Workouts for WomenWeight Loss

The Best Weight Loss Workouts For Women

So many women out there are trudging away on the running machine, trying to lose a few pounds.

Press pause. 

We’re here to tell you that hitting the cardio for hours is definitely not the best, or most efficient way for you to lose weight. Let’s forget all about those long, painfully boring workouts and burn fat the smart way.

Science has shown that melting away fat can be easier than that.

To help you lose weight, get healthier and spend less time on the dreaded running machine, we’ve got everything you need to know about the best weight loss workouts for women right here.

Seriously, you’ll thank us in the long run (see what we did there?).

woman sprinting as part of a weight loss workout

How to lose weight

Let’s start with the basics. Once you have the fundamental knowledge on how to lose weight nailed down, understanding what you need to be doing in the gym and in the kitchen suddenly becomes a whole lot easier.

It all comes down to this one simple rule. You have to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight.

That means, you need to be burning more calories than you’re eating on a daily basis, and you’ll begin to drop the pounds.

[Related Article: Best Fitness Trackers for Small Wrists]

First up, this means you need to have your nutrition nailed. But that’s a whole other article – check out our guide on weight loss nutrition right here.

In terms of workouts, there are a few things you need to know. Your weight loss workout for women should help you burn fat in the following ways:

  • Boost your metabolism. A higher metabolic rate means your body uses through more calories which translates as more fat burned. Your metabolism can be raised if you have more muscle on your frame, or if you put your body under a certain amount of exertion.
  • Target fat specifically. Muscle is so good for your health, and it means you’re using more calories, so we don’t want a workout that loses you muscle rather than fat. To avoid that, a good weight loss workout can drill into your fat reserves for energy, to create a healthier body composition. This means you’ll lose fat and retain muscle. Amazing.

To do these things, you need the perfect weight loss workouts for women. Check these out.

Weight loss workouts for women

HIIT

Right at the top of our list for fat burning is HIIT, or high intensity interval training. It’s based around a formula of pushing yourself to the max for a short period of time, followed by a short rest period. This is then repeated several times.

A HIIT workout is super quick, usually lasting between 10-20 minutes, but will push you to the max. On top of that, it also is one of the most effective ways to burn fat over [1] , with much better results than endurance style workouts.

By pushing yourself this hard, your body goes into overdrive and turns to fat as fuel, so you can keep working on full throttle. It also maintains your muscle because you need it for explosive power, so you’re honing in on the fat burn specifically.

Check out these 3 sprint HIIT workouts to get you started.

Weightlifting

woman deadlifting as part of a weight loss workout

The muscles within your body are some of the best fat burning tools you can have on your side. They raise use more calories than fat on a day to day basis, which raises your metabolism. So you’re burning more cals just by having them. Bonus.

To build muscle you need to start challenging it. That means lifting weights. You won’t get out of breath particularly, but trust us, the next day you’ll feel it.

What’s more, when combined with the right diet, lifting weights is telling your body you need to keep the muscle, and melt away the fat. Which makes for a much healthier muscle to fat ratio.

Check out this weights based legs workout for a taste of fat-burning weightlifting.

Weighted circuits

When it comes to muscle and cardio, it’s very much a case of use it or lose it. If you love lifting weights, then decide to run for two hours every a day, you could be saying goodbye to your fat-burning gains very quickly. In short, your body doesn’t need tonnes of muscle for endurance exercises, you’re more efficient at running with a lightweight frame. As such, you could shred muscle more readily than fat.

You will lose fat too, but if you want to stay strong too, you’ll definitely struggle. To maintain that healthy composition of high muscle and low fat, you need to try weighted circuits.

Try mixing up these exercises in a short sharp circuit session for some burning weight loss workouts. Go through all of these four times:

  • 12 Jumping lunges
  • 15 Press ups
  • 12 Kettlebell swings
  • 15 Sit ups

[Related Article: 5 Best Fat Burners for Women

Want to lose weight? Nutrition is essential

woman after weight loss workouts

If you really want to lose fat, you need to nail down your nutrition.

There are a few things you need to know that will help you lose fat, rather than muscle for a healthier body composition and a stronger, fitter physique:

  • Eat less calories than you burn
  • Consume more protein

By eating less calories than you use, your body will start turn to fat as a form of energy and burn it. That means you’re saying goodbye to more fat.

Science shows that when you eat a high protein diet you burn more fat[2]. Protein is essentially the building blocks of muscle. Every time you work out, the protein is used to repair the damaged muscle and build it back stronger. By eating more, it promotes a healthier body composition of more muscle than fat.

Combine the right nutrition with your weight loss workouts and you’re on the right track.

The final rep – gymgirl hints and tips

Once you have a few weight loss workouts under your belt, the key to really losing weight is consistency, and setting yourself achievable goals.

By regularly lifting weights and doing one of the HIIT or circuit style training at least three times a week and getting your diet on lock down, there’s nothing standing in the way between you and your body goals.

When you set yourself achievable goals, you’ll remain motivated and and excited by your progress, rather than discouraged at the speed of our fat loss. Don’t worry, this isn’t an overnight process and you’re doing all the right things to get there.

gymgirlfit

gymgirlfit was created by health and fitness enthusiasts, with backgrounds in powerlifting and writing. We've written for a number of well-known fitness publishing companies.

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