People who want to lose weight need to get rid of calories. Cutting back with a diet can help, but there’s no substitute for exercise. A good exercise plan can amplify the effect, since not all exercises are created equal. Harvard University’s review of research papers found that some exercises are more than twice as effective as others. With variance like that, it’s worth taking a little bit of time to pick out the most efficient exercises.
1- Skating
Inline skating is a good choice for people who want to do their workout in the great outdoors. It doesn’t take any equipment beyond a helmet, a pair of skates, and a little bit of padding, so it’s also a strong contender for athletes who don’t want to use too much storage space for their gear. It doesn’t put too much stress on any joints, so it’s unlikely to result in injury outside of particularly bad crashes.
Vigorous skating will burn about 425 calories in 30 minutes, but that number assumes a lot of exertion. Slower skating will burn fewer calories per minute, so it’s worth going all in on the effort. Skating burns so many calories because it involves coordination between more muscles than most other workouts, including the thighs, gluteus, and core.
2- Jumping Rope
Jumping rope is another strong option, and it has a few advantages over skating. It requires even less equipment, so it’s a good choice for people who want to keep things simple. It is also safe to jump rope indoors, so it’s perfect for people who are trapped inside by bad weather. Athletes who live in apartments need to be careful not to disturb the people that live below them, but anybody else can jump rope at almost any time.
The downside is that it burns slightly less calories than skating. Vigorous jumping will burn about 340 calories in 30 minutes. Some of that comes from the arm movements, so jumping without a rope is significantly worse exercise unless the athlete mimics those movements, according to The Sweat Shoppe.
3- Dance
Not all dances are created equal. Slow ballroom dancing or modern art dances won’t burn as many calories as fast Latin tunes, so it’s important to pick the right music. In general, tempo is the most important consideration. The faster the music, the faster the dancer will burn calories. Finding a dance club or class is a good way to stay motivated and learn a new skill at the same time, which is the primary benefit of dancing.
The calorie expenditure will vary significantly depending on the style and speed of the dance, but the average will be around 220 calories per 30 minute period. That number will go up if the dancing involves heavy arm movements or other motions that incorporate more muscles, so dancers should throw their arms up in the air while they move their feet to get the best results.
4- Cycling
Cycling is one of the clear winners of the cardio world, and not just because it burns plenty of calories. Many people stick to stationary bikes, but the best way to start cycling is to bike instead of driving. Making a commute take a little longer to get some exercise is usually easier to schedule than a trip to the gym, which helps cyclists stick to their workout schedule.
Most cyclists will burn between 300 and 400 calories in half an hour, depending on their speed and body weight. This is more variable than most exercises because it will also vary depending on the number of hills that are climbed and other local features. That unpredictability means that it’s best to use this as a form of transportation and not to worry about the calories too much instead of using it as the sole form of exercise.
5- Elliptical Machines
Athletes who are going to use special machines should choose an elliptical. It doesn’t put much stress on joints and muscles, but it burns significantly more calories than walking. The excess calories get burned because an elliptical works more muscles groups than simply walking.
Half an hour on an elliptical machine will burn about 300 calories. As in most cases, that will vary based on the intensity of the workout. If the machine offers a variable incline, increasing it can increase the efficiency of the workout session.