Aerobic activities are the only way to burn fat and lose weight. Many people find these exercises boring or very tiring, but the good news is that there is a great variety among the cardio activities. This variety is enough to help you find the most enjoyable activity for you and start building your dream body. The following exercises are the most power-packed cardio fat burners.
Walking
Power walking is a good way to burn calories. Increase the intensity, walk in different speeds and paces or add hills in your walking routine, and you can burn up to 180 calories in half an hour. Plus, walking is an easy exercise that can be done any time of the year. Now, there is no excuse to avoid it, and you can do it also during your vacations.
Stair and elliptical machines
These machines are very popular among the runners, who want to protect their knees, or the body builders, who want to warm up before start lifting weights. Especially the elliptical machines, which have moving arms, are an all-around workout and very beneficial for your whole body. With these machines, you can burn up to 600 calories per hour.
Cross-country skiing
The elliptical machines with moving arms are quite similar to cross-country skiing. Of course, the outdoor activity is much more interesting than the indoor. So, if you have snow in a close distance to your home or you like excursions on the mountains, this is an ideal activity, which utilises both upper and lower body and burns 300 calories in only half an hour. It is not as exciting as skiing, but it burns definitely more calories.
Cycling
Cycling is an excellent cardio activity either done indoor on a machine in your gym or outdoor. As with all fat-burning activities, there is a great variation in intensity while cycling. This affects also the calories you can burn. You can estimate 200-400 calories per half-hour, but be sure you have protected your knees because cycling can burden them.
Running
Running is the ultimate cardio exercise. You can burn up to 10 calories per minute and see your body change in a few months. You only need a pair of good running shoes, motivation and a quiet location without cars. However, strong knees are essential in order not to be injured while running or jogging. Therefore, strength training together with jogging is a must, if you want to prevent injury.
Swimming
If you are lucky enough to live near the sea, you can put in your daily routine half an hour of swimming. Thus, you can burn more than 300 calories. The advantage of swimming is that there is a low chance of getting injured. Plus, swimming during the winter is the ultimate boost for your immune system. Some gyms offer also swimming pools, where you can try this exercise.