Micro Workouts for Weight Loss: A Game Changer In Your Fitness Journey

Ditch the gym, not your fitness goals!

Micro workouts are quick bursts of activity you can fit in anywhere. No equipment is needed, perfect for home, work, or even on the go. For a few minutes 2-3 times a day, to get your heart pumping and muscles moving.

While not wholly replacing traditional workouts, micro sessions do offer similar benefits in bite-sized packages. It is about time you say goodbye to lengthy gym commutes and expensive memberships. You really can get fit on your terms, at your own pace.

Once you study micro workout benefits, you may want to get into these workouts without delay. For example, the intensity of these workouts can spike your heart rate for improved cardiovascular health. This metabolic jumpstart helps fight chronic diseases like diabetes and depression (9). Research confirms that you can build muscle and elevate your fitness level faster with these bite-sized sessions (3).

Scroll below to learn all you need about micro workouts for weight loss!

How Do You Do A Micro Workout?

Do you need help starting and continuing with a micro workout?

The first thing that you need to do is select and plan a workout session. Plan short, intensive exercises according to the time you allocate to your micro workout session. Keep your goal in mind while selecting the exercises. To build muscles or lose weight through these workouts, you should use strength training exercises or those exercises that help burn more calories (5).

Exercises in micro workouts are usually done without equipment or may use a dumbbell as a weight. They only require a little space. These exercises include lunges, planks, push-ups, sit-ups, wall sits, squats, bridges, high knees, and more. For one session, you can do some lunges, wall sits, and push-ups. For another session you may try doing push-ups, planks, and calf raises if you want strength training.

In this way plan a workout cycle and practice it at least 2 to 3 times a day, whenever and wherever is convenient. Allocate an adequate number of minutes regularly to this workout for it to be fruitful.

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How Long Should Micro Workouts Be?

Micro workouts are designed to quickly be done during breaks between work and other daily activities. This means that a convenient micro workout session lasts 5 to 10 minutes, with each 30-60 seconds allotted to each exercise (9).

This way you can have 5 to 10 exercises in one session. As one session of micro workout cannot replace the whole regular workout, you need to repeat each cycle or session at least twice or three times a day for it to be effective.

As a beginner, you can start with fewer minutes, slowly increasing your body’s stamina and your daily routine as your body adjusts to these workout sessions. Make sure to be consistent and follow the workout plan diligently.

Are Micro Workouts Good For Weight Loss?

Due to its short but intense exercises, this pattern resembles high-intensity interval training (HIIT). The intensity of the exercises can increase the heart rate and metabolism of the body in just a few minutes. This can burn more calories, proving that it is beneficial to do micro workouts for weight loss.

That said, micro workouts are your answer if you have a busy schedule and find it challenging to find an hour for a traditional workout. Since it can be done anywhere, without typical workout equipment, you can easily do micro workouts at home, school, or the office.

However, you must be careful about staying hydrated and well-nourished with a properly balanced diet. Also, ensure you lead an active lifestyle and have a healthy sleeping schedule. This will help promote optimal health and overall wellness. As the aim is weight loss, you can also maintain a low-calorie diet for better results.

What Micro Workouts Should I Do For Weight Loss?

A micro workout plan becomes more efficient when it includes exercises that can be done at home without much equipment. An example of micro workouts to lose weight at home can include squats, push-ups, burpees, and jumping jacks, each to be done for at least 30 seconds. Other examples of micro workouts for weight loss for beginners can include some overhead presses, squats or lunges, hip hinges, and pull-ups, each for at least 30 seconds.

If you want to make your micro workouts for weight loss more exciting and fun, dancing workouts to lose weight are also a good option. These might include exercises like Zumba, Hip Hop, Tap, or Jazzercise. A micro workout for weight loss may include some of the above routines.

Regardless of who performs all these exercises, if done consistently, they can help increase heart rate and metabolism. This can result in a higher calorie burn. Below is a detailed explanation of two of the best micro workout exercises for weight loss that you can include in your routine:

Burpees

Follow these steps to perform burpees (4):

1. Start by getting into the first position. Do so by squatting, bending your knees, and lowering your body till your palms can touch the floor.
2. Then, move your legs backward to come into a plank position with your body aligned in a level position.
3. Do a push-up once (bending your arms, bringing your body towards the floor, and rising again in plank position). 
4. Then, return to the squatting position.
5. Raise your hands above your head and then stand by jumping upwards.
6. Start the cycle again by returning to a squat position. 
7. Do this for at least 30 to 45 seconds without stopping at any stage.

Lunges

If you want to perform lunges, follow these steps (1):

1. Get into the position by standing straight and touching the waist. 
2. Then, put your left foot two or three steps ahead of the right.
3. Then, bend the left knee at a right angle so that your right knee comes with several inches of the floor
4. Then, return to the original position by standing up straight with both feet together.
5. Now, put the right foot in front and repeat the process with legs switched.
6. Do this 8 to 10 times for each leg before moving on to the next exercise. 

The exercises included in micro workouts can vary according to your targets. If you aim to perform micro workouts to increase core strength, you can opt for exercises that target your abs, like v-ups, planks, and bicycle crunches.

Read more: How 10-Minute Micro Workouts Can Improve Your Fitness?

What Is The Number 1 Exercise to Lose Weight?

When you start a weight loss journey, the main things that you need to care about are your diet and exercise. Sometimes, people strictly follow various diets, like the keto diet, a 5-day liquid diet, a low-carb diet, or any other plan. Remember the most important component to weight loss is a calorie deficit. Exercise also plays an essential role in helping your body to stay active and burn calories that contribute to your daily calorie deficit.

HIIT-style workouts are the best for calorie burn in a short period of time. Downsides include high-impact exercises that can be tough on joints. Walking is considered the best low-impact exercise among the many exercises that both help burn calories and lose weight. Why? Because it improves the metabolism and overall daily calorie burn and is gentle enough for all fitness levels. It is said that you can burn about 150 calories by doing a brisk walk for merely 30 minutes (2). 

According to another source, if a person weighing 140 pounds walks for a minute, they can burn around 7.6 calories. Meanwhile, when a person with a weight of 180 pounds walks, they can approximately burn 9.7 calories per minute (8).

Walking is a low-impact exercise, so it suits beginners who have just started their weight loss journey. Also, it does not require you to go to the gym or buy equipment. That is to say, it can be done whenever it is convenient. Plus, the number of calories burned can be easily increased by adding to your walk time or speeding up a bit.

Will I Lose Weight Doing 30 Minutes Exercise A Day?

Want to lose weight with exercise but need to figure out how long you should do it? Well, that’s not too tricky. If you are a beginner, you can start by allocating 30 minutes of your daily schedule to exercise. It has been determined by the United States Department of Health and Human Services that only 30 minutes daily can also help to lose weight, maintain health, and prevent diseases (6).

Apart from these 30 minutes of structured exercise, if you want quicker results you should increase your time spent doing movement in your daily routine with a goal to increase your overall step count. Weight loss will be more difficult for someone who is seated all day. Moreover, you must be strictly mindful of your diet and the calories you consume to lose weight.

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FAQs

• What micro workout burns the most belly fat?

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) style workouts are some of the best workouts for increasing metabolism and calorie burn. They allow you to increase your heart rate in a short period of time, maximizing weight loss and overall health benefits.

• How to lose 3 pounds in a week with micro workouts?

While it is possible to lose 3 pounds of weight a week with determination and extreme effort, it is recommended to focus on 1-2 pounds a week for healthy and safe weight loss. Trying to lose weight faster might result in muscle wasting, hair loss, and other health complications. 

• How many micro workouts should I do per week?

For micro workouts to be effective and yield the same weight loss benefits as the traditional workout, they should be done at least twice or three times a day, each for at least 5 to 10 minutes or more. Doing this three to five days a week can help you attain all the benefits you need from a workout session.

The Bottom Line

They’re like quick bursts of exercise that get your heart pumping fast in a short amount of time. Not only do they rev up your metabolism and torch calories, but they’re also great for losing weight, keeping chronic diseases at bay, and improving your heart health.

How do you get started with micro workouts? 

First, you must figure out a plan that fits your schedule and matches your goals. These workouts are designed to last around 5 to 10 minutes per session, and you’ll wanna do them at least two to three times a day. They are all about packing in exercises that make your body work hard in a short amount of time.

And the cool thing is that micro workouts are perfect for busy folks who still want to drop some pounds. You can do burpees, planks, push-ups, squats, pull-ups, lunges, or even simpler things like walking, cycling, or jumping rope. They all help burn calories and don’t require much gear.

Note, that consistency is key here. If you wanna see those results, you gotta stick with it. And if you’ve got any joint pain or health issues, it’s always smart to chat with a doctor before diving in. 

Now, give micro workouts a shot, and watch those pounds start to melt away!