What exercise burns the most calories? 10 exercises for weight loss

Trying to shed excess pounds? You're probably asking yourself, 'what exercise burns the most calories?' 

For busy parents, losing calories and getting in shape isn't always a priority, but if you are looking to tone up a little then knowing how to hit your goal quickly can be helpful. With so many differing workout regimes promising a variety of desired results, it can be difficult to know what's best. But if you're wondering, how many calories do I burn a day? this is where both diet and exercise come into play.

Yes – cardio is best for burning calories – think running, cycling and swimming, but weight training has it's benefits too and can even help you continue to burn calories once your workout is over. 'It's important to note that the overall impact of weight training on calorie burn will depend on various factors such as exercise intensity, duration, individual differences in metabolism, and overall fitness level,' says Lauren Lepley, wellness expert, advanced personal trainer and nutritional advisor and founder of Aleafia. 'However, incorporating weight training into your exercise routine can certainly contribute to a prolonged calorie burn and support your weight management goals.'

And, remember, it's not just exercise which is important for reaching your goals – eating a healthy diet is important, too. And eating fat burning foods can help. 'Combining a healthy, balanced diet with regular exercise is the most effective approach for achieving optimal health, maintaining a healthy weight, and supporting long-term well-being,' adds Lauren. Here, we asked our experts the best exercises you can do for weight loss to help you reach your goals, faster.

10 exercises for weight loss 

1. Running

When it comes to what exercise burns the most calories, running is one of the best exercises you can do. Running works the whole body. 'Not only does it benefit the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and hip flexors, but it also works the upper body and core, and is a great calorie burner,' says James Brady, personal trainer at OriGym.

• Calorie burn (30 minutes): Approximately 300-400 calories.
• Calorie burn (60 minutes): Approximately 600-800 calories.
• Beginner: Start with a brisk walk for 5 minutes, then alternate between running and walking for 1 minute each. Repeat this cycle for a total of 20-30 minutes.
• Advanced: Run continuously at a moderate to high intensity for 30-60 minutes.

Wondering how to start running? It's best to start small when beginning your running journey and be consistent. 'By running frequently, you’ll find it much easier to build up your stamina and endurance,' says James. 'When starting, it’s best to not focus too much on your timing. By focusing on distance, you’ll have a more tangible goal. You might choose to build yourself up to a 5k as this gives you an attainable goal and is great for losing weight.'

Running during winter will also ramp up your calorie burn. Yes – if you've ever wondered 'does being cold burn calories?' It's a big perk of those chilly morning runs.

2. Skipping

'Skipping is an effective fat-burning exercise that engages the entire body, primarily targeting the cardiovascular system,' says Lauren. Skipping can also boost your metabolism – this is important for burning calories both during activity and at rest.

• Calorie burn (30 minutes): Approximately 250-300 calories
• Calorie burn (60 minutes): Approximately 500-600 calories
• Beginner: Skip rope continuously for 1-2 minutes at a comfortable pace.
• Advanced: Skip rope continuously for 10-15 minutes at a moderate to high intensity.

3. Squat jumps

'This exercise works the lower body and is much more difficult than regular squats. It specifically trains the hamstrings, glutes, calves, quads, and the core,' says James.

• Calorie burn (15 minutes): Approximately 250 calories
• Beginner: As this exercise is tough on the legs, you should start by incorporating it into a varied workout. Depending on your level of fitness, aim to do 3-4 rounds of 10-15 squat jumps, with a short break between each round. 
  
  Try James's workout:
• Jumping Jacks (30 seconds)
• REST (15 seconds)
• Squat jumps (30 seconds)
• REST (15 seconds)
• Mountain climbers (30 seconds)
• REST (15 seconds)
• Running on the spot (30 seconds)
• REST (15 seconds)
  
  'As your fitness levels improve, you can build up your strength and endurance by increasing the number of rounds and/or amount of squat jumps you do per round up,' says James.

4. Cycling

'Cycling is an excellent cardiovascular exercise that helps burn calories and fat while primarily working the lower body muscles,' says Lauren. This means you'll also be firming up those calves, quads, hamstrings and glutes.

• Calorie burn (30 mins): Approximately 202 calories
• Calorie burn (60 mins): Approximately 404 calories
• Beginner: Cycle at a moderate pace for 15-20 minutes, gradually increasing the duration as fitness improves.
• Advanced: Cycle at a moderate to high intensity for 30-60 minutes, incorporating intervals or hill climbs for added challenge.

5. Dancing

'Dancing is a fun and enjoyable way to burn calories, improve coordination, and promote fat burning while engaging the entire body,' says Lauren. The best dances for weight loss include ballroom, jazz, Cha-cha and salsa.

• Calorie burn (30 minutes): Approximately 150-250 calories.
• Calorie burn (60 minutes): Approximately 300-500 calories.
• Beginner: Choose a dance style or follow dance workout videos. Dance continuously for 15-20 minutes at a moderate pace, gradually increasing the duration and intensity.
• Advanced: Engage in more intense dance styles (e.g. Zumba, hip-hop) or increase the duration to 30-60 minutes.

6. Mountain climbers

'This exercise incorporates an aerobic element that blasts your abs and upper body, providing an intense aspect to your workout,' says James.

10 minutes of mountain climbers can burn over 125 calories. 

With this being such an intense exercise, the best way to benefit from the calorie-burning effects is to do 30-60 second intervals of mountain climbers as part of a HIIT or circuit-style workout.

Try James's workout:

• Jump Rope (60 seconds)
• REST (10 seconds)
• Jumping Jacks (60 seconds)
• REST (10 seconds)
• Squat Jumps (60 seconds)
• REST (10 seconds)
• Mountain Climbers (60 seconds)
• REST (10 seconds)
• Running on the spot (60 seconds)
• REST (10 seconds)

7. HIIT - body weight

'HIIT – high-intensity interval training – workouts are great for fat burning as they involve intense bursts of exercise followed by short rest periods, increasing the heart rate and promoting calorie burn,' says Lauren. Trying the HIIT workout challenge at home can be a great start. 

• Calorie burn (30 minutes): Approximately 300-400 calories.
• Calorie burn (60 minutes): Approximately 600-800 calories.
• Beginner: Perform 20 seconds of high-intensity exercise (e.g. jumping jacks) followed by 40 seconds of rest. Repeat this cycle for a total of 10-15 minutes.
• Advanced: Perform 30 seconds of high-intensity exercise (e.g., burpees or squat jumps) followed by 15 seconds of rest. Repeat for a total of 15-20 minutes.

8. HIIT – resistance

'Resistance HIIT combines high-intensity intervals with resistance exercises, promoting fat burning while building strength and endurance,' says Lauren.

• Calorie burn (30 minutes): Approximately 300-400 calories.
• Calorie burn (60 minutes): Approximately 600-800 calories.
• Beginner: Perform 20 seconds of bodyweight resistance exercise (e.g. bodyweight squats) followed by 40 seconds of rest. Repeat for 10-15 minutes.
• Advanced: Perform 30 seconds of resistance exercise (e.g. kettlebell swings or dumbbell lunges) followed by 15 seconds of rest. Repeat for 15-20 minutes.

9. Yoga

'Yoga offers numerous physical and mental benefits, including improved flexibility, strength, and stress reduction, while promoting fat burning through gentle movements and mindfulness,' says Lauren. 'When doing yoga poses and sequences, you will be working your full body, with emphasis on flexibility, core strength, and balance.'

• Calorie burn (30 minutes): Approximately 100-150 calories.
• Calorie burn (60 minutes): Approximately 200-300 calories.
• Beginner: Start with a beginner's yoga class or follow online tutorials. Begin with 15-20 minutes of gentle yoga poses and gradually increase the duration.
• Advanced: Engage in more challenging yoga sequences or attend intermediate/advanced classes. Aim for 30-60 minutes of continuous practice.

10. Pilates

'Pilates focuses on strengthening the core muscles, improving posture, and enhancing overall body alignment, contributing to fat burning and muscle tone,' says Lauren.

• Calorie burn (30 minutes): Approximately 100-150 calories.
• Calorie burn (60 minutes): Approximately 200-300 calories.
• Beginner: Start with a beginner's Pilates class or follow online tutorials. Begin with 15-20 minutes of basic Pilates exercises and gradually increase the duration.
• Advanced: Progress to more advanced Pilates exercises and longer durations, ranging from 30-60 minutes.

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Lauren Lepley

Lauren Lepley, is a multi-award winning wellness expert, advanced PT, nutritional advisor and founder of Aleafia; the UK’s first and only certified and sustainable cruelty and plastic-free wellness centre

James Brady

James is a Certified Personal Trainer with an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Manchester. His desire to find a place where he could combine his passion for writing and love of fitness is what brought him to OriGym. He believes his passion for daily exercise, especially running, is imperative in keeping him motivated and productive. As a result, he has a particular interest in the psychology of health and fitness and the relationship between physical and mental health.