10 Best Cardio Exercises For Weight Loss – Burn Fat To Get A Slim Body Fast

Cardio is a great component of exercise to get a slim body. Go for it if you need to shed a few extra pounds. It works by increasing your heart rate and burning the calories in the form of glucose and fat. But not all types of cardio are good for weight loss and your health. Research says that moderate-intensity cardio is not as effective as high-intensity cardio, and it leads to muscle loss and hurts your joints (1). So, what are the high-intensity cardio exercises for fat loss? Give this post a read to know the 10 best cardio for weight loss and get back in shape. Swipe up!

Why Cardio Is Important?

Cardiovascular exercise, often referred to as cardio, may help improve and maintain overall health and well-being in the following ways (1), (2), (3).

• It strengthens the heart and enhances its efficiency by pumping blood more effectively and delivering oxygen and essential nutrients to the body’s tissues. This also contributes to a lower risk of heart disease.
• It stimulates the release of endorphins, which plays a pivotal role in stress reduction
• It may boost metabolism, which may help burn calories and aid in healthy weight management.
• It may boost blood flow and oxygen to the brain, leading to better focus and memory.

Tasin Tahamid, a health and fitness blogger, cannot stress the importance of cardio enough, which is something he claims helped him lose 17 pounds in one month. “You must exercise to burn calories, and [it’s] completely up to you whether you will do cardio, calisthenics, or bodybuilding. You just need to move your body throughout the day and break over sweat. I personally do cardio 7 days a week, and I also recommend you to do cardio because it helps you to burn a lot of calories at home without any equipment. You can keep it up to 4 to 5 days a week (i),” he says.

Keep scrolling to learn more about cardio exercises that you can include in your workout routine.

1. Intermittent Sprints

Duration: 30 mins
Calories Burned: Up to 1200 calories (varies)
Equipment Required: None

How To Do Intermittent Sprints

1. Set your treadmill at a 3-degree incline and start by running at a speed of 6 mph.
2. After 1 minute, increase the speed to 9 or 10 mph.
3. Continue running for 3 minutes.
4. Increase the speed up to 14-15 mph and continue the sprint for 30 seconds.
5. Slow down to 10 mph and keep running for 3 minutes.
6. After 3 minutes, sprint for 30 seconds.

2. High-Intensity Interval Training

Duration: 35 mins
Calories Burned: Up to 500 calories (varies)
Equipment Required: None

How To Do High-intensity Interval Training

1. You can do a number of exercises at high intensity – like burpees, jumping squats, jumping lunges, high knees, and step jumps. These are good HIIT for fat loss.
2. Make sure you are doing these exercises in the correct form.
3. Do a set of 10 reps of each exercise and then take a 10-second break.
4. Do not extend your break period.

3. Rowing

Duration: 30 mins
Calories Burned: 200-300 calories
Equipment Required: Rowing machine

How To Do Rowing

1. Grab the handle of the rowing chord and sit on the rowing machine.
2. Place your feet on the footrest. Keep your spine straight, shoulders rolled down, and chest out.
3. Engage your abs and back muscles and pull the handle or the bar toward your abs.
4. Stop when your elbows are behind you. Squeeze your shoulder blades.
5. Make sure you are not leaning back.
6. Return to the starting position.

Tip:Make sure you use the right amount of weight and the correct technique to do this exercise.

4. Rope Jumping

Duration: 10 mins
Calories Burned: 200 calories
Equipment Required: Jumping rope

How To Do Rope Jumping

1. Grab a handle with each hand. Flip the rope over your head to your back.
2. Start hopping at a low speed and jump the rope.
3. After finishing 25 jumps, increase your speed and jump the rope 50 times.
4. Take a 10-second break.
5. Start jumping the rope again. If possible, jump and fold your legs to touch your heels to your hips.

5. Swimming

Duration: 60 mins
Calories Burned: 500-700 calories
Equipment Required: Swimming pool

How To Swim To Burn Calories

1. Wear a swimsuit, a cap, and swimming goggles.
2. Get into the water and do freestyle strokes.
3. Do about 10 laps so that you engage all the muscles and get a good workout.
4. Learn other strokes to help you swim faster and burn more calories.

6. Brisk Walking

Duration: 30 mins
Calories Burned: 200 calories
Equipment Required: None

How To Do Brisk Walking

1. Wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes.
2. Do a 5-minute warm-up.
3. Start walking at 5 mph.
4. After a minute, increase your speed of walking to 7 mph.
5. Continue walking for 5 minutes before you slow down to 4 mph.
6. Walk for a minute at 4 mph and then increase the speed to 7 mph and walk for 5 minutes.

Tip:

If you are walking on a treadmill, try different incline angles so that you get an intense workout in 30 minutes.

Did You Know?

Here is how you can figure out the brisk walking pace if you do not have a running app – it is when you can talk but cannot sing the lyrics of a song clearly while walking.

7. Cycling

Duration: 20 mins
Calories Burned: 200-300 calories
Equipment Required: Stationary bike or gear bike

How To Do Cycling To Burn Calories

1. Start by sitting on the bike. Be comfortable.
2. Start pedaling at a medium speed.
3. After about a minute, increase your pedaling speed so that you feel the burn in your thighs in just a minute or two.
4. Do not stop pedaling for 3 minutes.
5. Slow down a bit for a minute and then do high-speed biking for 3-5 minutes.

Tip:

If you are comfortable, put some resistance in your stationary bike so that the workout is more intense.

8. Kettlebells

Duration: 30 mins
Calories Burned: 400-600 calories
Equipment Required: Kettlebell

How To Do Kettlebell Exercises

1. This is a mix of cardio and muscle building strength training.
2. Grab a kettlebell (not too light or too heavy) and use it do squats with kettlebell lifts, plie squats, walking lunges with turns, walking lunges with one hand kettlebell lifts, etc.
3. Adding weights will provide you with the perfect resistance to help you burn more calories.

9. Stair Climber

Duration: 10 mins
Calories Burned: 200 calories
Equipment Required: None

How To Do Stair Climbing

1. Start by walking up the stairs.
2. Start climbing every other step.
3. Next, climb the stairs by lunging.
4. Variate the forward lunges with lateral lunges.
5. End the set by running up and down the stairs once.
6. Take a 10-second rest and then go for your second set.

10. Elliptical

Duration: 30 mins
Calories Burned: 500-600 calories
Equipment Required: A flight of stairs or bleachers

How To Do Elliptical Exercises

1. Step on the elliptical machine, hold a handle with each hand and start pedaling.
2. Press the quick start button and add resistance to level 2.
3. Keep breathing while you keep moving as fast as you can.
4. Pedal backward with the same intensity.

Quick Tip

Ensure to have a light grip on the handlebars of an elliptical machine to swing your arms in a natural motion without hurting your shoulders.

Cardio Guidelines

• Get your body accustomed to high-intensity exercise. If your body is not used to doing high-intensity cardio, you may end up injuring yourself.
• Follow the correct technique. Take your time to learn the correct posture instead of just doing 100 reps. Because 10 reps will give you better results and prevent injuries.
• Breathe in and out. Just because you are running or rope jumping at high speed, it doesn’t mean you have to buy a high-speed ticket to heaven! Breathing in and out will also maximize your efforts to lose weight.
• Drink a pre-workout drink. No, not energy drinks that you get in the supermarkets. Just a glass of ice water with your favorite citrus fruit squeezed in will be plenty to prepare you for your workout. Drink water throughout the day, before and after your workouts.
• Engage your muscles. Without engaging or contracting your muscles, you will not be able to target a specific area. For example, while doing rowing, you should engage your legs primarily, but you can also contract your shoulder blades to activate and work your lat muscles.
• Do not overdo cardio. Overdoing any exercise, especially cardio, is not good for your muscles and joints. Mix your workout routine with strength training and stretching exercises so that your body gets a whole range of motion.
• Start off with low-impact cardio exercises then switch to high intensity workouts if you are a beginner.
• Wear good shoes. Shoes are very important when it comes to doing any cardio exercise as they protect the soles of your feet and your knees.
• Stay hydrated. Sip a little water every 20 minutes to keep yourself hydrated and keep your stamina up. After you are done with your workout, make sure you continue to rehydrate and refuel.

So much effort and just weight loss? Nope, you’ve got more benefits than just weight loss. Take a look at the list below.

Benefits Of Cardio

• It improves stamina and muscle power.
• Improves heart and lung capacity.
• It helps strengthen the bones.
• Boosts confidence.
• Improves productivity.
• Increases energy levels.
• Prevents depression and anxiety.
• Protects from heart disease.
• It helps sleep better.

Get your heart pumping with this 30-minute cardio workout video. Burn calories and tone up with this aerobic exercise routine. Check it out!

Infographic: Top Ten Cardio Exercises To Lose Weight

Practicing cardio exercises daily is a great way to stay in shape, tone your body, and burn calories. Not only do they aid weight loss, but they are also good for your overall health. Check out the infographic below for a rundown of the cardio exercises you should be practicing regularly to lose weight and learn about their benefits!

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best time to do cardio for weight loss?

Research suggests that working out early in the morning on an empty stomach may increase fat burning (4).

How often should I do cardio for optimal results?

Aim to complete 3 to 5 cardio sessions each week, each lasting 20 to 60 minutes, for optimal results. In addition to providing enough recovery time in between workouts, this frequency helps increase overall fitness, burn fat, and improve cardiovascular health.

Can I lose weight by only doing cardio?

Yes, cardio alone can help you lose weight, as it burns fat and calories. However, since muscle growth boosts metabolism and helps in long-term weight management, combining exercise with strength training and a balanced diet may enhance results.

Should I do cardio everyday?

You can do cardio everyday. However, if you practice high intensity cardio, you may benefit from a rest day inbetween to prevent fatigue and reduce risk of injury.

Is cardio 5 days a week good?

Yes, engaging in cardio for 5 days a week is optimum for getting the benefits of exercise as well as rest days for recovery.

Is 20 minutes of cardio enough?

Yes, 20 minutes of cardio is enough to get the health benefits of regular exercise. 20 minutes of high intensity cardio can also help in weight loss. The best part is you can do many such cardio exercises at home, to keep your fitness or weight goals on track.

Illustration: Best Cardio Exercises For Weight Loss – Burn Fat To Get A Slim Body Fast

Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team

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Jackie Sharp WombleRDN

 

Jackie Womble is a registered and licensed dietitian with 12 years of experience. She specializes in corporate wellness, sports nutrition, and physical fitness. She is an American College of Sports Medicine Certified Exercise Physiologist and Certified Spinning Instructor.

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Charushila BiswasHealth & Wellness Writer

 

Charushila is an ISSA certified Fitness Nutritionist and a Physical Exercise Therapist. Over a span of 6 years, she has authored more than 400 articles on diet, lifestyle, exercises, healthy food, and fitness equipment. She strives to inform, educate, and motivate her readers via authentic, straightforward, and fact-checked information.

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