Resistance bands help you tone up and lose weight with the right strategy in place. Let's get down to basics. Cardio is primarily regarded as the fastest way to burn calories; however, they also help strengthen your muscles. As you target muscle groups to increase lean mass, your body gets a metabolism boost that could help you lose fat and weight.
How Do Resistance Bands Work?
If you're new to the world of resistance bands, get familiar with how they work and what they can do for your body. The bands add external resistance force without the need for traditional weights. Many people use them by standing on them and pulling them up, similar to doing an arm curl.
Some of the benefits of resistance bands are that they're inexpensive, stylish, easy to use, and easy to store. When used correctly, they can also mimic most of the exercises you already do with weights.
Types of Resistance Band Exercises for Weight Loss
Resistance bands are so versatile; they can be used to enhance almost any exercise you already enjoy doing. Here are a few ideas of how to workout with resistance bands:
- Glute Bridge
- Deadlift
- Banded Pull-Down
- Lunges
- Lateral Walk
- Hip Abduction
- Squat and Single-Arm
- Single-Arm Tricep Press
Try adding resistance bands into your usual routine to see how you can uplevel your results. Need more ideas? Get some of our resistance band exercise and training options here.
Intensify Your Workout
There are different schools of thought about how much exercise you should get while using resistance bands for weight loss. The results also depend on your metabolism, diet, other workout efforts, and the intensity of your exercises.
Plan to do three cardio workouts and three strength training workouts each week. Remember, you can use resistance bands for weight loss to get in both a cardio and weight-training-focused workout. You can also increase the resistance of your bands from light or medium to heavy to pack in more intensity.
Focus on the intensity you're putting into your workout. One option is to try HIIT Workouts with your resistance bands. HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, generally combines short bursts of intense exercise with lower-intensity activities or periods of rest. Another option is Peripheral Heart Action Training or PHA, which approaches cardio and resistance training. The concept is similar to circuit training that keeps you moving from one exercise to another with minimal pauses or rest. It's similar to HIIT but not as intense.
Combine Resistance Band Training with a Healthy Diet
Resistance bands are a practical addition to your regular workout routine. They can add more intensity and burn extra calories, help you lose weight, and intensify your strength. However, remember you can't exercise away from a bad diet. No matter how hard you're working out, you still need to commit to healthier food options and make long-lasting changes to see the results you want.
Want to try something new? Get a healthy and delicious Midweek Meal option here.
Look Beyond the Scale
If the lack of movement on your scale is driving you crazy, remember it doesn't have the final say in your weight loss journey. Keeping careful measurements of your bust, waist, hips, thighs, and arms also helps reveal the actual results of your hard work. You may find you're losing inches at a record pace while the scale looks sluggish. It could be as simple as muscle weighing more than fat. Don't let that scale derail your progress when you've come this far.
Keeping moving,
~ The Movéo Team
