

Lunges

Anuj Vats of Shvas the Body Architecture, Delhi, says he would advise lunges over squats because when people do squats and the posture is not right, they can injure their hip or knee.

Lunges can help you develop lower-body strength and endurance. Try the hanging position as this is the best for healthy shoulders. This is the easiest exercise to do at home.

How to do it:

Hang from a bar with your legs straight and then raise your feet towards your hands.

Planks

Planks are very important for your core strength. All it needs is one minute.

Plank is an excellent exercise for developing core strength. (Shutterstock)
Plank is an excellent exercise for developing core strength. (Shutterstock)

How to do it:

Place your forearms on the floor and arms parallel to the body at about shoulder-width distance and hold on to the position for at least one minute.

Note:

“Have 3–4 sets of your exercises according to your capacity. If you have any type of pain, please contact a doctor. Do dynamic stretching for only 4–5 seconds only. Take rest on Sundays to give your body the much needed break. Drink a good quantity of water,” Vats advises.

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