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16 At-Home Workouts to Lose Weight

Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA

Reviewed by Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA

Written by Hadley Mendelsohn

Published 05/15/2024

Updated 10/31/2024

Looking for beginner at-home workouts? We got you.

A common misconception is that to get fit or lose weight, you have to sign up for an expensive gym membership. But the reality is, doing at-home workouts to lose weight can work just as well.

The key is to do strength-training exercises a few times a week on top of some cardio to support weight loss and overall health. And while you can do specific workouts to lose weight at home, you also can focus on adding extra movement to your day-to-day. In both cases, consistency is vital if you want to see results.

Ahead, we’ll explain why home workouts can be great and how to optimize them — for beginners and experts alike. Then, we’ll walk you through the best at-home exercises for weight loss. We’ll finish off by exploring other changes that can help with weight loss at home.

Don’t let the persuasive ads fool you. You don’t need a whole setup of machines and expensive equipment to get a good workout at home.

In fact, research shows that bodyweight exercises have similar benefits to other workouts, including improving cardio fitness.

Besides your own bodyweight, you may already have some things you can use for strength training, like a bench for tricep dips and chest presses, a milk crate or chair for step-ups, and some heavy water bottles if you don’t have dumbbells.

But if you’re open to buying a few basic items for your beginner at-home workouts, you might want to get: 

  • A thick exercise mat for stretching, push-ups, and abdominal work on the floor

  • Dumbbells and/or a set of resistance bands or a kettlebell for strength training

  • A stability ball for core workouts

  • A jump rope

If your budget allows, you may eventually want to invest in a cardio machine like a treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, or rowing machine — but it’s not a must-have. Even a simple cardio exercise like walking can promote weight loss.

Over time, you might consider other details that can help bring your home gym together, such as a full-length mirror to check your form, a set of workout towels, or a foam roller for sore muscles.

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Okay, so you’re ready to start working out at home. Great! Where do you begin?

Here’s a look at 16 at-home workouts to lose weight (if that’s your goal), with some modifications for exercises for beginners to lose weight at home too. These dynamic exercises can strengthen and challenge your body, as well as boost calorie and fat burn.

As you get started, remember not to do too much too soon. And always take time to warm up and cool down to help avoid injury.

For each exercise, start by doing three to six sets of each move, with six to 12 reps during each set. As you build strength and endurance, you can increase your reps.

Now let’s jump in!

1. Burpees

Wondering how to burn fat fast at home? Try a full-body exercise that sucks the air out of your lungs as much as it promotes weight loss — like a set of burpees.

To do a burpee, start by standing, then squat down, kick your feet back into a plank position, and do a chest-to-ground push-up. Then, jump your feet back between your hands to return to the squat position. Finally, jump up with your arms overhead. (It sounds more complicated than it is.)

As an added bonus, some researchers think burpees produce a more positive psychological response than other high-intensity exercises. 

2. Squats

If you’re looking for a classic stationary workout, this is a good one to start with since you can build on it over time.

Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms and hands extended in front of your body for balance. Then bend your knees and hips to lower your body as if sitting back in a chair, keeping your chest up and knees over your toes. Push through your heels to stand back up to the starting position.

Need a little more support? If you’re a beginner, do the same steps as listed above, but with a chair behind you. Lightly tap your buttocks to the chair as you bend into the squat.

3. Squat Jumps

This movement is fairly self-explanatory. It combines a squat with an explosive jump. Extend your legs fully before landing back in a squat position. Just be intentional about landing softly on your knees to avoid injury.

This simple combo engages multiple muscle groups, including your legs, butt, and core, while also elevating your heart rate to boost calorie burn.

4. Jumping Jacks

Start by standing tall with your feet together and arms relaxed at your sides. Then give a little jump and spread your feet out to the sides while lifting your arms up overhead — like you’re reaching for the sky.

Next, you’ll hop your feet back together and lower your arms back down. Keep your knees slightly bent to make it easier on your joints.

5. Star Jumps

Star jumps are a plyometric movement. Think of them as the cousin of jumping jacks — the motion is similar, though star jumps involve a bit more effort.

Start in a standing position before crouching down like you’re doing a squat. Then, explode upward into a jump with your arms and legs extending outward to create a star shape with your body, hence the name. 

6. Crunches

With no equipment required, crunches are one of the simplest exercises you can do to increase muscular endurance.

To do a crunch, simply lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Then, lift your upper body off the ground by contracting your abdominal muscles while keeping your lower back pressed into the floor and your eyes focused up on the ceiling.

7. Bicycle Crunches

You can also add a little variation to regular crunches with bicycle crunches.

To do these, lie on your back with your hands behind your head. Then, bring one knee toward the chest while lifting the opposite shoulder and switch sides in a pedaling motion.

8. Push-Ups

Push-ups target the chest, shoulders, and triceps while also engaging the core and lower body muscles for stability.

To do one, start in a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your legs straight back. Slowly lower your body until your chest nearly touches the ground, then push back up to the starting position by fully extending your arms.

For an added challenge, try hand-release push-ups, where you bring your chest down onto the ground, lift your hands off the ground (so your body is resting on the ground), and then put your hands back on the ground before pushing your body back up.

If you’re a beginner, you can do push-ups with your knees on the ground. And to make it even more supportive, you can do wall push-ups. For these, instead of doing a push-up on the ground, you’ll stand next to a wall and lean forward into it.

9. Jumping Rope

Even if you haven’t used one since middle school, a jump rope offers a super easy way to get your heart rate up and your coordination in action — all while supporting weight loss.

Holding the handles of the jump rope in each hand, keep your elbows close to your sides and rotate the rope while jumping lightly on the balls of your feet. Just make sure you’ve moved any furniture out of the way so you have adequate space to swing your rope around.

You don’t even need a jump rope to do this move. Position your body just like you would with a rope and make small circles with your hands while jumping with your feet close together.

10. Planks and Plank Jacks

For a challenge, opt for plank jacks.

To do a plank jack, start in a plank position with your hands underneath your shoulders and feet together. Then, jump your feet out wide while keeping your core engaged before jumping your feet back into a straight line. Make sure your butt isn’t sticking up in the air to ensure you’re getting a core workout.

This combo of core-strengthening and cardio kicks things up a notch. If you’re a beginner, try forearm planks.

11. Boxing Jabs

You don’t need access to a martial arts gym to practice your fighting skills — or get a similar burst of cardio. Boxing jabs are a great physical activity that targets the shoulders, arms, and core muscles to build muscle mass and boost metabolic rate. 

Start by standing in a boxing stance with your legs slightly bent and your core engaged, with one foot slightly in front of the other. Alternate your arms to punch out in front of you, either into the air or a punching bag.

12. Lunges

Tired of squats? Try lunges, which are great for targeting your quads, glutes, calves, and hamstrings.

To do a lunge, start with your chest tall and your feet hip-width apart, and then step either forward or backward with one leg. Touch your knee to the ground gently before lifting it to stand back up tall.

Repeat on the same leg or alternating legs, or add even more power by making them into lunge jumps.

13. High-Knees

High-knees are a killer cardio workout you can do anywhere without any equipment.

Start with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. Lift your right knee as high as you can while simultaneously driving your left arm up as if you’re running, then quickly switch to the left knee and right arm. The motion should look like you’re running in place.

14. Resistance-Band Exercises

If you don’t have access to dumbbells or just want another way to incorporate resistance training into your weight loss exercises at home, resistance bands are an inexpensive, versatile, and easy-to-store option that can give you a full-body workout. They come in various thicknesses and lengths depending on how much resistance you want.

Use resistance bands with a handle on either end for exercises like bicep curls, tricep extensions, and shoulder presses. Try looped resistance bands for things like donkey kicks, leg lifts, and forearm pull-aparts.

Studies show that resistance training is effective in reducing body fat percentage. 

15. Dumbbell Exercises

Having even a couple of dumbbell sizes on hand can help with home workouts and weight loss. For instance, you could get a lighter pair for smaller muscle groups and a larger set to work big muscle groups.

You can use dumbbells for weight training exercises like:

  • Bicep curls

  • Deadlifts

  • Weighted squats and lunges

  • Tricep extensions

  • Deltoid and lateral raises

  • Chest presses

  • Chest flies

  • Shoulder presses

As you get stronger, you can build up to more reps or heavier dumbbells.

16. Yoga

When you think about how to burn fat fast at home, yoga may not be the first workout to come to mind. However, weight loss doesn’t just come from high-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT workouts.

Most yoga practices involve holding physical postures that engage and strengthen muscles. It also promotes mindfulness and stress reduction, which benefit weight loss in other ways.

Some forms of yoga may incorporate dynamic movements and flowing sequences that elevate your heart rate and increase calorie expenditure, but still with a low impact.

Here are a few yoga positions and moves to try:

  • Bridge. Lay on your back and bend your knees with your arms laid out flat by your sides. Then, slowly raise your bottom up, pushing through your feet and keeping your arms outstretched and firmly planted. This will stretch your thighs, open up your chest, and engage your core and buttocks.

  • Downward dog. You’ll start in a basic high plank position and then slowly push your hips backward while keeping your hands and feet firmly planted. Your body should be in a triangle position. Slowly bring yourself back into a high plank and then repeat.

  • Chair pose. Stand up straight with your feet a little more than hip-width apart. Pull your shoulders back a bit, and then bend your knees slightly. Next, raise your hands and arms forward and up until they’re parallel to your ears (keeping them straight).

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Weight loss treatment that puts you first

Doing weight loss exercises at home is a great step toward achieving your goals, but on its own, exercise usually isn’t enough to reduce body weight. You may also need to make changes to your diet and overall lifestyle.

So, here’s how to lose weight at home: Pair your workout routine with other healthy lifestyle habits for the best results. We’ll go over these below.

Eat More Nutrient-Dense Foods

Good nutrition is foundational for overall health and one of the most essential pieces of the weight loss puzzle. If you work out but don’t fuel your body appropriately, the odds of achieving (and sustaining) weight loss are much lower.

Limit ultra-processed foods high in added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. Instead, prioritize nutrient-dense foods like:

  • Fruits

  • Vegetables

  • Nuts, seeds, and legumes

  • Whole grains

  • Lean proteins

These whole foods provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber to help keep you satisfied.

And don’t forget to pay attention to how you’re snacking as well. Here are some ideas for healthy snacks for weight loss.

Get Better Sleep

Experts say adults should be getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night for optimal health. You can support this goal by:

  • Following a consistent sleep-wake schedule

  • Making sure your bedroom is a sleep-promoting environment

  • Avoiding possible sleep disruptions close to bedtime, like blue light from your cell phone screen, a big meal, caffeine, or a super intense workout

Sleep and weight loss are very connected. For one, who feels like working out when they haven’t slept well? Plus, ongoing lack of sleep can mess with the hormones involved in regulating appetite, potentially leading to cravings for less healthy food as well as overeating.

Stay Hydrated 

With a large percentage of your body made up of water, it’s important to replenish fluids, especially if you’re ramping up your at-home exercises to lose weight. Plus, drinking water before and during meals can help prevent overeating.

Water is the best choice for hydrating, as it’s your body’s preferred fluid and contains no calories. However, if you get bored of plain water, try flavoring it naturally with berries, lemon, or cucumber slices or rotating in unsweetened seltzer water and herbal teas.

Consider Weight Loss Medication

Sometimes, diet and lifestyle alone aren’t enough to promote weight loss. In this case, some people find that adding weight loss medications to their routine can help them get over the hump.

Some of the most popular and effective options are:

  • Metformin. While primarily prescribed for managing type 2 diabetes, metformin may lead to modest weight loss by reducing insulin resistance, lowering blood sugar levels, and decreasing appetite.

  • GLP-1s. Short for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, these work for weight loss by mimicking the action of GLP-1, a hormone that regulates glucose metabolism and appetite. This promotes insulin secretion, slows digestion, and makes you feel fuller. Common examples include semaglutide (Ozempic®) and liraglutide (Saxenda®).

  • Topiramate. Originally an anti-seizure drug, topiramate can be used to support weight loss by targeting brain chemicals and promoting feelings of fullness.

  • Naltrexone-bupropion: This combination of bupropion (a drug used to treat alcohol and opioid dependence) and naltrexone (an antidepressant) is sold under the name Contrave®. It helps with weight loss by targeting the brain’s hunger and reward centers.

If you’re interested in exploring weight loss medications, Hers can help determine whether you’re a good candidate. Start by taking our online weight loss assessment.

Losing weight at home isn’t just possible — it can also be a super effective path toward weight loss if you take the right approach. The best way to lose weight at home depends on what works for you and what you’re willing to do on a consistent basis.

As long as you’re including a variety of intensities in the workouts you do and incorporating other healthy lifestyle habits, you can promote fat loss without a gym membership or expensive equipment.

For example, you might do flexibility training through yoga or Pilates or strength training using weights, bands, or bodyweight exercises. Simply getting your steps in through neighborhood walks helps too.

While high-intensity interval training isn’t a requirement for weight loss, it’s an excellent way to improve fitness. You can try incorporating various cardio movements like:

  • Cycling

  • Dancing

  • Climbing the stairs

  • Doing sprints in the yard

  • Jumping rope

If you’re having a hard time figuring out an exercise routine, book a session with a personal trainer or reach out to a friend and see if they want to be your accountability partner.

For significant health and weight loss benefits, experts recommend getting a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity throughout the week, plus at least two days of total-body strength training targeting all muscle groups.

You can see even more benefit if you do at least five hours of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. But this is just a general goal. Start where you’re at, and build from there.

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Weight loss, unlocked

If you’re embarking on a weight loss journey, rest assured that joining a gym or filling your garage with expensive equipment isn’t necessary for success.

Not only is it possible to achieve weight loss from the comfort of your own home — yes, even without pricey machines — but you might find that incorporating it into your regular routine makes it feel less like a chore and more like second nature.

At-home workouts can be just as effective as studio fitness classes, personal training, or a gym membership. Here’s what to keep in mind as you explore ways to lose weight at home:

  • Be intentional. Design your home workout area and exercise plan based on your personal goals, budget, available space, and preferences. 

  • Include variety. There’s no single best exercise to lose weight at home. Instead, aim to do a variety of movements. Take inventory of the equipment you have and consider how you can use it for cardio workouts and to work various muscle groups. 

  • Take a holistic approach. Support your goals by improving other aspects of your lifestyle as well, including nutrition, sleep, and hydration.

Whether you’re a gym rat or a home gym warrior, what matters most is your commitment to daily movement. If you stick with it and find things you enjoy doing, you’ll reap the benefits of a healthier lifestyle.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.

17 Sources

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  6. Latif WA, et al. (2024). Compare and contrast the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1RAs). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK572151/
  7. Ojeda ER, et al. (2022). Burpee interval training is associated with a more favorable affective valence and psychological response than traditional high intensity exercise. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35400227/
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  9. Schumacher LE, et al. (2021). Sustaining regular exercise during weight loss maintenance: the role of consistent exercise timing. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34391207/
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  11. Tang ZH, et al. (2021). Effects of caloric restriction and rope-skipping exercise on cardiometabolic health: a pilot randomized controlled trial in young adults. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34579097/
  12. Unick JE, et al. (2022). A preliminary investigation of yoga as an intervention approach for improving long-term weight loss: a randomized trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35120162/
  13. US Department of Health and Human Services (n.d.). Physical activity guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition. https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf
  14. Vispute SA, et al. (2011). The effect of abdominal exercise on abdominal fat. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21804427/
  15. Wadden TH, et al. (2011). Weight loss with naltrexone SR/bupropion SR combination therapy as an adjunct to behavior modification: the COR-BMOD trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20559296/
  16. Wang HU, et al. (2023). Comparative efficacy of exercise training modes on systemic metabolic health in adults with overweight and obesity: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38288474/
  17. Wewege MI, et al. (2022). The effect of resistance training in healthy adults on body fat percentage, fat mass and visceral fat: a systematic review and meta-analysis. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34536199/
Editorial Standards

Hims & Hers has strict sourcing guidelines to ensure our content is accurate and current. We rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We strive to use primary sources and refrain from using tertiary references. See a mistake? Let us know at [email protected]!

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.

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