Gaining Weight? 7 Exercises That Don’t Burn Nearly as Many Calories as You Think
Your spin class works up a sweat, but are you aren’t losing as much as you think. | Guido De Bortoli/Getty Images
By the time swimsuit season rolls around, most people have abandoned their New Year’s fitness goals. Why? Because that fancy new gym membership or at-home workout regimen didn’t instantly melt away that extra holiday body fat. In fact, it is quite common for newly-devoted fitness crowds to not meet their early-year weight loss goals, despite spending months glued to the gym elliptical.
Fear not! This isn’t a sign that exercise doesn’t work — you just aren’t burning as many calories as you think.
Part of the problem is that people aren’t educated enough in the exercises that they are doing, thus not losing weight as quickly as desired. It is a common error, Alex Carneiro tells Bodybuilding.com. “Fat loss might be the most common fitness goal,” he said, “but it’s definitely no easy task to achieve.” And that has a lot to do with us not working off as much fat in our favorite workouts as expected.
So what are these seemingly fabulous workout staples that are causing such a problem?
1. Spin class
This fun class works up a sweat, but it isn’t burning as many calories as you think. | Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images
Okay before you ditch this story altogether — yes, spinning helps you work up a sweat and burn calories. Not to mention, tone your legs and give your heart a good workout. But this popular class at your gym isn’t the fat-burner it seems to be.
Today explains that just doing straight cardio with no resistance training mixed in will not eliminate fat as you expected. Michael Mantell, senior fitness consultant for behavioral sciences for the American Council on Exercise, elaborated, “People do cardio as a main way that they’re trying to lose weight, and the problem with this is 60 percent of the weight they lose is fat, and 40 percent is muscle.” He also added, “And we don’t want to lose lean muscle, because lean muscle burns more calories per pound, per day, than fat does.”
All that spinning also makes you hungry. Being that you aren’t burning as many calories as you thought, powering down beers after class is pretty counter-productive. This doesn’t mean you should ditch spin class, though! Just make sure it’s not your only source of exercise.
2. Quick fix workouts claiming to make you look like a ‘dancer’
Getting ballerina legs will take more than a couple leg lifts in your living room. | Lionel Bonaventure/AFP/Getty Images
Blame it on the Pinterest revolution for making it look like you can get dancer legs by doing a couple arabesque-type leg lifts at home. But the truth is, these fancy turn-your-living-room-into-a-gym routines aren’t going to make the fat melt off your thighs. Will they give you some tone? Sure. But you aren’t going to have gams like Misty Copeland.
Health and fitness blog The Fitnessista addresses the problem about what we often see on these social media bulletin boards. “Many of these frequently-pinned workouts suggest a quick fix to fitness woes, when in reality there’s no such thing. No one wants to see ‘Eat clean, do cardio, lift weights, sleep well, and drink a lot of water. Do this consistently for the rest of your life to get the best results!’ It’s more appealing to see a pretty picture and think that the posted workout is a quick ticket to six-pack city.”
A more aerobic alternative would be better suited for real results. If working out from home is more your speed, there are some high-octane dance-centric videos out there to help zap those calories.
3. Elliptical workouts
The elliptical isn’t as effective as you might think. | iStock.com/MaxRiesgo
There is a lot of confusion when it comes to the effectiveness of an elliptical workout. It can be a pivotal part of your workout routine — if done right.
For starters, the calorie counter is gravely inaccurate. U.S. News & World Report says these machines are typically off by about 20 to 30%. The story also explains there are a plethora of reasons why these counters are so off, and your own body not matching the algorithm used in the machines could be the biggest culprit. Since the rate at which we burn calories differs due to factors like weight, age, and average level of fitness, it could be that you just aren’t a right fit for the elliptical’s programming.
Solution? Ignore the counter, and opt for a hybrid workout with varying resistances, more akin to circuit training. And maybe skip the fatty coffee beverage post-workout. (More on that later.)
4. Long-distance jogging/running
That gorgeous jog is just part of what it takes to shed the pounds. | Carl Court/Getty Images
Great cardio? Yes. A nice way to de-stress after a rough day? Absolutely. But a fat-buster? Only up to a certain point. Going on a long run is great lower-body exercise that burns fat like no other. However, the rate at which you can plateau is rather high. “If you’re a creature of habit, you may prefer your daily steady-state five milers. But once your body adapts, it will hit the brakes on fat burning and significant changes.” Jessica Bell of AZCentral.com explains.
So to get the most out of your run and keep your body from getting too comfortable, add some cross-training with weights to your weekly workout regimen. Bell also suggests running outdoors — instead of on a treadmill — to give your body the extra boost it needs to not get too complacent.
5. Lifting weights to replace fat with muscle
Pumping iron will pump you up, but it’s not going to slim you down. | Marwan Naamani/AFP/Getty Images
The confusion between targeting places to build muscle and targeting places to burn fat is ongoing. Heavy lifting will build lots of muscle, yes, but it won’t replace fat with muscle. “Your body doesn’t work this way,” Shape Magazine says in a piece that debunks common fitness myths. “Muscle and fat are two completely different tissues. If you stop strength training, your muscles will begin to shrink and muscle tone and density will change. At the same time, fat cells gradually begin to replace the lean muscle tissue, creating the illusion of weight gain, but muscle will never actually transform into fat.”
To get the most out of your weight-lifting regimen, add more reps.
6. Crunches and planks
It will take more than just a couple sit ups to get in tip top shape like Marco Bresciano of Australia. | Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
Say hello to one of the most misused and commonly messed up workouts out there. Sit ups, crunches, and the like always somehow get mistaken as exercises that will melt your midsection into supermodel-style washboards. In fact, core work is the same as with lifting weights: These exercises build your core muscles, but they are not going to melt away the pooch in front of your abs. “Exercising your abdominal muscles will strengthen them,” Authority Nutrition says in an easy-to-follow piece. “However, twisting, crunching and side bending will not make your abdominal muscles visible if they are covered by a thick layer of fat.”
Solution? Having as much variety in your workout as possible to both reduce fat and tone muscle. A little cardio before your core workout will help shed calories and help reduce your waistline.
7. Yoga
Bikram Yoga is great for detoxing. Too bad fat isn’t a “toxin.” | Matt Cardy/Getty Images
Yoga is the kale of workouts. It’s trendy and fun to have in your life the first few go-rounds. But then everyone wants to abandon it for pizza and beer once it doesn’t make them instantly skinny.
The truth? Yoga has a handful of benefits, but burning massive amounts of calories just isn’t one of them. A piece in Women’s Health chronicles all the good that different types of yoga can do for you — and yes, giving you that tone so you look good in spandex is a perk. But even more intense forms of the practice, like Vinyasa, “is not intense enough to raise the body’s metabolic rate.” So, like with every other exercise on this list, yoga isn’t enough on its own to burn the calories you desire. Add variety to your weekly workout plan to tone your muscles, burn those calories, and get yourself centered.
Try this: Interval training
High intensity interval training is a proven fat-killer. Beach-front boot camp optional. | William West/AFP/Getty Images
The best solution to the weight-loss woes stemming from a non-productive workout? Keeping a variety of workouts in your arsenal. And fitness buffs agree that interval training is a good way to work towards your weight loss goals because it burns more fat in a shorter period of time. High-intensity interval training is largely associated with the obsessive gym junkie tribe, but in fact it is one of your best bets at losing weight. (Not to mention that you will continue burning calories after the workout is finished.)
Keep in mind, however, that this workout is not a quick fix — which, as we previously stated, doesn’t exist. Doing one go-round of HIIT will up your heart rate and leave you exhausted. But it isn’t going to peel off the pounds and leave you ripped without a little consistency.
Try this: Resistance training
Pros like Andy Murray know the impact and importance of resistance training. | Michael Dodge/Getty Images
The reason for hammering home the importance of resistance training? The work and tension can burn calories that straight cardio cannot. Incorporating light weights and/or resistance bands into your regimen tackles both the need to add variety to your weekly workouts and burn calories. Not to mention, incorporating this type of exercise into your routine has a series of other benefits, including muscle and bone health.
Not sure how to get started with free weights? Intimidated by the resistance band? There are plenty of videos out there to help you get situated with a good routine. (Although if you are a beginner, it will probably behoove you to hit the gym for some guidance first, to make sure you have proper form.)
Try this: Accompany your workouts with healthier eats
Salad topped with chicken and pistachios. | iStock.com
You knew this was coming: Losing weight isn’t just about working out. You also have to eat right. And yes — food is important! Starving after a workout is bad for your body’s recovery. Which also means that the right foods have to be eaten to maintain the best recovery possible.
Unsure of where to start? Authority Nutrition tackles the subject of pre- and post-workout eats. Better yet, they give you a variety of snacks to choose from, because if you are going to enjoy burning calories, you might as well enjoy what you are putting into your body for fuel. This means substituting in lean protein for those carb-loaded post-workout eats you crave. You will see that adding these components together is much more productive when it comes to losing weight.
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