Being active doesn’t necessarily mean having a gym subscription. When it comes to losing weight any type of movement matters and there are many ways to shake off some calories.

Any type of physical activity can help you lose some kilograms and burn some calories but the efficiency differs from one to the other. Here are the 6 activities which are able to help you burn 150 calories in 20 minutes.

1. Biking

Do you own a bicycle? If not, it is about time you should buy one. It doesn’t matter if the weather is not exactly tempting you to go out.

This activity can be done no matter if outside is sunny or clouded. Depending on its intensity the cycling burns 150 calories in less than 20 minutes, not to mention that it tones your legs and takes care of your heart.

2. The video exercises

You can find them on the internet or on TV. All you have to do is to look for them and build your own training mix. 15-20 minutes of exercising following the routine of the professionals will burn you 150 calories.

3. Walking

The most pleasant and most natural physical exercise can help you burn calories provided you pick up the pace. 20 minutes of alert walking can help you get rid of …yeah…you guessed right: 150 calories.

4. Jogging

This one is a record breaker as efficiency is concerned. 20 minutes of jogging with the 20 minutes of walking that usually follows burns 400 calories.

5. Dancing

Dancing around the house or going clubbing is a strong ally for keeping in shape. It tones the muscles and cheers you up. 20 minutes of this activity burns around 150 calories.

6. Cleaning up

Cleaning up the house is an extremely tiresome function. Still if you take a look at it from a different perspective it can be a very good way to stay in shape. A day of cleaning, dusting and washing can be a burden. However, a daily routine of 20 minutes will help you burn more than 150 calories.

As the body ages, our contours tend to lose the battle with gravity, and over the years the pounds seem to creep up without our noticing. For women in particular childbirth seems to cause weight to accumulate in places from where it simply will not budge (remember it is not possible to do spot reduction from any one place on the body).

Also, those of us who have had very significant weight loss find that the skin tends to hang down in loose unseemly folds.

For each of these instances a body shaper or body slimmer kind of product can help. Consider what a body shaper can help you with-

• It can smooth and flatten bulges, lumps and so on – the abdomen can appear flatter, the hips a smoother curve and the waist a lot trimmer. It can seem to help you lose a few pounds instantly.
• It can help to tone up and firm the area that it covers, so it is possible to even wear snug clothes without the bulges and lumps being visible beneath.
• Loose folds of skin are tightened and compressed.
• The person can actually feel more confident and less self conscious which can help improve the posture. This can in turn help with improving self confidence.
• A body shaper can help a person get that little extra motivation when they find that their weight-loss efforts such as healthy eating and exercising have borne fruit, because a person can look better in their clothes.
• Some even find that shapers offer support while working out.
• Even men can benefit from body shapers to get help in looking trimmer, to boost self confidence and physical appeal.

A body shaper can be a quick and non invasive way to look a little slimmer, and to keep you motivated and on track regarding your fitness efforts.

Street dance is increasingly becoming popular thanks to the exposure it is getting through television and professional troupes like Boy Blue and Diversity.

It is not a particular style of dance but the umbrella term for different dances like hip hop, break dance, krumping, popping, locking etc.

The various dance forms of street dancing emerged during the 1970’s in the USA but are now becoming popular in Britain and Europe too.

Street dancing is also emerging as a popular fitness routine. The dance forms require a lot of energy and stamina to perform. They are proving to be a fun way to improve body fitness

And yes they do add a dash of attitude to your exercise regime. The dances involve most of the body muscles and there are plenty of stretches, squats, jumps and turns that make for a good work out.

It is also being promoted as an extra activity for children and youngsters. The main attraction being that it gives them an outlet for their bottled energy and also a physical activity.

Child obesity is becoming a real threat due to the sedentary lifestyle that most children follow and the romance of street dancing is being used to pull them out of their couches and on to the floors for better fitness.

Street dancing helps to improve stamina, makes joints and limbs more flexible, boosts self confidence and also improves concentration and general spatial awareness.

For beginners it might prove to be a tough game but with a little practice soon you will be stretching and flipping.

You will be rewarded with better fitness and body coordination. Most street dancing classes have a routine that comprises of different dance forms thus exercising your entire body.

If you are expecting to be able to do complex routines and difficult stunts, remember it will come with a lot of practice over time. Street dancing may look simple but it requires a high level of skill and needs a lot of patience and time to master.

So dance away to plenty of attitude and fitness!

Traditional boxing workouts have created many champions over the years. Famous boxers like Jake LaMotta, Joe Louis, and Rocky Marciano to modern warriors like Manny Pacquiao have repeated the same rigorous boxing training routine countless times.

A boxing workout routine doesn’t need to be complicated. The workout is simple, yet effective. During training, every part of your body will be worked.

Benefits of a Boxing Workout Routine

Boxing workouts will be physically and mentally demanding for the athlete. They will also help increase stamina, build strength, tone the body, improve cardiovascular endurance and burn a ton of calories.

A study completed by Harvard Medical School explained that a 185 lb. person could burn up to 400 calories in 30 minutes. A good boxing workout will also speed up your metabolism. The body’s metabolism is the rate in which your body expends calories. A faster metabolism equates to more overall calories burned throughout the day.

The Boxing Training Routine

The routine can be done 3 to 5 days a week depending on your fitness goals. Most traditional boxing gyms have a timer bell that is usually set for 3 minute rounds, followed by a 1 minute rest period. This is done to simulate an actual fighting round. Your entire workout will be performed in concert with the bell. If you don’t have access to a timer bell, you can use a stop watch.

This traditional boxing workout is different from “cardio boxing” that has become so popular. This boxing routine resembles interval training. You will have 3 minutes of high intensity activity followed by 1 minute of rest.

Stretching

Boxing requires you to move parts of your body very quickly. You need to be loose and relaxed before you start the workout. Take your time when you stretch and hold each stretch for 30 seconds. Remember to stretch your legs, arms and shoulders.

Jumping Rope

Perform 2 to 3 rounds of jumping rope. This exercise will often take some time to learn, but it’s a great way to warm up the body.

Shadow Boxing

Perform 3 rounds of this exercise. You can shadow box in a ring, in front of a mirror, or just about anywhere you choose. Shadow boxing involves throwing punches in the air; footwork is performed at the same time. This skill allows boxers to practice the fundamentals of the sport, while improving their cardiovascular endurance.

Heavy Bag

Hit the heavy bag for 3 rounds. This bag is one of the most important boxing training bags. It helps the fighter develop explosive strength and power.

Remember to move around the bag and not stand still. Experienced boxers will utilize the heavy bag to practice every punch in their repertoire. You will need your 1 minute rest here, because your heart will be pounding.

Double End Bag

This is a small bag that is connected with an elastic cord from the ceiling to the floor. The double end bag is used for timing and hand-eye coordination. The bag will move back at you after you hit it. This will allow you to practice dodging punches, and will teach you to move your body after you throw a punch. Hit this bag for 3 rounds.

The double end bag is mostly a finesse exercise. You don’t have to hit it hard. The key is to concentrate on hitting this moving target and working on moving your body for defense.

Cool Down

At this point of boxing training routine, you should be exhausted and soaked in sweat. It’s now time to cool off and stretch out. Drink plenty of water and relax, because you’ve earned it.

That perfectly toned, firm, and compact rear end is something that most of us can only wish for – in reality, extra weight, subcutaneous fat, cellulite and so on can put paid to our aspirations in the butt department.

Many of us suffer from the problem of too much weight around the butt while others suffer from the flat butt syndrome; the good news however is that the tips below will help you get the best butt you can achieve-

1. Exercise

The best thing that one can do for the muscles of the buttocks is to do lunges, bridges and squats.

Pushing the body up from the prone position using the legs and arms, and squeezing the butt muscles at the same time targets the muscles or the rear end, to tone and tighten.

Climbing stairs, particularly two at a time is also a very effective butt workout. Power Pilates and walking also help.

2. Reduce cellulite

While exercise is the most effective for reducing cellulite or fat just below the surface of the skin which gives that orange peel effect, skin creams and lotions are also thought to help.

Generic cellulite creams are perhaps as effective (or ineffective) as high end expensive ones, and some people find that they can help reduce the appearance of cellulite. Cellulite can also be reduced by increasing water intake and reducing the intake of junk food to lower the amount of toxins in the skin.

3. Massage

Lymphatic massage is also known to help by increasing the flushing of toxins and reducing fluid retention.

4. Some artificial aids

Padded underwear can sometimes give a confidence boost to those who are deficient in the butt area. Also those who are rather over-generously proportioned in the rear area can find that darker colors, stretchy or compressive fabric, clever placement of trouser pockets and so on can help.