Fat burning plays a major role in any individual’s weight loss aspirations. While there are several fat burners one can turn to in order to achieve these goals, it is advised that they stick to natural sources. We discuss all you need to know about fat burners below.

Natural Fat Burners

However enticing it may seem, rapid fat burning is not healthy. It not only has several physical side effects but can affect a person mentally as well.

Data shows that people are likely to gain back the weight they lose through fast fat-burning techniques or food. This can affect one’s morale and esteem in more ways than one. The physical side effects of artificial fat burning will be later discussed in the article.

Let’s face it! Fat burning is a gradual and time involving process. Nonetheless, we can expedite it. The first way, of course, is exercising. There are a number of exercises that can speed up the process and help you get rid of your body fat faster.

The second is food. Yes, you read it right, adding a few items to your diet can help you shed a few inches. Furthermore, these natural means are more likely to last and even affect your overall health in a positive way. Read more to find out!

Fat Burning Foods

1. Apples

Nutritional value of a medium-sized apple (100 grams)

• Calories – 95
• Fiber – 4grams
• Carbohydrates – 25grams
• Protein – 0.3 grams
• Sugar – 10.4 grams
• Fat – 0.2 grams
• Vitamin C – 14 per cent of the RDI (Reference Daily Intake)
• Vitamin K – 5 per cent of the RDI
• Potassium – 6 per cent of the RDI
• Water – 86 per cent

Apples contain flavonoids, a natural chemical responsible for burning fat. According to a study published in 2017, researchers found a correlation between flavonoid intake and lower waist circumference and body mass index. Furthermore, apples are rich in a particular type of fibre called pectin that breaks down slowly and thus acts as a hunger suppressant. 

2. Brown rice

Nutritional value of 100 grams of brown rice

• Calories- 88 Kcal
• Carbs: 18.4 g
• Fibre: 0.8 g
• Fat: 0.7 g
• Protein: 1.9 g

If you’re a rice lover and it’s a part of your daily meal, you should consider having brown rice over the white one since it has less carb content, is low in calories and is enriched with essential nutrients like iron and potassium.

A study conducted by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2017 revealed that those who consumed a low-calorie diet lost more belly fat as compared to the ones who consumed refined grains. Furthermore, the manganese present in brown rice helps convert macronutrients present in the grain into energy. Thus having brown rice keeps you energetic and you lose a few additional calories.

3. Green Chilli

Nutritional Facts Per 100 grams

If you like spicing up your food with chillies, continue to do so. According to research done by Central Food Technological Research Institute India, chillies contain capsaicin- a chemical component that gives it the ‘hot’ factor and has fat-reducing properties.

According to the research, capsaicin increases the production and effect of obestatin- an appetite control hormone. As a result, you avoid overeating. Furthermore, chilli boost metabolism and thus helps the body burn excess fat.

4. Black Coffee

Nutritional value of an 8-ounce cup of black coffee:

• Fat – 0%
• Cholesterol – 0%
• Sodium – 0%
• Carbohydrates – 0%
• Sugar – 0%
• Potassium – 4%

Black coffee contains antioxidants, which help in the weight loss process. Being rich in caffeine helps in the stimulation of metabolic activity and increases your energy level, thereby suppressing hunger.

Black coffee contains chlorogenic acid, which helps to slow down glucose production in your body. This means that if you drink black coffee after a meal, then your body will produce less glucose and fat cells.

If you are taking black coffee for weight loss, it is important to note that you should drink it without any additives. This means no sugar, cream, milk, or any other added flavour. 

However, excessive coffee intake can mess up your sleeping routine. It is recommended that you avoid coffee a few hours before bedtime if you want to get a good night’s sleep.

5. Eggs

Nutritional value of one hard-boiled egg

• Calories – 77
• Protein – 6.3 grams 
• Total fat – 5.3 grams 
• Cholesterol – 187 milligrams 
• Sodium – 62 milligrams 
• Carbohydrates – 0.6 gram 
• Sugar – 1 gram 

Vitamins and Minerals (as per Recommended Daily Allowances) in a large boiled egg:

• Vitamin A – 6% of the RDA
• Folate – 5% of RDA
• Vitamin B5- 7% of RDA 
• Vitamin B12- 15% of RDA 
• Phosphorous – 9% of RDA 
• Selenium – 22% of RDA

Eggs are a crucial part of several popular diets, as it is full of nutrients. The best part about it is that they are excellent fat-burning foods. When you add eggs to your meal, you feel full for a couple of hours.

As a result, you consume a lower amount of calories, which in turn helps reduce body fat. Eggs contain protein, which is responsible for enhancing your metabolic rate. Eating an egg-based breakfast may stop a person from consuming extra calories throughout the day.

6. Fatty fish

Fish is a great source of heart-healthy lean protein. Fish like Mackerel and sardines have high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients aid in eliminating body fat, helping you lose weight faster.

The presence of high-quality protein makes you feel full for longer periods. Also, it improves your metabolic rate, which helps digest carbs and fat quickly.

Furthermore, fatty fish reduces the production of cortisol, a stress hormone. Apart from mental agony, stress also causes fat build-up in the body. Thus, eating fish, not only accelerates fat burning but de-stresses you. 

Read about the best fish to eat and those to avoid and make an informed choice.

7. Green tea

Green tea is packed with nutrients and antioxidants that increase fat burning. This healthy beverage contains the antioxidant Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) which boosts metabolism.

EGCG also acts as an appetite suppressant and thus controls your calorie intake. Green Tea also contains a considerable amount of caffeine, a well-known stimulant that helps your body burn both fat and calories.

Avoid adding sweeteners (such as sugar, honey, milk or cream) to your green tea if you want to best reap its benefits. The effect of the antioxidants in green tea may be strengthened when its consumption is combined with exercise.

However, like any other food and beverage, excess green tea consumption has potential side effects. Read our article about the Potential Side Effects of Excess Green Tea. 

8. Olive oil

Out of all oils you can consume, olive oil is the healthiest. Cooking in olive oil increases HDL cholesterol while bringing down triglycerides. As a result, your body releases GLP-1, which helps you remain full for longer periods. Also, a study published in 2018 showed an increase in fat loss when consuming extra virgin olive oil. 

Fat Burning Diet Plan

Consuming natural fat burners can be crucial to weight loss. However, it is best to follow a particular diet plan in order to achieve your weight loss goals. That said, one must consult a nutritionist before choosing to follow any meal plan.

• Start your day with a glass of lukewarm water and a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
• For breakfast, have a bowl of oats porridge.
• Drink 3 cups of green tea spaced out through the day.
• Eat brown rice, cabbage sabzi, and rajma curry along with a bowl of carrot tomato onion salad for lunch.
• Have a bowl of steamed sprouts chat as an evening snack.
• For dinner, eat 2 multigrain rotis along with a katori of soyabean mushroom curry and a bowl of capsicum onion salad.

While a diet plan like this may help you burn fat over time, it is ideal to follow a balanced diet with more nutrients as per your requirements. Find the best Indian Diet Plan for weight loss here.

Fat Burning Recipes

Eating the right foods are key to burning fat in the body. Try the following delicious recipes and keep your weight loss journey going.

Steamed sprouts chat

Ingredients

• Moong beans, sprouted and steamed 1 cup
• Small or medium-sized onion, finely chopped 1
• Medium-sized tomato, finely chopped 1
• Green chilli, finely chopped 1 (optional)
• Red chilli powder ¼ tsp
• Chaat masala ½ or 1 tsp (optional)
• Lemon juice 1 tsp or as required
• 1 cucumber chopped
• Few coriander leaves and lemon slices for garnishing
• Rock salt or black salt to taste

Preparation

1. Mix all the ingredients listed above, except salt and lemon juice, with sprouted beans in a bowl.
2. Season with salt, and lemon juice and garnish with lemon slices and coriander leaves just before serving.

Oats porridge

Ingredients

• Oats – one-third cup
• 1 cup water
• Half cup low-fat milk
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 pinch salt
• Half apple, half sliced and half chopped
• 1 tsp honey
• 5 almonds, chopped

Preparation

1. In a deep pot, add oats along with water, milk, salt, and cinnamon.
2. Begin to boil the mixture and then simmer it for about 5-6 minutes with occasional stirring.
3. Add the chopped apples and cook for another couple of minutes till the oatmeal is thick and creamy, and the apples have slightly softened.
4. Remove the mixture to a serving bowl. Top it with the remaining apple slices, slivered almonds, and a drizzle of honey

Fat Burning Exercises

While consuming fat-burning foods, supplements, and fruits, you need to complement it with exercise. Given below are a handful of different movements you must practice every day:

1. Bear crawl

Although it looks like a simple exercise, it works on your entire body. 

1. You need to go down on all fours, without your knees or elbows touching the ground. 
2. Start walking forward and backwards for one minute.
3. Make sure your back is straight at all times.

2. Goblet squat

It is an exercise where you don’t place immense pressure on your back. As a result, it focuses on your thighs, which helps burn fat. 

1. Hold a kettle ball with two hands and go into the squat position. 
2. Do ten reps every minute and ensure your back is straight.

3. Jump rope

Jump rope is a high-intensity workout which will make sure you work up a sweat quickly. You need to skip over a rope for two minutes straight to start burning the fat.

4. Vertical Leg Crunch

1. Lie flat on the floor with legs extended upwards and then one knee crossed over the other.
2. Breathe in and then lift the upper body towards the pelvis. Breathe out slowly.
3. Do 12-16 crunches in two or three sets.

5. Bicycle exercise

1. Lie on the mat or on the floor and keep your hands either behind your head or by your side just like you would for crunches. 
2. Lift both your legs off the ground and bend them at the knees. 
3. Bring the right knee close to the chest while keeping the left leg down. 
4. Take the right leg down and bring the left leg towards the chest. 
5. Alternate bending the knees as if you are using a bicycle.

6. Crunches

1. Start by lying down flat with your knees bent and your feet on the ground. 
2. Lift your hands and then place them behind the head or keep them crossed on the chest. Inhale deeply.
3. As you lift the upper torso off the floor, you should exhale. Again inhale when you get back down and then exhale as you come up.
4. If you are a beginner, start by doing 10 crunches in every set. Each day, aim to complete two to three sets of crunches.

7.  Bird dog

1. Put your weight on your hands and toes while bending your knees to take a tabletop position. Squeeze your core to keep your spine straight.
2. Raise your left arm to reach straight forward, while simultaneously raising your right leg and stretching it out.
3. Hold for a count, squeezing your core, before returning to the original position.
4. Repeat the movement with your right arm and left leg to complete 1 rep.

Artificial Fat Burner Side Effects

While artificial fat burners can help with almost immediate weight loss, you can gain back this weight just as quickly. These fluctuations in weight can be harmful to your body. In addition to that, artificial fat burners can also have the following side effects:

1. Allergies

Fat burners are commonly associated with allergies. Certain ingredients of these pills tend to create reactions inside the consumer’s body. Some of the common symptoms of these allergies are itching, stomach upsets, etc.

2. Insomnia

You could also lose sleep as an effect of fat burners pills. For example, the fat burner ephedrine is known to alter one’s regular sleep patterns. Excessive consumption of these fat burners can lead to disruption in one sleep and can have severe effects on one’s health.

3. Heart Risk

Several ingredients found in fat-burning pills are known to be harmful to the heart. Many such pills have been removed from the market due to their interference with the heart.

One such fat burner is sibutramine, which resulted in major heart damage, that led to strokes and heart attacks. Another substance called bitter orange showed side effects that can lead to heart attacks.

4. Behavioural Change

These pills are often accompanied by changes in behaviour such as eating habits. One common area is dietary patterns. People who have these pills also suffer from mood swings, anxiety, higher blood pressure etc. 

5. Other Complications

Certain ingredients in these pills can lead to emotional disturbances creating mental health issues. In certain cases, people have to deal with problems like addiction with these pills behaving like drugs.

Summary

Although many people wish to shed kilos in a shorter span of time, it is not recommended for one to do so. Quick weight loss can have several side effects that can be harmful to the body. It is ideal to aim to lose weight steadily over a longer period of time by following a balanced diet. 

Frequently Added Questions (FAQs)

Q. What foods help burn belly fat?

A: Foods such as whole grains, fibre-rich fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fatty fish, green tea, black coffee, nuts and seeds help burn belly fat faster. 

Q. What fruits and vegetables burn the most fat?

A: All fibre-rich fruits and vegetables will help in fat loss. These include pears, apples, melons, peppers, and cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, and leafy greens.

Q. How do I lose 10 pounds in a week?

A: This is an unrealistic goal. Focus on consistent long-term weight loss of about a pound every week, with a balanced diet rich in nutrients instead of drastic weight loss by doing crash diets.

Q. How can I lose fat quickly?

A: There is no quick fix for fat loss. Fat takes a long time to deposit in the body due to a faulty lifestyle and to get rid of that, one needs to include a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and regular exercise to see results.

Q. Are fat burners good?

A:  Yes, natural means of fat burning like exercising and a conscious diet are great ways to stay in shape and keep yourself healthy. There are many exercises like bear crawl, goblet squat, jump rope, vertical leg crunch, bicycle crunches etc that are efficient in accelerating your fat burning process. Furthermore adding a few foods such as apples, boiled eggs, black coffee, green tea, chillies, brown rice and fatty fish improve the pathway for fat burning. 

Q. Which fat burner is best for fat loss?

A: There is no short-cut method for fat loss. Burning fat accumulated over months as a result of a sedentary lifestyle demands dedication and effort. One needs to exercise and consume healthy foods in order to burn fat. A few exercises like  bear crawl, goblet squat, jump rope, vertical leg crunch, bicycle crunches etc may help accelerate the fat burning process. Food such as black coffee, green tea, boiled eggs, apple, chillies, brown rice and fatty fish also promote healthy fat burning. 

Q. Which is the best fat burner in India?

A: There exists no escape route for the fat-burning process. It’s a gradual and tedious process that requires commitment. A healthy diet and exercising can be your best friends to help you shed a few kgs faster though. Exercises like  bear crawl, goblet squat, jump rope, vertical leg crunch, bicycle crunches etc may help accelerate the fat burning process. Food such as black coffee, green tea, apple, chillies, brown rice, eggs and fatty fish also promote healthy fat burning. 

Q. Are there any side effects of fat burners?

A: Yes, even though artificial fat burners promise a bypass route to fat burning there are various side effects. The almost immediately lost weight is often gained back just as quickly. These fluctuations in weight can harm the body in various ways. In addition to this, artificial fat burners can also cause disrupted sleep patterns or insomnia. Several ingredients found in fat-burning pills are known to be harmful to the heart and cause allergies like itching or stomach upset as well. These pills can also lead to emotional disturbances leading to mental health issues.

Q. How do you lose belly fat?

A: Conscious diet and exercising are great ways to lose belly fat. Including items like apples, green chillies, eggs, brown rice and fatty fish can help you burn the fat accumulated around the abdominal region faster. The same goes for the daily consumption of black coffee and green tea. Few exercises like crunches, bear crawl, goblet squat, jump rope etc. can give a push towards losing belly fat. 

Q. Is coffee a fat burner?

A: Yes, black coffee contains antioxidants, which help in the weight loss process. Being rich in caffeine helps in the stimulation of metabolic activity and increases your energy level, thereby suppressing hunger. Black coffee contains chlorogenic acid, which helps to slow down glucose production in your body. This means that if you drink black coffee after a meal, then your body will produce less glucose and fat cells. 

Q. Does apple cider vinegar burn belly fat?

A: Yes, apple cider vinegar helps burn belly fat. Adding one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to your diet can reduce body weight and even regulate blood triglycerides. It even acts as an appetite suppressant and thus reduces calorie intake. 

Q. What are the safest fat burners?

A: Natural means such as lifestyle modification, mindful eating and exercising are the safest fat burners. Exercises like  bear crawl, goblet squat, jump rope, vertical leg crunch, bicycle crunches etc may help accelerate the fat burning process. Food such as black coffee, green tea, apple, chillies, brown rice, eggs and fatty fish also promote healthy fat burning. 

Q. Which medicine is best for reducing belly fat?

A: Fat burning is a gradual process and we strongly discourage the use of medicines for it as they can have long-lasting side effects such as allergies, and heart complications and can even lead to mental health conditions. Natural means such as lifestyle modification, mindful eating and exercising are the best means to lose belly fat and lead a healthy life. 

Q. How much weight can you lose with fat burners?

A: If one stays true to their weight loss diet and exercises regularly, they can lose up to 0.5-1- kg per week. 

Q. Is green tea a fat burner?

A:  Yes, green tea is packed with nutrients and antioxidants that increase fat burning.  It contains the antioxidant Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) which boosts metabolism. EGCG can also make people consume fewer calories by acting as an appetite suppressant. Green tea also contains a considerable amount of caffeine, a well-known stimulant that helps your body burn both fat and calories.

Q. How can I speed up my metabolism? 

A: Few tips that will help you boost your metabolism. Cutting down on refined sugar, processed, packaged or preserved foods. Consume fibre-rich plant-based products like seeds, vegetables, and whole grains. In addition, drink sufficient water and fluids, and consume enough protein, healthy fats and fibre.  Avoid skipping meals, or following fad diets which avoid some food groups. It would make you have unnecessary cravings and put your glucose levels out of order. Exercise or any sort of physical activity for around 30 minutes a day would help regulate blood glucose and blood pressure and keep your heart healthy.  Make sure to get at least 7-8 hours of night sleep. Having an irregular sleep schedule could mess up your sugar and create problems in metabolism functioning.

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The importance of exercise and regular physical activity is well-known. While busy lives, and lack of time leads to many of us not being able to inculcate regular exercise in our daily lives. Workouts play an important role to be more relaxed and energised. This is where weight loss exercises come in.

Humans were a nomadic race for generations, travelling long distances on foot, for food and shelter. Our bodies were designed to be active. For this reason, a sedentary lifestyle is more harmful to us than we can anticipate. It can lead to the development of many health ailments and lags as we begin to age.

Most people don’t have the time or a hefty amount to spend on a gym membership. They can practice weight loss exercises at home and invest in their health. You can find plenty of exercise routines online.

If your goal is to lose weight, exercise plans tailored for your weight and body type will yield you the results that you desire. Unlike fad diets, weight loss exercises are healthy for your body. If followed right, they can help maintain your body weight sustainably in the long term.

Exercise and Weight Loss

A research paper published in 2019, states the efficacy of home-based weight loss exercises and programmes. The burning of calories plays a key role in weight loss. Exercise helps you burn these calories that, in turn, lead to weight loss.

For example, burning 3500 calories a week will help you lose one pound (about 0.45 kg). Therefore, working out enough to lose 3500 calories will help you lose 0.45 kg that week.

Care must be taken to plan your workout routine as per your own fitness goals. An individual looking to lose more weight would be required to burn more calories, and hence follow a more intense workout routine.

You could take the dietary route to achieve this, but just that will not be enough since restricting calorie intake could backfire. Following a diet plan and no workout routine in a bid to lose weight could possibly lead to one losing muscle mass, which is not recommended. However, if you supplement this diet plan with sufficient weight loss exercise at home, you could achieve your desired goal.

Muscle is more metabolically active, and so muscle loss is not recommended as part of your weight loss program. Once any amount of weight has been lost, your metabolic rate drops significantly. Losing weight becomes more difficult. Proactively preventing muscle loss can aid in neutralising this slide in your metabolic rate.

The importance of exercise lies in the fact that it not only helps lower body weight but improves upon your body composition, metabolic health and overall fitness.

At times, you may notice that weight loss exercise at home may not be contributing to reducing your body weight. However, there is no reason to worry. Even if it is not decreasing your body weight, it helps reduce your body fat and build muscle. The waist size and body fat measurements can be used to tell the entire story, which scales may sometimes fail to depict.

6 Benefits of Weight Loss Exercises

Exercise benefits both our body and mind. Some of the ways in which regular exercise is beneficial to us are:

1. Improves Sleep

Struggling to fall asleep? Maybe, your body isn’t tired enough. Exercising can help you sleep better, deeper and for longer. Be careful not to exercise very close to your bedtime, though; the adrenaline released while challenging physical activity could keep you from falling asleep.

Moderate exercising 1-2 hr hours prior to bedtime can lift your mood and help you relax, thus encouraging sleep. 

2. Increases our Energy Levels

Exercise improves our endurance and muscle strength. It is equally effective in improving lung and cardiovascular function. It improves the body’s ability to circulate oxygen and blood into the body.

Better lung and heart functioning directly translate to more energy to follow through with our daily chores. Regular exercise increases the production of essential hormones like catecholamines (an organic compound that helps the body cope with stress), testosterone, etc. in the body that increases metabolism and provides energy. 

3. Improves Muscle health

When you lead an active lifestyle, with an adequate amount of physical activity thrown in, your muscles strengthen and your tendons, ligaments and joints allow for easier movement and lesser chances of injury.

Your coordination and balance improve. Also, the correct joint alignment affected by strong muscles and ligaments protects against the joint and lower backache.

Negating the misbelief that cardio is just meant for weight loss, studies claim to establish, cardiovascular activities can help in muscle growth. High-intensity cardio triggers the release of anabolic hormones which increases muscle mass.

4. Reduces Risk of Chronic Disease

The lack of regular physical activity is known to be a primary cause of chronic disease. Regular exercise helps improve insulin sensitivity, body composition, and cardiovascular fitness while decreasing blood pressure and blood fat levels.

A lack of regular activity can lead to a significant increase in belly fat. This, in turn, increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart diseases. It is, therefore, recommended that one remain physically active and exercise regularly in order to avoid these diseases. An average adult can perform 150 minutes of moderate-intensity workout or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week to keep one healthy. 

5. Pain Reduction

Exercise can also help reduce chronic pain. While it was recommended to get rest whenever in pain, studies have now found that exercise can benefit chronic pain.

According to several studies, exercise also helps control pain associated with various health conditions. This includes chronic lower back pain, chronic soft tissue shoulder disorder, among others. In addition to that, physical activity also helps raise tolerance to pain.

Aerobic exercises stretching, yoga, Functional training and balance training and strength-training are associated with reducing Fibromyalgia Pain (a condition that causes chronic pain in the body). 

6. Improves Skin Health

The amount of oxidative stress in the body can affect your skin. This occurs when the body’s antioxidant defences are unable to completely repair the damage caused by free radicals to cells. This damages their structure and deteriorates the skin.

While intense physical activity contributes to oxidative damage, regular moderate exercise increases the body’s natural antioxidant production, thus helping protect cells. Similarly, exercise can also stimulate blood flow and induce skin cell adaptation. This helps delay the appearance of skin ageing.

4 Weight Loss Exercises at Home

It is a common complaint among the working public that there is not enough time for one to go to the gym and workout. However, exercise is a crucial part of anyone’s fitness journey, and should not be ignored. Here are a few exercises that one can do at home to achieve their fitness goals.

1. Squats Exercises

Squats are great as it engages and strengthens the lower body and core muscles. It also aids weight loss with the increase in the production of anabolic hormones. 

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your toes facing straight ahead or angled slightly outward.

• Slowly bend your knees and squat, sending the hips back behind you, while keeping your torso straight and your abs pulled in tight.

• Keep your knees behind your toes. Make sure everything’s pointing in the same direction.

• Squat as low as you can, and push into your heels to stand up.

Squat Variations:

• Squat with one dumbbell
• Squat with dumbbells
• Barbell squat
• Wide leg squat
• Front squat
• Wall sit
• One-leg squat

2. Planks Exercises

The plank is one of the best exercises that help you strengthen your core, spine, arms, back and shoulders. In other words, it helps you engage all the body muscles between the shoulders to your toes. Helps in tightening our mid section.

1. Lie face down on the mat with your elbows resting on the floor next to your chest.
2. Push your body off the floor in a push-up position with your body resting on your elbows or hands.
3. Contract the abs and keep the body in a straight line from head to toes. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat as many times as you can.
4. For beginners, do this move on your knees and gradually work your way up to balancing on your toes.

3. Lunges Exercises

Shaping and strengthening your lower body is needed to torch calories for weight loss.

1. Stand in a split-stance (one leg forward, one leg back).
2. Bend your knees and lower your body into a lunge position, keeping the front knee and back knee at 90-degree angles.
3. Keeping the weight in your heels, push back up (slowly!) to starting position.
4. Never lock your knees at the top and don’t let your knee bend past your toes.
5. Variations include front lunges, back lunges, and side lunges.
6. Do this exercise two to three times per week for 12 to 16 reps.

4. Push Ups (Inclined) for Beginners Exercises

Working on your chest and core can be beneficial for weight loss and inclined push-ups can at least burn 7 calories per minute. 

1. If you’re a beginner or don’t have as much upper body strength, this is a good move to start with.
2. Start on all fours with hands a bit wider than the shoulders.
3. Walk the knees back a bit in order to lean your weight on the hands and flatten the back from the head down to the back of the knees.
4. Pull the abs in and, keeping your back straight, bend the elbows and lower body toward the floor until elbows are at 90-degree angles.
5. Push back up and repeat for 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 16 reps.

Summary

Exercise is an essential part of weight loss. One must focus on following a workout routine planned as per your goals and requirements. Ideally, consult a certified fitness trainer to plan out this workout routine. That said, one’s weight loss goals is dependant on the right kind of eating habits as well.

It takes a combination of a good workout routine and a proper diet plan to ensure weight loss. Thus, get started on your fitness journey with a healthy meal plan, and a workout routine that includes the exercises mentioned above.

Q. What type of exercise is best for weight loss?

A: Any individual looking to lose weight must turn to a combination of strength training (about 70%) and cardiovascular exercises (about 30%). This, combined with the right diet will help one achieve their weight loss goals.

Q. Can you lose weight by exercising 30 minutes a day?

A: Yes, you can. However, care must be taken to ensure that you follow correct posture, intensity and frequency. Ideally, get in touch with a certified fitness trainer to understand what exercises you need to do, and how exactly to do them.

Q. Can you lose weight with just exercise?

A: No, you can not lose weight through exercise alone. Weight loss is a result of a combination of a proper diet and the right workout plan. It is important to ensure that you follow both in order to achieve the desired results. How do I lose belly fat?

Q. How do I lose belly fat?

A: In order to lose belly fat, you need a combination of a well-balanced diet, an active lifestyle, and a proper workout plan. That said, spot reduction is not a practice that is recommended by HealthifyMe. Make sure to follow a plan that will help you lose weight across the body.

Q. What type of exercise is best for weight loss?

A: Squats, Planks, Lunges and inclined push-ups are some of the exercises that are best for weight loss. 

Q. Is working out 30 minutes a day enough to lose weight?

A: Ideally you need to burn around 3500 kcal to lose 1 pound of weight per week. Investing 30 minutes of your time in working out will surely keep you healthy and shed weight. 

Q. How much weight loss per month is healthy?

A. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), 4 to 8 pounds (1.814 kg to 3.628 kg) of weight loss per month is considered healthy.   

Q. What home exercises burn the most fat?

A. If you wish to workout from your home and burn fat, include regular squats, lunges, inclined push-ups and planks. You can also try skipping for kids and yoga for elderly. You can also include calisthenics exercises which can be done at any place in a safe form. 

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One of the most valuable personal growth and relational skills you can learn is empathic listening (also called active listening).

It’s a skill that serves not only others, but also one that stretches you to become more loving, compassionate, and patient person.

It’s an essential skill to master both for your personal and professional interactions.

Maybe you’re a person others naturally seek out in order to share their problems or frustrations.

Or maybe you’d like to help someone close to you who has a dilemma and doesn’t know what to do.

If you’re married or in a love relationship, empathic listening skills can build a healthy, happy connection rather than one fraught with conflict and misunderstanding.

How you listen to people can make all the difference to them and to you.

What is Empathic Listening?

You may believe empathic listening means feeling sorry for someone else. But it is so much more than that.

Empathic listening affords tremendous therapeutic value for someone struggling with a problem, as it allows them to solve their difficulties in the company of a caring, mindful listener.

As the speaker hears himself talk, he gains more clarity about his problem and becomes better equipped to find a resolution.

When he or she feels heard, an emotional burden is lifted, and they feel less stressed and confused.

Why is empathic listening important? As an active listener, you empower the speaker to higher self-esteem and self-awareness simply through your willingness to hear them.

Empathic listening:

• Creates a safe space for conflict resolution and problem-solving.

• Builds respect, trust, and mutual understanding.

• Relieves tensions and discord.

• Encourages deeper sharing of feelings and information.

Empathic listening is not a natural skill to master, mainly because most of us would rather talk than listen. It’s more complicated than basic listening because empathetic listening is often required when the speaker is in pain, angry, or upset.

Says mediation expert and author, Gregorio Billikopf, “Empathic listening requires that we accompany a person in her moment of sadness, anguish, self-discovery, challenge (or even great joy!).”

How to Practice Empathic Listening

Active, empathic listening isn’t part of a conversation in the traditional sense. There’s no simple dialogue or competing to talk.

With empathic listening, it’s all about the other person and what they are trying to communicate — with their words, with the words left unspoken, and with their emotions.

The main goal of empathic listening is to understand what the other person is saying and to give them the space to feel heard and validated.

As an empathic listener, you must be willing to do the following:

• Allow the other person to lead the conversation and determine the topic discussed.
• Remain utterly attentive to what the other person is saying.
• Avoid interrupting, even when you have something important to add.
• Ask open-ended questions that invite more from the speaker.
• Avoid coming to premature conclusions or offering solutions.
• Reflect to the speaker what you heard them say.

In addition to these actions, the most critical skill you can offer is empathy. Empathy requires a willingness to put yourself in the shoes of the other person, so they feel heard in a non-judgmental way.

Empathy is the grace note of empathic listening, as it allows the speaker to feel safe, acknowledged, and valued. With empathy, you are telling the speaker, “I want to hear what you’re saying. I understand your situation, and I want you to feel safe that I’m not judging you.”

As a personal coach, I was trained to use active listening with my clients. Even when I can see what I think is the best course of action for a client, my role is to facilitate their awareness and help them reach their own solutions. It is much harder than it might appear.

We often want to give people solutions and tell them what we think will make them happier, more successful, more confident.

This approach comes from a sincere desire to improve people’s lives, but it can be a knee-jerk reaction because, as a culture, we are so solution-oriented. We grow impatient with too much discourse and too little resolution.

Examples of Empathic Listening

Let’s say your spouse comes to you and says, “I’m really upset at the way you teased me in front of our friends at dinner.”

A natural first reaction is to feel defensive and maybe even irritated. You were being playful, and you feel your spouse is overreacting or being too sensitive.

You could say these things to your spouse, but he or she will feel unheard and misunderstood. And you will miss an opportunity to relate to your spouse and empathize with his or her pain.

A better way to respond would be to stop what you are doing, sit down with your spouse, and give him or her your full attention. Then engage in an empathic listening conversation like this:

You: “I’m sorry sweetie. Tell me more about how my teasing made you feel.” (You are inviting your spouse to continue talking and sharing.)

Your spouse: “It embarrasses me because it makes me look silly and insecure about something I value. And I just don’t like you teasing me in front of other people.”

You: “So when I tease you, especially in front of others, you don’t feel confident and secure. And you’d prefer I don’t tease you in front of others. Right?” (You are validating and reflecting your spouses’ words to confirm them.)

Your spouse: “Yes, but it’s more than that. It also feels like you don’t respect me and that your willing to be funny at my expense. And that hurts.”

You: “Wow, I didn’t think of it that way. I can see how my teasing might feel like a putdown or disrespect. I don’t want to hurt you, and I’m sorry. Is there more you want to say?” (You are honoring the feelings your spouse has shared, showing empathy, and inviting more talk.)

Your spouse: “I’d prefer you just not to tease me at all, especially about things that are important to me.” (Your spouse says the last part with strong body language.)

You: “I hear you, and I will stop teasing you because now I know how hurtful it is. I’m glad you shared this with me. What are the things that are most important to you?” (You have validated your partner and offered to change your behavior. And you have noticed body language and asked an open-ended question to invite more conversation.)

Here are 9 strategies for practicing empathic listening:

1. Take the time.

Active, empathic listening requires time. The speaker needs to feel they have all the time in the world to release the flood of feelings and worries they have bottled up inside. Only when they release this backlog of emotion are they finally able to have clarity and the ability to reach conclusions.

It’s easy to lose patience with a speaker who is processing his or her feelings and articulating them through the fog of emotion or confusion. You can’t rush the speaker through this process or expect them to accept your quick solution. Patience is imperative if you truly want to help someone.

2. Offer empathy, not sympathy.

Sometimes we disguise empathic listening with words of sympathy. Perhaps we have experienced a similar situation, so we share it to let the speaker know we understand.

To the speaker trying to process difficult emotions, it can feel like you’re stealing their thunder or deflecting attention to yourself.

True empathetic listening requires you leave your stories and experiences at the door. You don’t need to share them for the speaker to know you understand what she is saying. Empathy says, “I get you,” rather than “I get you because I’ve had it even worse.”

3. Pay attention to body language.

Your entire body needs to let the speaker know you are fully present. Turn off your phone so you aren’t tempted to look at it. Try not to shift your eyes to pay attention to others around you. Keep an open, accepting posture with your arms and legs uncrossed.

Lean in as the other person is speaking and look them in the eye on occasion (but not constantly). Try not to fidget or shift around to show impatience or irritation.

Also pay attention to the speaker’s body language. What is he or she communicating with facial expressions, position of arms and legs, or movements?

4. Refrain from solutions.

As much as you might want to jump in and save the day with the perfect solution, don’t do it. Just listen, nod, make small comments that show you’ve heard what was said.

But don’t interrupt the process the speaker is going through as they make their way to a solution themselves.

You will generally find that if you wait, the other person will come to the same conclusion. If they ask you for a solution directly, don’t offer it right away.

Ask the speaker what they would suggest to you if the roles were reversed. Always try to give the power back to the other person.

5. Use open-ended, empathic, or dangling questions.

Use thoughtful, open-ended questions (that require more than a “yes” or “no” answer) to invite more profound thought and consideration from the speaker. You might ask, “How did you feel about that?” Or “What do you think the best next step might be?”

You can also ask empathic questions that relate to the speaker’s emotional state. You might ask, “What did you feel when that happened?” You might notice the speaker looks sad (or angry or fearful), and you can say, “Your expression looks sad. What’s behind that?”

Try not to use leading questions with the intention of directing the speaker to your solution. Your goal is to help them gain more clarity and self-awareness.

One way to do this is with a dangling question. This kind of question is an incomplete question like, “And if you had to do it again, you might . . .” It leaves things hanging without an answer so that the speaker can determine the direction of the conversation.

6. Ask for more.

Often a speaker will offer a crumb of information, and you can tell it’s just the tip of the iceberg. You know or suspect there’s more just below the surface, and all they need is a nudge to bring it forth. Even if you don’t suspect there’s more, there usually is, so it’s always worth asking.

A question as simple as, “Is there more?” can unleash more of the story or the emotions behind the story. You can ask this several times (maybe slightly rephrased) until it’s clear the speaker has nothing more to add on the topic.

7. Repeat a phrase or word.

When the speaker is sharing powerful information, they may conclude with a sentence or statement that expresses their pain, worry, or frustration.

For example, the speaker might tell a story about being betrayed by a friend and conclude with the statement, “I am so mad, I never want to speak to her again.” You can repeat, “You are so mad, you just don’t want to speak to her.” Or you can just say, “You’re really mad.”

This response lets the speaker know you are tracking with her and give her a cue to add more or clarify her statement. When you repeat the word or phrase, try to imitate the same tone of voice the speaker used. Don’t repeat it as a question or with any judgment.

8. Allow for silences.

Long silences can be uncomfortable but resist the urge to fill the silence with your suggestions or remarks. Allow the speaker to use the silence to process his or her thoughts and then to break the silence when they are ready to speak.

When you give them this space without interrupting them, you are letting them know you’re there for them and willing to allow them the time they need to gain clarity. When a speaker realizes you aren’t going to interrupt them, they are free to slow down and process more internally, which is necessary for analytical thinking.

You might find these silences and slower-paced talking difficult to handle. But it is truly a gift to just be present and allow the speaker the freedom to reflect and articulate at his or her own pace.

9. Stay calm.

If the speaker is sharing intense, emotional, or upsetting information, it’s hard not to express your own emotions or judgments. You may feel the need to react with shock, disagreement, or even defensiveness.

If the person speaking is your spouse or romantic partner, and the topic of the conversation relates to you (as in the example above), it’s even more difficult to restrain yourself from reacting.

But it’s impossible to be an active listener when you’re building your own case, deflecting blame, or getting angry. If you can’t listen calmly and practice active listening skills, then delay the conversation until you can.

More Related Articles:

Take The Empath Test And Discover Your Personal Score

How To Start a Conversation When You First Meet Someone

4 Common Communication Styles In Love Relationships

29 Unique Traits Of The Intuitive nature Empath

Is there a time to offer challenges or suggestions?

When you have been the empathic listener and spent a good amount of time allowing the speaker to vent and process, the speaker will likely come to some conclusion or solution for themselves. Or maybe they will still be confused but feel greatly relieved and have more clarity than they did previously.

Once the emotion is drained and the words spoken and heard, then it may be appropriate for you to offer suggestions or challenge something you feel needs to be reconsidered.

Always ask the speaker if they want your input before you offer your words. At this point, they should have trust in you and recognize you aren’t passing judgment on them.

Now it’s time to practice empathic listening activities.

The best way to become an empathic, active listener is through practice. Look for opportunities to listen to a friend going through a problem or a co-worker who is coping with a work challenge.

Make a point of being a better listener with your significant other — even during times of conflict or confrontation. Your empathic listening skills can de-escalate a fight and serve as a model for future communication as a couple.

Remember . . .

• Focus intently on the other person and what they are saying.

• Use empathy rather than sympathy.

• Offer plenty of time and don’t get distracted.

• Refrain from being judgmental or giving advice.

• Reflect what the speaker is saying.

• Ask open-ended questions.

• Respect moments of silence.

Empathic listening teaches you to be a more caring, humane, and loving person. And the world needs a lot more of that.

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The world wants an easy solution when it comes to weight loss. In order to achieve the same, one must understand how to lose weight. The most common answer would be to simply lose more calories than you consume.

This would create a calorie deficit, allowing no excess calories to be stored as fat, thereby resulting in weight loss. However, you need to plan out your routine carefully in order to reduce weight. Focus on improving your lifestyle, and the results will start to show.

14 Simple Tips to Lose Weight

It is a common misconception that you need to make major changes to your daily routine to reduce weight. Simple lifestyle changes, in day-to-day life, can also help you lose weight. Follow these 14 weight loss tips to get started on your own fitness journey.

#1 Pick home cooked meals over eating out

The benefits of eating home cooked meals cannot be stressed enough. Research shows that people who eat home-cooked meals for five or more days a week tend to have longer, healthier lives than those who do not.

While we are not suggesting completely eliminating your social life, saying NO to every second opportunity to eat out will bring about a 50% reduction in the consumption of processed foods, sugars, and oil.

#2 Maintain a Food Diary

Studies have shown that awareness of what one eats helps maintain their food portions. Keeping a food diary can play a key role in ensuring this.

It helps keep track of the calories you consume, and in the process, helps you understand what you should and should not eat. A food diary can also help you plan your meals ahead, in order to maintain your calorie budget.

#3 Start your day with a heavy breakfast

Data sourced from analyzing the eating patterns of people across the globe shows that people who have power breakfast tend to lose weight faster.

When you eat breakfast, you activate the thermogenesis process and thus, stimulate your metabolism. Besides, studies have shown that eating a meal in the morning boosts your metabolism more than eating the same meal in the evening.

#4 Fill your pantry with healthy food

Having healthy food around at all times can also play a major role in weight loss. With only healthy food in your pantry, you are likely to snack on them whenever you’re hungry. This way you don’t binge on unhealthy food, and this goes a long way in preventing unnecessary weight gain.

#5 Up your physical activity with daily chores

Work on as many daily chores as possible. It can be as simple as watering plants or as intense as building your own tree house. The idea here is to use your hands and feet to engage in a physical activity that has a well-defined goal.

Doing these chores will also release endorphins that boost your mood, apart from helping you burn calories.

#6 Load up on healthy snacks before a party

The food you eat at parties, along with the alcohol you drink, can be a major cause for weight gain. The combination of oily food and alcoholic or sugary beverages is known to be unhealthy.

Having a healthy salad before attending a party can help you feel full faster, preventing you from snacking on unhealthy food once you’re there. This reduces your calorie intake, and in turn, helps you lose weight.

#7 Smaller plates lead to smaller meals

Psychologically, you feel like the food consumed is less if you have eaten from a large plate. Trick your mind into feeling full by eating from a smaller plate, and reduce the possibility of overeating.

#8 Take the stairs instead of the elevator

While taking the elevator may seem a lot easier to do than the stairs, it is not healthier. Start with just one or two floors and then eventually move on to climbing the whole flight of stairs. This way you can burn calories on your way to work, or at home, on a daily basis.

#9 Say ‘No’ to late night TV

Watching TV late at night delays your sleep and activates brain cells, thus, causing hunger pangs in the middle of the night. Cutting down on late night TV can help prevent this. In addition to that, lack of sleep can indirectly lead to further weight gain.

#10 Drink more water

People tend to mistake their thirst for hunger, thus, making them eat a lot more than necessary. Staying hydrated throughout the day can help in this case. The next time you think you’re hungry, ask yourself if you are thirsty first, and then decide if you want to eat food or whether a glass of water will suffice.

#11 Eat your meals slowly

It takes your stomach about 20 minutes to signal to the brain that it is full. If you gobble up your food faster than that, you may end up eating twice as much as your stomach’s capacity. Chewing your food slowly will help reduce the amount of food you eat, and ultimately result in weight loss.

#12 Eat more fruits

While they are low in calories, fruits are rich in vitamins, fiber and several other nutrients, making them the perfect foods for weight loss. The higher fiber content makes you feel full faster, and keeps you from overeating. Thus, fruits are generally associated with natural weight loss. Snack on fruit in between meals, and see the wonders they can do.

#13 Increase your protein intake

Look to include a good quality protein source in every meal. This will help in building stamina, strengthening your body, and boosting metabolism. The right amount of protein in your meals is known to aid in weight loss as well.

#14 Cut Back on Added Sugar

According to several studies, added sugar increases the risk of obesity along with other lifestyle disorders like type 2 diabetes, and heart diseases. One easy hack to lose weight is to consume less added sugar. Reading labels of the foods you purchase is one way of doing this, since some of the so-called healthy foods also contain a good amount of sugar.

Weight Loss at Home

Although it was popularly believed that it is difficult to lose weight at home, this need not be true. The right kind of diet plan and workout routine is key here. It is said that weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. The right focus on a proper meal plan can also help you lose weight at home without exercise.

1200 Calorie Diet Plan

A proper diet is key to one’s weight loss journey with or without exercise. However, following the right diet chart becomes all the more important in case one chooses to lose weight without a workout routine.

To give you a better idea of how you need to go about planning your diet, we have put together a 1200 calorie diet plan. That said, dietary needs vary from person to person. Consult a nutritionist in order to understand what kind of plan works best for you, based on your needs and health conditions.  

• Start your day early with two lukewarm glasses of lemon water at 6:00 AM. Have a tablespoon of ground flax seeds to go with the lemon water.
• Wait a couple of hours before eating breakfast. Eat a katori of vegetable poha to along with a katori of skimmed curd.
• Have a late morning snack in the form of 2 cups of diced watermelon. Fresh fruits are an essential part of any healthy diet, and can aid weight loss.
• Consume a bowl of mixed vegetable salad a few minutes before you settle for lunch.
• Have a katori of skim curd and a katori of paneer onion tomato bhurji at 2:00 PM. You can have a whole wheat roti or chapati to go with this.
• Drink a cup of tea without any sugar at around 3:30 in the evening.
• In the evening, snack on a katori of sprouted mung and chana chaat.
• Like the salad right before lunch, consume a bowl of boiled mixed vegetable salad a few minutes before dinner as well.
• For the last major meal of the day, have a whole wheat roti or chapati accompanied by two katoris of palak moong dal.
• End your day with one teacup of skimmed milk.

The key to a good weight loss diet is to ensure that your meals are balanced. While it is important to make sure you’re burning more calories than you consume, you also need to include all the nutrients you need to live a healthy life.

While this 1200 calories a day diet plan will serve you well, you can also find a diet plan that you can follow in a week here.

Easy Home Exercises for Weight Loss

A common problem among a large chunk of the working classes seems to be the inability to workout on a daily basis. The lack of time to visit a gym is the main culprit for the same.

However, one can always pick out a workout routine that does not require any gym equipment. This full-body workout is one that can be completed entirely at home without the need of any gym based equipment.

Weight Loss While Traveling

It is common for individuals to let their hair down while on vacation. In the process, they also tend to leave their healthy lifestyles behind.

While it may seem alright to take a few days off from your usual healthy routine, it could have a negative impact on your weight loss journey. Let Sr. Nutritionist, Dr. Priyanka Marakini, give you a few tips that you can follow to maintain your routine while on vacation.

Make Healthy Foods Interesting

A common problem among people that find it difficult to lose weight is the inability to follow a healthy diet. It is often looked at as monotonous or boring, especially compared to some of the unhealthy foods.

One easy way to fix this problem is by making small changes to the healthy foods you consumed, in order to make them more ‘fun’. HealthifyMe Sr. Nutritionist, Alpa Momaya, has 5 tips to make your healthy meals interesting.

A weight loss journey may not be as straightforward as it seems in theory. Lifestyle changes contribute greatly to achieving the results one desires. That said, it is ideal to aim to lose weight naturally without using supplements.

Following the 14 simple tips that we have put together would make a major difference in getting you started. Put your best foot forward, and begin your fitness journey today.

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Establishing a morning breathing practice is a quick and potent way to boost your health and prepare for a successful day. They’re easy enough to fit into your daily routine and they can help you wake up feeling energized and ready to take on the world! You can practice these just about anywhere at anytime—in your bed upon waking, or sitting in your car right before or after your commute. By adding a few minutes of pranayama to your morning routine, you can feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and energized to tackle whatever comes and you’ll get more done throughout the day. The first step is to choose which of these six techniques works best for you.

What is a morning breathing practice?

Morning breathing is a mindful and conscious practice of one or more breath based exercises for a few minutes in the morning. These are usually practiced in a seated position, but you can practice them lying in bed or standing. The goal of adding some deep breathing exercises to your morning routine is to give you a boost of energy, focus, and calm for your day ahead.

Benefits of morning breathing exercises

We can summarize the importance of morning breathing practice in one word: awareness. When we are aware of the present moment, our mind and body become more relaxed and balanced. We feel better throughout the day because we have started out the day with a few minutes to calm and center the mind and emotions. This helps us to stay focused on what’s important rather than being distracted by things that don’t matter. It also allows for greater clarity when deciding about how best to spend your time.

Pranayama uses unique patterns of breath to bring about several physical and mental health benefits, such as increased oxygen and blood flow, reduced blood pressure, improved lung capacity, better concentration, and greater calmness. When you practice mindful breathing, your attention shifts to the present moment. This is a powerful way to reduce stress and worry, as you are not thinking about the past or future or what you should do next. Just a few mindful and slow deep breaths in the morning can boost your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being and help prep you for a fantastic day.

Chest breathing vs. diaphragmatic breathing

Chest breathing and shallow breathing often contribute to anxiety and stress in the body. When we are nervous or anxious, our heart rate increases, blood pumps more quickly through the arteries, and oxygen levels decrease. This causes us to breathe faster than normal and take shorter breaths. This can create shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness, nausea, headaches, and muscle tension. You’re more likely to breathe from your chest during stressful times, especially if you’ve been feeling stressed lately. If this happens often enough, it may lead to panic attacks.

Morning breathing exercises are a great way to increase your awareness of unhealthy chest breathing and shallow breathing patterns. Once aware, you can consciously shift to a diaphragmatic breathing pattern to calm down the nervous system, focus your mind, and center your emotions.

By practicing diaphragmatic breathing before going into work, you’ll find yourself feeling calmer and less stressed. If you do this every morning, you may notice that you experience fewer episodes of panic attacks, anxiety and/or depression. With consistent practice, you can make diaphragmatic breathing your default pattern.

How long should a morning breathing practice last?

If you are new to pranayama, it is recommended that you start with 2-5 minutes of belly breathing. After you have been practicing yoga and breathwork for some time and feel comfortable with the practices, then try increasing your practice to 10 or 15 minutes. You can always increase the duration of your session as needed. You may be able to get by with shorter periods of time if you are feeling enough of the benefits to get you through the day with peace and calm.

7 Morning Breathing Exercises

There are several deep breathing techniques to choose from that you can use to help correct your breathing and improve your morning routine. Each technique has a different energetic and physical effects, so experiment and find the one that works best for your needs.

1. Diaphragmatic Breath

The diaphragmatic breath is the foundational breathing exercise for beginners to learn and practice. Also known as belly breathing, as the belly will rise and fall while the chest remains still when taking slow deep breaths. This meditative abdominal breathing exercise reduces stress, promotes relaxation, and increases lung capacity and efficiency.

2. Three-Part Breath

Perfect for beginners, the three-part breathing method is traditionally known as Dirga Pranayama and builds on the diaphragmatic breath. It’s considered one of the most calming breathing techniques as it allows you to clear your mind by focusing all of your attention on how your breath moves through the abdomen and chest. Many people believe is possible to relieve chronic stress and prevent panic attacks with the regular practice of this breathing technique.

3. Box or Square Breath

A more advanced counting ratio method combining diaphragmatic breathing and breath retention is Sama Vritti Pranayama. It is known as square, equal, or Box breathing as it uses a 4-4-4-4 ratio. This pranayama practice equalizes, harmonizes and balances the prana flowing through the body’s nadis or energy channels. This four-part breathing technique is primarily practiced for calming and balancing the mind and body to reduce mental stress and worry. Sama Vritti can also help slow down the heart rate, increase oxygen to the brain, and reduce anxiety.

4. Alternate Nostril Breath

Nadi Sodhana Pranayama or alternate nostril breathing uses your fingers to close one nostril and breath out the other. Alternate nostril breathing is calming and balancing and settles the mind, body, and emotions. This practice is especially good for calming excessive worry and reducing stress and anxiety.

5. Ocean Sounding Breath

During Ujayi Pranayama you constrict the back of the throat to create the sound of the Ocean or make a “Darth Vader” voice. This naturally slows down the breath, which calms the nervous system. It is also warming and energizing to the body. The practice is done slowly and deeply, without any strain. Ujjayi breathing helps release feelings of irritation and frustration, and boosts a sense of presence and self-awareness.

6. Skull Shining Breath

Khapalabati Pranayama is considered an advanced technique that is performed by quickly exhaling through the nose. It is a strongly energizing technique, so it’s a great addition to your morning routine. It is traditionally practiced to purify and cleanse the brain and mind and to increase lung strength. It is also known as the breath of fire, as it is warming to the body. When performing this technique, focus on the sensation of lightness created within the head and upper chest.

7. Chanting Breath

Chanting breathing is a simple yet effective way to calm yourself when stressed. In Udgeeth Pranayama, you simply chant the “Om” mantra with slow belly breaths. This pranayama helps strengthen mental concentration and focus and also helps reduce negative thoughts and emotions.

Morning Breathing Tips

• Make sure you are seated in a comfortable position for the practice.
• If you feel dizzy or experience any discomfort, stop and sit quietly until you feel better.
• Don’t force anything; take things at your own pace and ability.
• Try to keep your eyes closed during pranayama.
• Focus only on your breath moving into and out of your lungs.
• Make sure you have enough sleep. Even the most energizing pranayama cannot compensate for sleep deprivation.
• If you are new to pranayama, start small. Start with 2-5 minutes and then slowly and gradually work up to 10–15 minutes per session.
• For the best results, combine your pranayama practice with a morning yoga session.
• Be patient. You should notice some results after a few days, but it could take you weeks, months, or even years before you see progress. The most important thing is to keep practicing on a daily basis.
• If you’re new to pranayama and have a medical condition, please consult your doctor before starting.

How to choose the right breathing technique for you

There are so many types of breathing techniques that are available, making it difficult to know which are the best. With pranayama, there is no one right technique that will work for everyone. Various breathing techniques have different benefits and can help you achieve different things. First, take some time to get clear on what benefits you want from your practice. Next, start with the breathing technique that aligns best with your goals and feels the most natural for you. Note how each exercise makes you feel mentally, physically, and emotionally. Use a journal or other means to track which techniques have the strongest effect on your energy and mood. Experiment and make adjustments as needed.

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When you combine the words “exercise” and “losing weight” in your mind, it may conjure images of people miserably slogging through rounds of burpees in pools of sweat like you’d see on TV shows like The Biggest Loser. And while hardcore exercises such as running, doing deadlifts, and performing HIIT exercises are all really great ways to burn fat and lose weight, you don’t have to be going to the extreme with your regimen to lose a few pounds. In fact, there are plenty of great types of exercise that secretly masquerade as “fun” but are in reality excellent ways to lose weight. To know what they are, read on, because here are just a handful of them. And for more great workouts you should try now, don’t miss The Secret Exercise Trick for Flatter Abs After 40.

Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, a Harvard-educated physician and obesity specialist, is a major proponent of jumping on a trampoline—in fitness terms, also known as “rebounding”—for helping lose weight, especially among obese people. “The trampoline is low impact on joints,” she says. “Using a fitness trampoline can help for those that may have excess weight or may have joint issues associated with the excess weight. Also, it is quite a fun activity to engage in!”

According to NASA, jumping on a trampoline is more effective at building muscle mass—which helps you lose weight—than running. Further studies have found that rebounding is terrific for balance, helping with back pain, controlling your blood sugar, and helping you lose weight. And for more great workout advice, see why Science Says This Is the Single Best Abs Exercise You Can Do.

You probably know that rock climbing looks hard. You definitely know that it looks super cool. But until now you probably didn’t associate this heavily upper-body activity with the words “weight loss.” But it’s true: You can climb your way to less pounds.

Though there’s far more to it than this, rock climbing is at heart a strength-training exercise: You’re constantly using your body’s major muscle groups in the ways you would lift weights. More muscle growth means more calorie burn, and you’ll burn a ton of calories while fighting your way up a rock face. You’ll work your core, your arms, your glutes, and your back. “Rock climbing is an excellent way to drop a few pounds,” says WebMD.

Also, have you noticed that all avid rock climbers are … super skinny? Some of that is genetics, but some of that is because they climb rocks for fun. “Rock climbing is one of the most strenuous sporting activities you can do,” writes Rock Climbing Central. “It requires you to use your hands and legs to pull and push your body up as you scale the heights.”

If you’re one of those people who still thinks yoga is just “stretching,” you have so much to learn. In addition to all of the things great exercises do—chiefly, burning calories and strengthening your muscles—yoga will sync your mind and your body in ways that will ultimately help you shed pounds.

“Yoga creates a deeper awareness of your physical and mental state, linking the breath to the movement of the poses (asanas),” yoga teacher Alexandra Baldi explained to Women’s Health UK. “This deeper awareness creates mindfulness and a greater intuition with your body, two key factors essential for weight loss; whether it’s making healthier eating choices or knowing when to pull back to prevent too much cortisol in the body, a serious detriment to weight loss.”

Say what you will about the culture or the clothes, but if you walk and carry your bag, golf can be a tremendous workout that can help you lose weight. Recently, the folks at the UK-based website Skilled Golf took historical research data from Harvard University and combined it with other datasets they analyzed to reveal which of these more “leisure” sports are especially great at burning calories in a more real-world setting. By their calculation, if you were to walk a full 18 holes while carrying your own clubs, which usually takes roughly four hours, Skilled Golf estimates that an “average, healthy, and able-bodied person weighing approximately 155 lbs” would burn upwards of 1,640 calories.

If you’re not sold, see how one woman lost 20 pounds playing golf.

Despite what you may have heard from any hardcore distance runners or weightlifters you happen to know, walking—when paired with a healthy diet—is an effective way to lose weight. According to a study published in the Journal of Exercise Nutrition & Biochemistry, researchers who studied the effects of walking on obese women found that it was especially effective at reducing belly fat, while also improving the body’s insulin response. Another study, published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, found that sedentary men and women between the ages of 40 and 65 managed to lose weight when they walked for 12 miles every week without meaningfully changing their diets. And for more life-changing exercise advice, see here for the Secret Exercise Tricks for Keeping Your Weight Down for Good.

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