The Best Types of Fitness Classes for Weight Loss

As you get older and your metabolism changes, you’ll not only have to change the way you eat in order to maintain a healthy weight, but you’ll also want to add an exercise regimen that keeps your body fit and healthy. Unfortunately, most people don’t realize this until they’ve already put on some excess pounds. And even fewer make changes unless they have a medical scare or their doctors warn them about issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or pre-diabetic conditions. But if you’re looking to lose weight and look and feel great, it’s not a bad idea to develop a sustainable diet so that you can eat healthy for life. And you should probably do this in concert with an exercise regimen designed to help you lose weight. Here are just a few of the best fitness classes for weight loss.

1. Vinyasa yoga. If you’re not exactly the jogging type, yoga is a great option, mainly because there are levels for beginning, intermediate, and advanced practitioners, so you can start out easy and work your way up as you learn and become more fit. In addition, yoga strives not only for a mind/body balance through practice, but also for increases in overall body toning, strength, and flexibility. If you’re looking to lose weight, as well, Vinyasa yoga will take you through a routine where movement between poses is faster and breathing is accelerated, helping you to burn fat and strengthen muscle at the same time and making it ideal for weight loss. If you want to go the extra mile and really sweat it out you could always try Bikram (hot house) yoga. But if you tend to feel faint or nauseous when you get too hot during workouts, it may not be the best choice.
2. CrossFit. This form of circuit training is a little different from the average bear. Although it involves moving through set activities in a circuit, and each activity is timed, there is a much higher onus to push yourself, squeezing in as many reps as possible, lifting maximum weight, and so on. The program is designed to be scalable, flexible, and comprehensive so that you get a full-body workout and meet your particular goals for fitness and weight loss.
3. Spinning. If you go to a gym already, you’ve probably seen one of these classes in session, with a group of people on stationary bikes standing, sitting, and pedaling like their lives depended on it, often to the beat of some pounding house music. And if you’ve been around at the end of the class, you may have noticed practitioners filing out, literally drenched and dripping sweat. If spinning doesn’t get your heart rate up and have you shedding pounds post haste, you’re doing it wrong.
4. Step aerobics. If you need some mental stimulation mixed in with your workout, step aerobics is a good way to kill two birds with one stone. Until you learn the basic moves, it can be a little intimidating, so you should definitely start with a beginner class. But as you move up, the routines change frequently so that you get something new every time.
5. Zumba. As group fitness go, there are few more fun than Zumba, which involves fast-paced, Latin-based dance routines. If you enjoy dancing and learning new moves, you really can’t go wrong joining a Zumba class, and the group atmosphere makes it even more enjoyable. If you’re not keen on the idea of working out in a group, you could always lay down some products from Treadall Gym and Fitness Mats Canada at home to get your workout on. But try a Zumba class before you discount it; you’ll see that everyone has a great time, regardless of skill level.