Parade aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.
There will always be a million excuses not to work out: you don’t have the time, you’re late for work, you aren’t in the mood to leave your couch. The list goes on and on, but studies show that nothing improves your mood and mental state quite like sweating it out in the name of fitness. Thank you, endorphins!
The same findings also make the correlated case between consistent physical activity and improved sleep quality, so if you suffer from insomnia or restlessness, you may have even more reasons to move your body. And of course, if you’re hoping to drop a few pounds, creating a calorie deficit through exercise is an excellent strategy.
As for how to get started—even with limited availability, we consulted a group of expert trainers on the best weight loss workouts to try if you only have an hour a week. Whether that’s one 60-minute session on one day or shorter, 10-minute workouts six days a week, their tips and tutorials will inspire you to try a new activity and live a healthier lifestyle at the same time.
Related: 17 Best Exercises to Lose Belly Fat
The Best Workouts for Weight Loss if You Only Have One Hour a Week
1. Full-Body Workout With Resistance Band
If you don’t want to buy a gym membership or commit more than an hour a week to work out, Josh York, CPT, founder and CEO of GYMGUYZ has a solution: a full-body workout with resistance bands. “Working out with resistance bands doesn’t just build muscle, it also helps target and melt away fat,” he explains. It’s a simple and effective tool to increase the difficulty of any workout and a pull-up or stretch loop band can be found for $6 or less on Amazon.
Whether you use your bands for 10, 20 or 30 minutes at a time during the week, your baseline will improve and the ‘after burn’ effect will be activated, according to York. “This refers to the elevated oxygen levels in the body during and after any type of strength or resistance training,” he says. That means even after your workout is over, your body will continue to burn fat, which can result in weight loss over time.
Here’s how to try a full-body workout with bands at home:
View the original article to see embedded media.
2. Low-Impact Functional Movements
Opting for a mat workout, choosing lighter dumbbells or doing a low-impact routine like Pvolve is one of the best workouts you can try, according to their head of programming, Maeve McEwen. This high-intensity low-impact method focuses on mobility, stability and strength, but you can select workouts ranging from 19 to 60 minutes in length, depending on how much time you have.
Their app also allows you to search for specific workouts by length, body focus and equipment. McEwen notes that their science-led approach to fitness employs resistance-based equipment like their signature P.ball—an exercise ball placed into a resistance band—that’s designed to sculpt inner thighs and a lifted butt.
It’s worth pointing out though that if your main concern is weight loss, weekly Pvolve classes can definitely help you tone up but probably won’t give you drastic results without incorporating some form of cardio. Sneaking in 10-minute walks, jogs or runs—in addition to low-impact functional movements—will be your best plan for making the most of your 60 minutes a week to lose weight.
Here’s how to use the P.ball (or a heavy yoga ball) to work your legs, glutes and core:
View the original article to see embedded media.
3. Boxing
If you can only squeeze one workout into a jam-packed week, Alyssa Anne Wilmarth can’t recommend boxing enough. The ASFA-certified personal trainer and mitt work boxing coach at Rumble credits the full-body sport with recruiting so many different muscles from head to toe and the best part about their nationwide studios and on-demand classes is there’s no intimidating ring required.
Instead of one-on-one sparring, Wilmarth says Rumble combines HIIT (high-intensity interval training), strength training, (METCON) metabolic conditioning and cardio in one fast-paced class that’s set to an awesome playlist—and makes 45-60 minutes fly by.
“What I love most about boxing and the uniqueness of the sport is that it allows you to implement all areas: speed, power, strength, balance, coordination and conditioning,” she explains. “Even if you have no plans to step into a ring, shadowboxing or hitting an aqua-filled bag at Rumble will give you similar benefits.”
In addition to getting your heart rate pumping and burning a lot of calories (up to 13 per minute), Wilmarth says another benefit of boxing is that it doesn’t take much to put your body into fat-burning mode. “The cool thing about boxing workouts is you can switch it up and never get bored by stitching endless punching combos together to keep your workouts fun and fresh.”
Here’s how to try shadow boxing, 1 2 3 4 5 step forward + shuffle back:
View the original article to see embedded media.
Related: 10 Easy Strength Training Exercises for a Great Workout
4. Foam Roller Flow
Celebrity trainer and founder of The SSN Method, Sarah Sadie Newetth, has spent the last 15+ years as an industry expert in pilates, yoga and aerial work, which she performed while touring with Lady Gaga and Lil’ Kim. So if anyone knows a thing or two about getting in your best shape, it’s this “badass body transformation coach.”
If you haven’t been successful at committing to 60 minutes of movement at a time, Newett’s #1 tip for weight loss is to split up the hour into manageable 8-9 minute sessions each day. With an extra minute jamming out to your favorite song to warm up your body.
“Set a time on your phone and get right to it,” she says. “Breaking it down this way means you’re building a habit that can be tougher than building your biceps or quads. Newett also insists that consistency yields results and 8-9 minutes a day means your body will get used to feeling good and associate that feeling with moving.
To try her foam roller flow circuit, you’ll need a mat, a $12 foam roller you can get on Amazon and only 10 minutes of time.
Step 1: Warm Up
Spend 60 seconds dancing, jumping, and getting pumped to your favorite songs before beginning the foam roller flow.
Step 2: Straight-Up Arm Lifts
Newett swears these arm lifts wake up your spine, shoulders and core—and transform your posture at the same time. To do it, begin by standing on your knees, placing the roller in between your palms, inhaling, stretching your arms overhead, exhaling and lowering your arms down. Repeat for 60 seconds.
Step 2: Knee Stretches
Next, it’s onto knee crunches. “Say hello to your abs so strongly you can feel them activate without question or pain in your neck,” she says. To perform them, come to all fours with your knees on the foam roller and wrists under your shoulders. Exhale and round your spine, drawing knees to elbows while moving the foam roller forward. Inhale and send the roller back underneath your hips and look up. Repeat for 60 seconds.
Step 3: All 4s Flow
To challenge your balance and engage your core, triceps, glutes and hamstrings quickly, Newett loves a move called All 4s Flow. Come to all fours on a mat and place the roller vertically underneath one knee. Lift the other leg to hip height and set your gaze forward. Exhale, round your spine and bend the lifted knee, drawing it to the same side elbow. Inhale, extend your spine and lengthen your leg behind you. Repeat for 60 seconds.
Here’s how to try these moves and more in less than 10 minutes:
View the original article to see embedded media.
Next up: If You’re Trying To Lose Weight, Here’s Exactly How to Time Your Afternoon Snack
Sources
- Alyssa Anne Wilmarth is an ASFA-certified personal trainer, USA amateur fighter and mitt work boxing coach at Rumble.
- Sarah Sadie Newett is a celebrity trainer, educator and founder of The SSN Method, who specializes in pilates, yoga and aerial bodywork.
- Maeve McEwen is the director of programming and head trainer at Pvolve.
-
Josh York, CPT, is the founder and CEO of GYMGUYZ, the largest in-home and on-site personal training company in the world.
- Role of Physical Activity on Mental Health and Well-Being. National Institutes of Health
For more latest Health News Click Here