Five Cardio Exercises That Help You Burn Fat Fast
If you are looking to burn fat quickly and efficiently, one of the best ways to see results is getting your heart rate up and moving your body at a fast pace. Look no further than your good friend, cardio. Though all exercise is beneficial, certain workouts and methods will help you fit in your clothes and feel better in your skin.
The more out of breath you are and the more you sweat, the better the method of cardio. And though you won’t feel great in the moment, you will feel the benefits very quickly after by way of endorphins and appearance. Be aware that it’s easy to cheat on most cardio machines to make the motion more effortless, but you’re only kidding yourself by doing so as the calorie burn will be much lower. For those who put the work into their cardio protocol, here are the cardio exercises that are best for losing fat and burning calories.
Stationary Bike/ Biking
Biking is one of the best ways to burn fat and get your heart rate up, and it is enjoyable. You can either do a spin class or get outside and ride your bike, but biking incorporates your leg muscles, core and allows you to diversify the usage of muscles for a valuable fat burning experience.
HIIT
Bursts of max effort then periods of moderate recovery is the best way to burn calories and hugely stimulate your fat burning hormones. Incline sprinting burns an even greater amount of calories too. Incorporate HIIT buy doing interval training of high intensity spirts, from burpees to mountain climbers, simply Google or Instagram search HIIT for inspiration.
Running
The most classic form of cardio, from sprints to long distance, running is an amazing way to shed the pounds and get a great workout. Find what works for you, whether that be spending 20 minutes on the treadmill or getting outside and doing a trail run.
Stair climber
We don’t mean the stepper here, those things really don’t give you the same bang for your buck. Stair climbing is hard, taxing and a fantastic calorie burner. Like the treadmill, holding the railings and supporting your weight with your arms will destroy the calorie burning, so make sure to use all legs. Go hard for shorter periods of time on this for a crazy burn, or if you go for longer times, keep them hands off the railings!
To touch on the stair climbers counterpart, the elliptical, we are not a fan. The calorie-burn on these machines are very unreliable. It’s important on elliptical machines to choose a high resistance to stop using momentum only. Aim for higher resistance over fast pace on these.
Walking (with conditions)
Walking is one of the most effective ways to shed pounds and get your heart working. If you have injuries that inhibit you from running, biking or jumping then walking is for you. Make sure you are keeping a good quick pace and are going for three to eight miles. If you walk on a treadmill then give yourself a good incline.
Bonus Cardio Tips:
● Don’t do HIIT training every day, let your central nervous system recover. 2–3 times per week is best.
● Excessive weekly cardio can eat into lean muscle and slow metabolic rate, so balance your cardio with weight training days for best results.
● DO COMBO-CARDIO. Start your workout with high intensity intervals (HIIT), take a break to replenish your ATP stores and then finish with some low-intensity, steady state cardio.
Find what form of cardio works for you and start a consistent routine of incorporating it in your day to day life. After a few weeks of consistency you will see results and feel great!