Sports for Natural Weight Loss

Nowadays, you’re bound to see all sorts of fad diets that claim to help you achieve quick weight loss. Though there’s nothing really wrong with making a diet part of your weight loss program, the health value of such ‘quick weight loss’ diets is very dubious. When it comes to losing weight, there’s really no better way than incorporating sports into your lifestyle. 

Here are a couple of choices you might want to try. 

Cycling 

CyclingIf you’re tired of plain ol’ jogging, cycling’s another great activity that’s sure to burn those calories right up.

You won’t have to literally pound the pavement anymore, and you’re working out roughly the same muscles that you would when jogging. Besides, it’s also a great and economical way to travel if you just want to head someplace a couple of blocks away. Just think of the gas you’ll save in the process!

Tennis

Many people think that quick weight loss is all about dieting yourself to death and depriving yourself of everything but steamed veggies. The truth is that you can still keep a fairly regular (read: a bit of oil and fat here and there) menu by incorporating fitness into an aspect of your lifestyle other than your eating habits. And the best way to do that is to take up sports.

First of all, tennis is a great cardiovascular activity. A match against an average tennis player should have you running all over your side of the court, and that’s no mean feat. Considering that you have to defend a space that’s 39 feet by 27 feet in size, you’re going to do a fair amount of running for a single match.

Even better is that tennis matches or a proper game between two evenly matched players will take at least half an hour. That’s about the amount of time it takes for your body to reach that optimum fat-burning phase during cardiovascular exercise. And because your physical exertion will definitely last more than half an hour, you’ll get the added benefit of the after-burn effect, or that window of time after exercise wherein you enjoy an enhanced metabolism.

While it’s true that dieting is effective for losing weight, sports can be just as effective a means for natural weight loss. With sports, you also have the advantage of toning your body and building up muscle while losing all that unsightly fat.

Swimming

SwimmingDon’t think that it’s just a summer activity for the kids. Swimming gives you a great low-impact cardio workout, and it’s actually a favorite prescription for fitness buffs who are recovering from injuries. Not only do you exercise in more or less moderated pool conditions, but you also save your knees and joints from the repetitive shock of other activities like jogging. If you’ve got knee or back problems, this is definitely your best exercise for fast weight loss.


Getting into sports not only helps you burn away all the unnecessary calories, but also builds up your cardiovascular endurance and muscle strength. It’s the best kind of weight loss program if you want overall fitness instead of just better readings on the bathroom scale.