Burn Fat at Home

If you want to burn fat quickly, combining cardiovascular training and strength training in your routine while adhering to a healthy diet will ensure results. A gym membership is not necessary for you to burn fat at home, nor are expensive, complicated workout machines. Watch your diet, do light exercise during chores and while relaxing, and get into the habit of some light cardio, and you'll soon notice a difference in how you look and feel!

Steps

Eating to Burn Fat

  1. Track your calories. Your body is like a calorie bank; the more calories you take in, the larger your body bank account grows. But unlike your real bank account, your body suffers when it has too many calories. Too many calories can result in you becoming overweight and developing heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and more.[1] By tracking your calories, you can start balancing your diet so that your body bank can achieve a healthy balance.
    • Write down everything you eat and approximately how many calories each food item costs. This will help you recognize which foods are calorically expensive and not worth the effect on your waistline.
    • Average you number of calories by dividing the total number of calories you've eaten by the number of days you've tracked your calories. A healthy, reasonably active adult is generally recommended to eat about 2,000 calories per day.[2]
    • You may want to keep a food journal the entire time you are trying to burn fat. This will ensure you do not slip and return to a higher calorie lifestyle.
  2. Increase your water intake. Water helps your body regulate the quantity you eat, your digestion, and even your kidney function! Doctors recommend, for peak healthiness, that you drink at least a half ounce of water per pound that you weigh.[3]
    • As an example, if you weigh 160 lbs, you should drink about 80 oz of water per day, and potentially more if you live in a hot climate or are very physically active.[3]
    • Foods with a higher water content, like many fruits, have also been found to result in less BMI and a reduced waistline.[4]
  3. Eat fewer salty foods. If you're like most Americans, you might have a higher salt intake than is healthy.[5] Excess salt in your diet could be causing higher water retention in your body, which can put strain on your heart over time and may cause high blood pressure.[6]
    • The water retention connected to high salt consumption can also leave you feeling bloated, which can negatively impact any physical activity you had planned on doing throughout the day.
  4. Step up your vegetable consumption. Veggies are chalk full of fiber and other nutrients, which will be beneficial for your weight loss plans.[7] Thanks to the fact that fiber helps you feel full, by eating it you should feel less hungry during the day, which will hopefully translate to less calories consumed and weight loss.[8]
    • Some foods that are high in fiber include: fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
  5. Remove temptation from your home.[9] It can be hard to resist a bag of chips or a sweet treat when the craving hits you at home. However, to burn fat, you'll need to avoid high calorie treats. Additionally, the nutritional value of much snack food is poor and by switching to healthier snacks you can improve your overall nutrition. You might consider eating:
    • Berries
    • Carrots
    • Celery
    • Kale chips
    • Hummus
  6. Dine only on a plate. Even if you think that you'll only take a single chip from the bag and then return it to the cabinet, studies have shown that it can be difficult to resist taking more than you need.[10] Health experts encourage dieters to only eat from a plate to prevent overeating from the bag.[11]
    • Portion control has been linked to the intake of too many calories.[12] This is another reason why you should consider keeping your food journal while trying to shed pounds.
  7. Keep a regular eating schedule. Regular meals with reasonable portions will help you get into the habit of healthy living.[13] The more consistently healthy your diet and habits, the easier it will be for you to maintain lost weight and improved health once you've lost the weight.

Exercising Throughout the Day

  1. Think about starting a routine. Once you get into the habit of something, even something hard like running every morning, it can become easier as you continue doing it. If you think you might benefit from this, you might block off some time in the morning, afternoon, or evening when you're at home and can do some exercise.[14]
    • You can combine your exercise with something you had been planning on doing at home already. For example, if you watch a TV show every Wednesday evening, you might do some light exercise while watching your show.
  2. Invest in free weights. You don't need to get an entire weight set or massive dumbbells from a sporting goods store! Free weights can be bought for a reasonable price at most second hand or thrift stores. Your fitness level will determine the weight of the dumbbell you purchase; aim for weight that is challenging, but doesn't strain you.
    • Lifting free weights works multiple muscle groups at a time, making this a highly efficient exercise.
    • A pair of 5, 10, and 15 pound weights should be sufficient for you to get started with weight training.
  3. Weight train with your free weights. It is important that you exercise good form when you weight train. Generally, you should keep your body straight and fully extend the muscle you are training with your dumbbell. If you are out of practice where free weights are concerned, you might revisit how to work out with dumbbells.
  4. Curl your free weights to work your biceps. Begin with your dumbbells in both hands and your hands at your side. You can alternate hands or do both at the same time, but you should raise your dumbbell(s) from your side until you reach shoulder height. Keep your elbows stationary and limit yourself from jerking your upper body while completing this motion in a controlled fashion.
  5. Perform a free weight shoulder press. With your body straight and your dumbbells in hand, raise the dumbbells over your shoulders with your palms facing forward. Raise the dumbbells straight above your head until your arms nearly lock, pause briefly, and then lower back into the starting position in a smooth motion. Be sure not to jerk your back while doing the shoulder press, as this could lead to injury.
  6. Exercise your lats with a free weight lateral raise. Hold each dumbbell in front of your hips with your palms facing each other. Your elbows should be slightly angled, and you should try to maintain these throughout this exercise. From your starting position, raise the dumbbells until your arms are roughly parallel with the floor, pause briefly at the top of your range of motion, and then lower the weights to the starting position in a controlled fashion.
  7. Use resistance bands. They offer a complete and highly effective strength training workout to build muscle and burn fat in a space-saving, inexpensive and highly portable form. Similar in look to a jump rope, the bands are made of plastic tubing and come in differing resistance levels (light, medium or heavy or specific pound equivalents). Some specific exercises you might try include:
    • Bicep curls: place the instep of your foot on top of the middle of your resistance band to pin the band to the floor.Use an underhanded grip at both ends of your band, and pull your arm up to about shoulder height by bending at the elbow in a controlled, full motion.[15]
    • Deltoid flies: with your feet shoulder width apart, step on your band to pin it to the floor. Hold onto each end of the band while your arms are at your sides, then extend your arms upward so that your body and arms form a T shape and your palms, when full extended, face downward.[16]
    • Kneeling crunches: wrap your resistance band around a pole or tree that roughly at waist level height, then kneel to the floor. You may want to use a gym mat or yoga mat to put less strain on your knees while performing this exercise. Grip both ends of the resistance band a few inches above your chest, bend to the floor at a 90° angle to form an L shape, keeping your arms in position in front of your chest. In a controlled motion, return to a fully upright position and repeat as desired.[15]
  8. Wall sit your way to better glutes and thighs. Due to the fact that this exercise isolate glutes and thigh, this particular exercise is great working those parts of the body. Especially if you have a knee injury that prevents you from doing other exercises, like squats, as these put little stress on your knees. To do a wall sit:
    • Flatten your back against a wall.
    • Slide your back down until your legs are bent at a 90° angle.
    • Do not extend your knees past your ankles; keep your knees above your ankles.
    • Tense your abdominal muscles while holding the position.
    • Hold this position as though you were sitting for 20 - 60 seconds.[17]
  9. Plank the fat away. The plank is an excellent full body work out that you can do on the floor of your home while watching TV. To execute a plank, you should lower yourself to your hands and knees on a clean section floor. Hold your weight with your forearms and stretch your feet back one at a time until both of your feet are fully extended. Only your toes and forearms should be touching the ground. Then you should:
    • Hold a straight line with your body between your shoulders and ankles.
    • Suck in your belly as much as possible to engage core muscles.
    • Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.
    • Repeat this exercise two to three times for best results.[18]

Incorporating Around the House Cardio

  1. Increase heart rate with jumping jacks. This is a simple exercise that can really get your blood pumping. Start with your feet together and your arms at your sides. You should keep your knees slightly bent throughout this exercise. Jump and spread your arms and legs in an X-shape while doing so. Jump again from the X-shaped position and return your hands and legs to the starting position.[19]
    • When you jump, try to land on the front portion of your foot for best balance and form.
    • Increase the intensity of your jumping jacks by upping your jump speed.
  2. Lunge to lower your weight. The bodyweight lunge exercises many muscles at the same time and can be done virtually anywhere you can take a step. You can do a handful of lunges while waiting for food to cook, or you can lunge from one end of your home to the other by:
    • Keeping your upper body straight, your shoulders back and relaxed, and your chin up.
    • Flexing your core.
    • Stepping forward with one leg until it is directly above your ankle at a 90° angle.
    • Being careful not to extend your forward knee over your ankle.
    • Keeping your knees from touching the floor while lunging.[20]
  3. Jump rope. This is a high intensity activity that you can do in or around your home as long as you have a jump rope. Choose a rope that, while standing on its middle with both feet together, extends all the way to your armpits.[21] Start with the rope behind you, and as it passes in front:[22]
    • Take a small hop. Ideally, you should only jump high enough to clear the cord of your jump rope.
    • Continue to swing the jump rope around your body and jump over and through the middle of it.
    • Increase difficulty and intensity by increasing your speed.
    • Try variations on the basic hop, like side jumps, alternating jumps, and single leg jumps.
  4. Take the stairs, if possible. Getting every additional bit of exercise you can will stoke the fires of your fat burning activities. Take on every physical challenge that crosses your path, including stairs! You can also use these as part of an actual routine by climbing stairs around your house in between other exercises.[23]
  5. Turn on your music and dance. You don't need to practice a particular step, though some people find group dancing and dancing classes helpful for fitness. Simply turn your music on and let it move you!
    • You can do this exercise while doing chores around the house as well. Put on a pair of headphones and dance to the music as you vacuum or dust.
  6. Climb the fitness mountain with mountain climbers. This bodyweight exercise engages your whole body, which means you'll be burning more calories in less time. Lower yourself to the floor until you are on your hands and knees. Your hands should be positioned shoulder-width apart under you chest. Extend both feet so your legs are straight and raised off the floor, with your toes and hands bracing you. Then you should:
    • Draw a leg from the extended position as closely to your chest as possible without touching the floor with your body or leg.
    • Return the leg you've raised to your chest to the full extended position.
    • Draw your other leg up to your chest in the same fashion.
    • Alternate between legs for the desired amount of repetitions.[24]



Tips

  • Make sure to include variety in your routine and be sure to do some strength training. Increasing your muscle mass is fundamental to burning fat, as it increases your metabolism. A high metabolism will make you burn more calories even at rest, as your muscles require more energy for fuel.
  • Weightlifting gloves help you keep your form and prevent injury by giving you a better grip on free weights. They cover the palm of your hand and stop at the fingers to give your hands maximum mobility. Make sure you get a snug but not-too-tight fit. Try them on before buying.
  • Strength training for women is unlikely to result in a bulky physique, contrary to many people's belief. It will help with increasing muscle mass, which is what you want to boost your metabolism and burn fat.
  • A weight bench can provide balance and support for working with free weights. Make sure you go for quality construction and stability – the bench should sit solidly on the floor and not rock in place when you sit or lean on it, and should also have adequate padding.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/obesity-overview
  2. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/diet/estimated-calorie-requirement
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.webmd.com/diet/water-for-weight-loss-diet?page=2
  4. ↑ http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20306719,00.html
  5. ↑ http://www.shape.com/blogs/weight-loss-coach/can-salt-prevent-you-losing-weight
  6. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/diet/5-easy-ways-to-cut-back-on-salt
  7. ↑ http://patient.info/health/weight-reduction-how-to-lose-weight
  8. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/diet/fiber-weight-control
  9. ↑ http://blog.healthgenie.in/foods-that-burn-body-fat-fast/
  10. ↑ http://www.nhs.uk/news/2008/07July/Pages/Dosnackpacksmakepeopleeatmore.aspx
  11. ↑ https://www.emedihealth.com/weight-loss-friendly-smoothies.html
  12. ↑ http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/pdf/portion_size_research.pdf
  13. ↑ http://www.nutrition.gov/weight-management/strategies-success/interested-losing-weight
  14. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/6-ways-build-better-body-budget?page=1
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 http://workouttrends.com/getting-toned-with-resistance-bands
  16. ↑ http://build-muscle-101.com/resistance-band-shoulder-exercises/
  17. ↑ http://30dayfitnesschallenges.com/how-to-do-a-wall-sit-exercise/
  18. ↑ http://30dayfitnesschallenges.com/how-to-do-a-plank/
  19. ↑ http://exrx.net/Aerobic/Exercises/JumpingJack.html
  20. ↑ http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/know-your-basics-how-do-lunge
  21. ↑ https://www.jumprope.com/choosing_rope.php
  22. ↑ http://exrx.net/Aerobic/Exercises/JumpRopeSingleHop.html
  23. ↑ http://exrx.net/Aerobic/Exercises/GauntletStairClimber.html
  24. ↑ http://30dayfitnesschallenges.com/how-to-do-mountain-climbers/
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