Gym Workout Routines to Lose Weight

Weight loss can be a difficult process to go through. Between diet and exercising, it can be hard to stick to your plan. Dieting in a healthy manner will help your body run smoothly and burn calories more efficiently. Exercising will have the same effect. You can incorporate three main types of exercise that should be done regularly into a gym routine that will work your body and help you lose weight.

Stretching

Stretching helps restore posture. With good posture, your blood will flow more efficiently and keep your organs healthier.

Bend down and touch your toes. Hold it for 10 seconds. Come back up and stretch your arms to the ceiling. Hold that for 10 seconds. Put your left arm in the air and take it behind your back. Keep your elbow pointed to the ceiling. Take your right hand and put it on your elbow. Bend to the right side. Reverse arms and bend to the left. Now take your hands and place them on your hips. Pivot your hips from side to side. Do this for 10 reps on each side. Sit on the ground and push both of your legs forward as far as they can go. Spread them wide. Take your hands and put them on one foot, stretching as far as you can. Hold for 10 seconds. Move your hands to the other leg and hold. Bring your feet together. Stretch your hands towards your feet and hold for 10 seconds. If you can, bring yourself to the crab walk position. This is a position where you will be on all fours with your back facing the ground. Push your back as high as you feel comfortable. Hold for 10 seconds. This routine will keep your muscles limber and fresh and ready to exercise. If your gym offers it, take yoga classes to increase your flexibility.

Cardiovascular or Aerobic Training

Cardiovascular training is vital to losing weight and staying in shape. Cardiovascular training strengthens your heart and lungs. When you have low cardiovascular health, you will be tired often, out of breath easily and low energy. With high cardiovascular health, you will have extra energy, greater stamina and better drive. It also makes all other exercises easier, so it is important to focus on this aspect of your training. Cardiovascular training can be anything that requires you to exert yourself: running, walking, swimming, jogging or even rock climbing. Pick an exercise you enjoy. Doing what you enjoy is half the battle.

Make sure you can talk during your exercise. Once you cannot, you are out of breath, and once you are out of breath, it is best to rest. Don't overstrain, and don't set goals you can't reach. Overexertion will tire you out and can hurt your body.

A diverse use of gym machines can help you burn off a lot of weight. Start easy with the treadmill. Set it for the increased intensity routine. This will slowly increase the speed and incline of the treadmill. Make sure that it never gets too fast or too grueling for you. Run the treadmill for five minutes, then step off and stretch your leg muscles. Next go to the stair-stepping machine. Set it for an increased intensity workout and begin stepping. Be careful you don't step too fast. Five minutes of stair stepping is an excellent start. Next go to a rowing machine for about five minutes. As you work out and your cardiovascular system gets stronger, you will be able to handle a more intense workout.

Take a moment to stretch your body all over, then find a bicycle machine. Set it for an increased intensity routine. This time, go for about 10 minutes, then stretch your legs and arms again. Finish off with five more minutes on the treadmill.

Strength Training

Strength training can offer many weight-loss benefits. Idle muscles burn more energy than idle fat. By building up strong muscles, you can simply be relaxing while watching a movie and burn more calories than you would if you had less muscle. When you lift weights, you are actually tearing your muscles a little. Your body then repairs the muscles, which makes them stronger.

Start out with bench-pressing machine. This will work your chest and arms very well. Put on a safe amount of weight for what you can handle. Don't push too hard at the beginning. Do 10 reps to begin, and if you feel up to it, do another 10. Next find a machine that works your arms, back and chest. This type of machine will have two levers to pull toward your chest. Set your weight for a safe level. Do 10 reps, and if you feel comfortable, another 10. Find the machine that lets you work the back of your legs. This will have a bar for your legs that will let you pull your legs upward against the weights. Set it for an appropriate weight and do two sets of 10 reps if you can. Find the machine that lets you push yourself up against weights using your legs. You will push yourself up and away from a pad. Set this to an appropriate level with 10 reps and another 10 if you feel you can. These workouts will have worked your legs, back, arms and core muscles. Vary your routine using different machines every day so that you don't get bored and don't strain your muscles. Slowly increase the exercises you do and the weights you use. Consulting a personal trainer will provide you with optimum benefit out of your exercise routine.