Congratulations on reaching your weight-loss goals! This achievement marks a significant milestone, but it’s essential to recognize that the journey doesn’t end here. The next step is to focus on maintaining your progress. Sustaining weight loss requires continued dedication and a proactive approach to fitness. It’s crucial to stay committed to your routine, as ongoing effort is necessary to keep the weight off and prevent regaining lost pounds. To help you out, I’ve rounded up 10 of the best exercises to maintain weight loss.

Maintaining weight loss involves more than simply continuing your exercise routine; it requires incorporating specific exercises that address various aspects of fitness. The right workouts not only help you burn calories but also build and maintain muscle strength, which is vital for a high metabolism and overall health.

For my clients who are looking to preserve their hard-earned results, I recommend incorporating exercises that effectively combine calorie-burning and strength-building benefits. These exercises are designed to support your long-term fitness goals, ensuring that you continue to stay in shape and enhance your physical well-being.

The exercises highlighted here are ideal for maintaining weight loss and supporting ongoing fitness. They are specifically chosen for their effectiveness in burning calories, enhancing muscle strength, and promoting overall fitness. By integrating these exercises into your routine, you can continue to challenge yourself and support your body’s needs as you maintain your weight loss.

The Exercises

What you need: a set of dumbbells, resistance bands, an exercise mat, and access to cardio equipment like a treadmill, bike, or jump rope.

Squat to Press

illustration of squat to press
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This full-body exercise strengthens the legs, glutes, and shoulders while providing a cardio boost to keep the metabolism elevated.

How to do it:

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells at shoulder height.
  2. Lower into a squat, pushing your hips back and bending your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
  3. As you stand up, press the dumbbells overhead.
  4. Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height as you return to standing.
  5. Repeat for 12 reps per set.

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Jump Rope

jump rope
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This high-intensity cardio exercise is great for burning calories and keeping your heart rate elevated, making it ideal for maintaining fat loss.

How to do it:

  1. Hold the jump rope handles with your elbows close to your sides.
  2. Jump with both feet together, keeping a steady rhythm.
  3. Focus on smooth, continuous jumps, aiming to stay light on your feet.
  4. Complete 5 rounds.

Dumbbell Deadlift

illustration of dumbbell deadlift
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This strength-based exercise targets the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back, helping to maintain muscle mass and promote fat loss.

How to do it:

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells before your thighs.
  2. Hinge at your hips, lowering the dumbbells toward the floor while keeping your back flat.
  3. Engage your glutes and hamstrings as you stand back up, bringing the dumbbells to the starting position.
  4. Perform 10 reps per set.

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Mountain Climber

mountain climber
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This core-focused cardio exercise boosts heart rate and strengthens the entire body, especially the core and shoulders.

How to do it:

  1. Start in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders.
  2. Quickly alternate bringing one knee to your chest, then switching to the other leg.
  3. Keep your core tight and move at a steady pace.
  4. Complete 4 sets.

Resistance Band Row

This upper-body exercise strengthens the back, shoulders, and arms, supporting muscle retention and overall metabolism.

How to do it:

  1. Attach a resistance band to a secure anchor point.
  2. Stand facing the anchor, holding the band with both hands.
  3. Pull the band toward your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Slowly release and repeat for 15 reps.

10 Best Exercises for Maintaining Weight Loss

Cycling Intervals

cycling
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This cardio exercise focuses on burning calories and improving cardiovascular endurance, keeping fat levels in check.

How to do it:

  1. Start with a moderate cycling pace to warm up.
  2. Cycle as fast as possible for 1 minute, then reduce to a comfortable pace for 1 minute.
  3. Repeat for 8 rounds.

Pushup and Plank Combo

illustration of woman doing pushups
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This bodyweight exercise strengthens the chest, shoulders, and core, essential for keeping muscle tone while losing or maintaining weight.

How to do it:

  1. Start in a pushup position with your hands shoulder-width apart.
  2. Lower your body to the ground, then push back up.
  3. After 10 pushups, hold a plank position for 30 seconds.
  4. Repeat for 3 rounds.

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Lunges with Bicep Curl

lunge bicep curl
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This full-body exercise targets the legs, core, and arms, promoting muscle retention and fat burning.

How to do it:

  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at your sides.
  2. Step forward into a lunge, bending both knees to 90 degrees.
  3. Perform a bicep curl as you lunge.
  4. Return to standing and repeat on the other leg.

Rowing Machine

illustration of man rowing
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This full-body cardio exercise is perfect for maintaining cardiovascular health and keeping fat at bay.

How to do it:

  1. Start with a slow pace to warm up.
  2. Row as fast as possible for 30 seconds, then slow down for 30 seconds.
  3. Repeat for 10 rounds.

Step-ups

dumbbell step-ups exercise
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This lower-body strength exercise targets the glutes, quads, and hamstrings, keeping your legs strong and lean.

How to do it:

  1. Stand in front of a bench or sturdy step, holding dumbbells at your sides.
  2. Step one foot onto the bench, driving through your heel to lift your body.
  3. Step back down and repeat on the other leg.
  4. Perform 12 reps per leg.

Tyler Read, BSc, CPT

Tyler Read is a personal trainer and has been involved in health and fitness for the past 15 years. Read more about Tyler
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