Shedding fat becomes a hot topic as the weather warms. It’s not unusual to put on a few pounds during the winter months, nor is it unusual to want to ramp up the exercise in anticipation of beach season. We all know that cardio is the way to go for burning fat, but you may not know which cardio exercises give you the most bang for your buck.
But, before we start listing specific exercises; let’s bust one big myth about burning fat. You’ve been reading since the 80s that you need to be “in the zone” (50-70% of your maximum heart rate) for 30 minutes at least three times a week. This is great advice for improving your overall fitness. In fact, a 30 minute walk at least every other day is something everybody should do. But, it’s not the best way to burn fat. High intensity training is the best way to burn fat. That may sound like bad news, since high intensity training is harder work than a moderate workout. However, the good news is that your workouts can be much shorter and have greater results.
Several recent studies have compared longer low intensity cardio workouts to shorter high intensity ones. In every study, participants lost more weight, and a higher percentage of body fat with the high intensity workouts. So, as you read further for our six exercises for blasting fat, keep in mind that we’re recommending that you do all of them at a high intensity for short durations, which is why HIIT is our number one choice.
1. HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training – This isn’t actually a single exercise; rather it’s a type of training. You can actually use many different types of exercise during HIIT. Here’s the concept: After a 3-5 minute warm up, you perform 5-8 intervals (for beginners) at a maximum pace.
Here’s an example of a HIIT workout for beginners, using just walking and running.
1. Walk for 3-5 minutes at your normal pace to warm up.
2. Walk for 30 seconds at a medium pace (about 50%) effort.
3. Run hard for 30 seconds
4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 4-7 more times.
5. Repeat step 1 to cool down.
As you can see, this routine will only take you about 15-20 minutes. It’s all the workout you need to burn lots of fat. And, it will keep your metabolism stoked for hours even after you’re done. As you’ll see when you try it, it’s not as easy as it sounds, and you’ll be quite spent when you’re done. But it blasts fat like nothing else and it’s easy to fit into a busy schedule.
HIIT can be performed with any cardio activity. You can bike ride, jump rope, swim or dance. And, if you’re in the gym, you can mix it up with different pieces of equipment, too. Try riding the bike for one interval, running for one and jumping for one.
2. Running –Continuing on the trend of what we said about HIIT, running comes in second place for fat burning. This is because, again, it’s a high intensity workout. You’ll burn more calories running for 10 minutes than you will by walking for 30 minutes.
3. Dancing – We’re not talking waltzing here. But, some serious disco moves or Latin dancing, like salsa, can burn the fat. Again, it’s got to be high intensity to do the trick. But, think of the fun you can have incorporating a workout into a night out. (Just go slow on the Mojitos!)
4. Jumping Rope – This is the perfect high intensity, fat burning exercise, simply because most of us can’t do it for long anyway!
5. Swimming – Swimming is one of the best overall exercises because it uses all the major muscle groups, puts no stress on your joints and because all that sweating is much less bothersome when you’re in the water. By incorporating swimming into your workout routine, you’ll be able to build muscle and burn fat at the same time.
6. Biking – Biking, like walking, can have various intensities. A slow bike ride on a flat road won’t burn a ton of calories, but it will still strengthen your legs and give you somewhat of a cardio workout. However, mountain biking or a fast ride up and down smooth hills can be a killer workout for both your cardiovascular system and your muscles. As with any exercise, keep your own personal fitness level and physical restrictions in mind before you head out for the mountain; but know that the right bike trip can burn lots of fat.
Understand, we’re not suggesting that slower, lower intensity cardiovascular workouts don’t have their place. They are great for improving overall fitness and increasing endurance. But, it’s the high intensity work that burns the fat.
If you have 30 minutes to devote to working out 5 times a week, the following routine will help you lose weight, burn fat and gain overall fitness.
* Days 1, 3 and 5 – 15-20 minutes of high intensity cardiovascular training and 15 minutes of strength training. Don’t do strength training on two consecutive days, as it does not give your muscles time to heal.
* Days 2 and 4 – 30 minutes of slower, lower intensity training like walking to increase endurance and overall fitness.
Burning fat is always a challenge, particularly as we get a little older. Our metabolism slows and any weight we gain tends to be harder to get rid of. But, with some time and patience, you can lose even the most stubborn fat.
One last word on blasting fat – diet counts too. Watch your intake of calories and particularly of refined sugar and processed foods. Don’t make the mistake of negating all that great exercise by eating too much or eating foods that naturally put on weight. The combination of healthy diet and regular exercise is still the best way to lose the fat and keep it off forever.
Image via Riviera Fitness
This is a guest post by Wadia, a fitness enthusiast who writes for a website offering adjustable dumbbells for sale.