Exercising has a myriad of benefits. It keeps you healthy and prevents you from contracting illnesses. It improves your mood, boosts your energy, and helps you sleep soundly. Moreover, exercising has many social benefits as well. By far though, the number one reason for exercise is to help one control their weight.
If you decided to dedicate some of your time in a day to break a sweat, there is a big chance that you want to know which activity is worth your while. Before we determine which gym exercises burn the highest and lowest amount calories in an hour, let us help you understand certain factors that affect how many calories you burn. There are three:
- Height and Weight
Individuals who are larger or have more muscle mass tend to burn more calories than those who are smaller or have less muscle mass.
- Age
The older you get, the more your metabolism slows down, making you burn fewer calories.
- Intensity
The higher the intensity, the more demand for oxygen and muscle exertion, which helps in burning more calories.
These three factors indicate that two people who do the same workout in the same amount of time can lose different amounts of calories.
To make your weight loss journey more enjoyable and fulfilling, choose which exercise suits you best. It depends on your goal, though. Do you want to burn calories as soon as possible or keep a slow pace? What matters is that you are consistent.
Treadmills
In an hour, by walking at a rate of 3 mph, a person weighing 180 pounds can burn 480 calories. They can also lose 774 calories by walking fast at 5 mph. But nothing burns as many calories as running does. At a speed of 7 mph, the same person can lose as much as 1,006 calories.
You can intensify your runs by going faster. You will never know how much better you can do if you do not challenge yourself right? Better if you add an incline to your treadmill routine as well. It takes more energy to run on an inclined area than on a flat one so you will burn more calories.
Kickboxing, stationary bicycling, and working on a rowing machine are also close seconds to the treadmill.
Weight Training
An hour of vigorous weightlifting can help you lose as much as 440 calories. Weightlifting does not burn as many calories as other forms of exercise as it focuses on building strength and increasing metabolism.
To make the most of your weightlifting regiment, lift weights that are heavy enough for fewer, yet increased quality, reps at a time. It is recommended that you weightlift while standing and focus on deadlifts and pull-ups to maximize calories burned. Working out using more muscles means more calorie burn as well.
The best way to do these exercises is by being consistent. Do not let anything get in the way by being determined, focused, and safe.