Starting out your fitness journey can be overwhelming. Especially when you are trying to find the best movement that fits your goals and get you the results you are looking for. When time is everything, finding the activities that optimize your time and burn the most calories is key.
Today, we’ll discuss the best calorie burning activities with my top 10 exercises. These exercises are great for torching calories efficiently, making them perfect for your busy day.
No. 10 Rowing
Rowing is a great way to burn calories and work your entire body in a short amount of time. This movement is also great for people just starting out because you can set the resistance where you need it to be at by using the damper. The damper is the level or resistance you would be rowing, now a higher resistance does not entirely mean you will burn more calories or work harder. Setting the damper between 3-5 is a good start. This might feel lighter, but you will need to move quicker to produce more “power”.
You would track by using meters and you can even track your heart rate to place you into specific heart rate zones to optimize your fat burning and calories. You can do this based on the “talk test” where you measure your “ rate of perceived exertion”. These will take you through heart rate zone 1-4 from light to very hard. The best way to burn the most fat and calories at the same time is to stay within zone 2 & 3.
rowing machine
Intervals are the best to fluctuate your heart rate and still give you plenty of recovery between each set. For beginners start off with 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest for 6-12 rounds. Take 2-3 minutes of rest then repeat the internal again.
No.9 Jump Rope
These movements help improve motor skills, cardiorespiratory system, build muscle, and burn some calories. This movement involves a lot of exertion through the entire body which increases the heart rate and engages your core muscle, and works on balance.
For beginners try doing 30 seconds of work with 15- 30 seconds of rest for up to 6-15 minutes 3 times a week. Increase your time every 2 weeks and slowly add more rounds every 2 weeks. Feel free to change up the rest and work times as well!
No.8 Cycling
Try going for a bike ride at a moderate pace and you will burn some calories. Doing a 30 minute bike ride can burn up to 205 calories according to the American Heart Association. Adjusting your intensity can change how many calories you burn as well. Feel free to take a spin class to add some different variations in your speed and a support from a coach as well.
Going outside and finding your own trains will boost your mood, and add some intensity if you add some hill work in the mix. Ensure you always do a 5-10 minute warm up and do at least a 5 minute cool down with gentle stretching.
Cycling
No. 7 Jogging
If you have been walking for some time and want to change up your routine , try to add some light jogging. Jogging can burn up to 330 calories in 30 minutes if you are working towards a 10-12 minute pace according to the American Heart Association.
Brand new? Start off with a 1 minute jog with 2 minutes of rest, with a fast walk. Try doing this for 8- 12 minutes 3 days a week, then increase your overall time every 2 weeks. Once you can do this circuit for up to 30 minutes , then work on increasing your overall work time while jogging. Increase by 15-30 seconds with your rest time matching your work, for 1 to 2 weeks.
After, try taking 15 seconds from your rest period to work on endurance. This will still fluctuate your heart rate and burn some calories with keeping proper recovery in mind and training safely.
No. 6 Brisk Walking
Brisk walking is a great way to put your body in the optimal heart rate zone to burn some fat and calories. According to the American Council of Exercise, walking at a fast pace of 5 MPH burns almost as many calories as jogging. This would be a great alternative for people who might suffer from joint aches and arthritis. Ensure you are moving your arms when doing this movement to get the full effect of burning some calories!
The American Heart Association recommends to perform 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity. Combining both adds variety; ensure to take rest days in between workout days and keep them consistent every week.
brisk walking
No.5 Body Weight Movements
If you are crunched on time and need to get your sweat on, body weight exercises are a great time saver. Calisthenics or body weight exercises that increase strength, cardio, and help drop body fat %. Getting a 30 minute work out can drop at least up to 200-300 calories depending on the intensity and exercises. Full body exercises like mountain climbers, burpees, and squat jumps with a reach can really get the job done.
HIIT ( High Intensity Interval Training) is a great way to add some minimal rest and really sweat! Beginner? Try starting out with 10 minutes 2 to 5 times a week with 2 to 3 movements, keeping the reps between 5-10. Take small rest periods , but always listen to your body, we never want nerve pain, or cramping.
No. 4 Battle Ropes
Battle ropes were introduced to the fitness world around 2006 , their popularity skyrocketed and are now a staple at most gyms. American Council of Exercise supported research to determine the exercise intensity and caloric burn of an interval training work out using a 14 minute HIIT session that included the following exercises:
Alternating arm waves
Double arm waves
Double arm power slams
In and out waves
Snake waves
Inward arm circles
Outward arm circles
best-battle-ropes
Participants were working at a vigorous intensity and burned an average of 141 calories during the work out. Calories burn overall is lower than the others, but the exercise intensity was high enough to improve cardiorespiratory endurance. Making this a worthwhile addition to your weekly routine. Battle ropes have a wide variety of movements and endless amounts of time variations to work with, making this choice fun and flexible for people who only have a short amount of time during the week to move. Always include a warm up and cool down in your routine to ensure you are getting the most recovery afterwards.
No. 3 Rucking
What is rucking? This is the act of walking/ hiking while carrying a load, most cases a backpack, or weighted vest. A major part of military training; rucking combines low to moderate intensity cardiorespiratory activity from walking along with muscular strength training that comes from carrying a load on the body. This activity burns calories, improves aerobic capacity and increases strength in your core and lower extremities.
Not only is it great for burning some calories; you also get the benefit of reducing risk of age-related health conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, sarcopenia and osteoporosis. Doing this activity in a group setting is great to build community and improve overall mental health.
Use moderate to challenging loads at a brisk walking pace to burn a ton of calories . Expect to burn almost as many calories as a brisk jog. Brand new? Rucking can be as simple as adding a few water bottles to a backpack. 1 gallon of water weighs 8 pounds, plus you can use your water to hydrate during your ruck!
No. 2 Kettlebells
Kettlebells can produce remarkable results, they not only offer resistance training benefits , but they also help people burn calories, lose weight, and enhance functional performance capabilities.
kettle-bells
The American Council of Exercise did a study analyzing the energy cost and exercise intensity of kettlebell training participants. During the 20-minute workout , the average calories burned was 272 calories, not counting additional calories burned due to the substantial anaerobic effort.
They estimated oxygen consumption and how many calories they were burning aerobically, and it was 13.6 calories per minute. They also measured the participants blood lactate levels, anaerobically they were burning another 6.6 calories per minute of work. Overall they were burning 20.2 calories per minute, which was off the charts. This is equivalent to running a 6 minute mile pace!
That is why Kettlebell work is No.2 on our list!
No.1 Free weights Strength Training
Weight lifting with free weights can really optimize your routine. You have to work on stability, technique, and really focusing on keeping your center of gravity in the middle of the body which comes from the core. Strength training is a great way to burn calories, build lean muscle mass, and improve overall physical fitness.
Free weights Strength Training
Doing compound exercise would be the best choice to get multiple joint movements at once. This results in higher calories burned overall and you get the bonus of working out your entire body. Try different forms of equipment like sandbags, dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, and plates.
The extensive range and accessibility of these top 10 best calorie burning activities will ensure that you stay motivated and never get bored. Stay consistent when you start out and you will see your progress flourish. Have a good nutrition plan by eating whole foods, getting plenty of consistent rest and recovery, and staying hydrated. If you do all this your body will thank you and you will see all your hard work pay off.