5 Fat-Burning Workouts That Are Perfect for Beginners

According to a fitness trainer’s experience, about 90% of people who join a gym quit within the first 3 months. This is because, while starting out, most people have unrealistic expectations and are less knowledgeable about which exercises to perform to achieve their intended goals.

Bright Side brings to you 5 fat-burning workouts that are perfect for beginners along with suggestions as to how many times you should perform them while starting out. You may increase the reps and the intensity as you progress. Don’t forget to read the bonus at the end of the article if you want to find out whether a morning schedule is better for working out, or if sweating it out in the evening is more effective.

The plank

How to perform it:

1. Start by placing your forearms on the ground with your elbows placed right under the shoulders. Keep the forearms parallel to each other.
2. Now lift your body up to get into a push-up like position.

Stay in this position for about 30 seconds.

Bicycle crunches

How to perform them:

1. Lie flat on the ground with your hands resting by your sides.
2. Now put your hands behind your head and interlock the fingers. You can also choose to not interlock the fingers.
3. Lift your right leg in a way where your thighs are perpendicular to the ground and your calves are parallel.
4. Simultaneously lift your shoulder blades and turn your body so that the elbow of your left arm touches the knee of the lifted right leg.
5. Straighten the right leg, but keep it above ground and simultaneously bend your left leg and rotate your upper body so that the elbow of your right arm touches the knee of the left leg.

Perform these 7 times for each leg.

Push-ups

How to perform them:

1. Get down on all fours with your palms resting flat on the floor shoulder width apart.
2. Straighten your arms and legs.

3. Lower your body so that your chest nearly touches the floor.

4. Now push your body back up.

Repeat 10 times.

Reverse crunches

How to perform them:

1. Lie flat on your back and put your hands beside your body with your palms touching the floor.
2. Lift your leg up while bending your knees toward your head. Make sure your hips and butt lie firmly on the ground.
3. Now push your legs up towards the ceiling. This push will make your buttocks come off the ground.
4. Now lower your legs, but don’t let your feet rest on the floor.

For beginners, it is recommended that they perform 3 sets of 10 reverse crunches.

Mountain climbers

How to perform them:

1. Start in the plank position.
2. Move your right knee forward under your chest, with the toes just off the ground.
3. Return to the basic plank position and switch to your left leg. Perform it as fast as possible.

Perform these for 1 minute.

Bonus: exercising in the morning vs exercising in the evening

What’s better: exercising in the morning or working out in the evening? The truth is while both times of day have their advantages and disadvantages, the best time for you is the time when you can exercise consistently. The key to eliminating fat and staying healthy is being persistent and consistent. The best time for you is the time when you will be able to effectively exercise.

However, let’s have a look at the pros and cons of both schedules so that you can make a wise decision.

Advantages of a morning workout:

• An early-morning workout on an empty stomach helps speed up weight loss and boost energy levels.
• Working out early means that you get more sunlight which is crucial in setting the body’s internal circadian rhythm.

Disadvantages of a morning workout:

• Many of us can feel sluggish in the morning, and skipping workouts is detrimental to all your efforts.
• Your body can feel stiff in the morning.

Advantages of an evening workout:

• Research has shown that we exercise harder in the evening, so if you’re consistent, you will lose more fat over time.
• In another study, it was also found that exercising 1.5 hours before bedtime was associated with falling asleep faster, less waking up in the night, and better moods.

Disadvantages of an evening workout:

• Due to our busy schedules, consistently being able to find time to exercise can be difficult.
• After a long workday, you might feel too tired to exercise.

What other exercises have you tried as a beginner? Share your gym experiences with us in the comments below.