You may have been down this path before. You want to lose weight, so you start by trying to treadmill your troubles away or maybe you started with eating less because body building isn’t what you’re really looking to do for a hobby. You may have heard that you can’t outwork a bad diet and cardio doesn’t burn fat. Maybe you’ve also heard exercise is essential to weight loss. Well, there is truth in all these statements. Today we are going to explore the exercise starter kit for weight loss. If you’re an avid gym doer (not just a goer) and exercise 3-5 times a week, this article probably isn’t for you. However, if you’re looking for solid advice on where to start exercising and the best kinds of exercising for weight loss then keep reading and follow this blog.
Products in this post and on this site are recommended based on my personal use, not my professional opinion, and individual results may vary. As an Amazon Affiliate, I could earn a commission on qualifying purchases.
In the beginning ….there was movement.
If you’re beginning to exercise for the first time in awhile and don’t know where to start, please don’t go throw your money at a fitness center and think it’s going to motivate you to move. Now I don’t really have anything against gyms other than it takes an act of congress to stop paying even when you stop going. I do know that if you’re overweight, you may not be all that excited about working out in front of strangers. For me, it’s the time and excuse factor. I have to psych myself up to get up early enough to go to the gym, have time to put in a meaningful work out , shower, and get changed. For me, I’m looking at adding an extra hour to my day when I could be writing these awesome blogs.
Frankly, it isn’t necessary when you start. The best thing to do when you are beginning is to just look for ways to move more and take 20 minutes, 3 times a week to stretch, and do what are called isometric exercises. These exercises build endurance, strength and stability. They also require very little time which makes me a huge fan. You won’t stay here for long but it’s a great place to start.
I have searched and found stretches and routines that I have tried and found to be very useful. I don’t use all these routines but I customized them into a routine for me based on what I found to be useful. Never do anything that results in PAIN. You will be sore after starting these positions but it should not cause true pain in any muscle group or joint.
If you have cardiac, muscle or joint problems, consult with your doctor prior to trying any new exercises or stretches.
Helpful Sites
Step Wise Tips
Try this:
- Pick some of these stretches and commit to doing them for 15 minutes 2-3 days per week for 1-2 weeks.
- Look for ways to move more. ie take stairs, park farther away, go for walks
- Be aware of your movements and get up, stretch, or walk around every 1-2 hours.
“Stay” and get strong…er
There is a type of exercise that focusing not on how much weight you can lift or how many times you can lift it but how long and how well you can hold positions. These types of exercises are called isometric exercises. Iso-as in equal and metric referring to length. Essentially the muscle length does not change while it is being worked as joints around it do not move.
Here are some great examples of isometric exercises to add the the above stretches. (you may notice that most positions in stretching include a degree of isometrics)
Make sure you hit like. This guy obviously took a lot of time doing these well done videos. I did take the time to clip them into nice short videos for you to come back and reference.
Admittedly, there is a lot there, and I do not recommend jumping into all of them. After all, this is Step Wise, not All-Dive-In. It isn’t meant to be an all you can do buffet. Think of it as as online menu that you can plan the best exercises and stretches on certain days of the week. The point is to give you examples of good exercises that you can start and then add and mix as you become stronger and more comfortable. Ultimately you will find what works for you and make a great blend of stretching, isometrics, isotonic, and cardio…. but I’m getting ahead of myself.
I’m for the Resistance Bands
No, I’m not talking about Nirvana or Pearl Jam. I’m talking about a different type of band. The “it’s too simple” and “there’s no way those work” elastic exercise bands. In fact, they do work. When compared to machines and free weights, they are just as effective.1
After you try moving, stretching, and trying isometric exercises, get yourself a nice set of resistance bands. Then you will be well on your way to building some muscle mass. It is this muscle that is going to be your fat burning friend. If you are my patient, you will hear me repeat “Nothing burns fat like a muscle.” I say it a lot because it is true. Increased muscle mass:
- Increases your resting metabolic rate
- exercising promotes calorie consumption even after exercises is completed (depends on type and intensity)
- increases insulin sensitivity which helps control blood sugar better (HIGH insulin results in Decrease Fat burning)
Try these:
This is set up to be a full body workout in 10 minutes. Doing each exercise for 30-40 seconds in groups of two and then taking a 45-60 second break. So do alternating biceps curls and calf raises for 40 seconds each followed by a 45-60 sec break. Then do Bent Bent Over Row and Bar standing crunch followed by another break. I’m sure most of you will not have a weight rack in your home but a good set of bands comes with a door attachment. If you are uncertain about the full bands then try out the full body loop work out.
Products in this post and on this site are recommended based on my personal use, not my professional opinion, and individual results may vary. As an Amazon Affiliate, I could earn a commission on qualifying purchases.
I have used all of these products and they are of good quality. You want to take care of your bands and not leave them in the heat or sun to dry out because they can become dry and brittle which could result in malfunction and injury.
Step Wise Tips
- Start low and go slow- only pick a few exercises to develop good routines and focus on technique
- Really listen to your body as you try these new techniques and pay attention to cues of pain or true discomfort. Conversely, also be mindful of your energy level, mood and sleeping pattern after starting something new
- Start slow for 1-2 and then commit to 3-5 days a week of blended exercises as you prepare yourself for next level training HIIT and aerobic exercising.
I hope these exercises and tips will help get you started in the right direction. Know you can accomplish a lot in the world of fitness in your own home and in a relatively short amount of time. Again, I am in no way discouraging gym going but I am giving effective alternatives for people who aren’t aware of the benefits and simplicity of home training.
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C. J. Wolinski, MD
Nutrition and Weight Loss 
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