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Calculated Shard: 18 (from laksa137)

2. Crawled Status Check

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curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa018.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/motivation/a70392311/best-cardio-for-fat-burn/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/motivation/a70392311/best-cardio-for-fat-burn/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/motivation\/a70392311\/best-cardio-for-fat-burn\/","crawl_time":1775692803,"first_indexed_time":1771632931,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,runnersworld!www,\/uk\/training\/motivation\/a70392311\/best-cardio-for-fat-burn\/ s443","src_root_hash":"5017140934760129618","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"12 cardio exercises ranked for fat burn – tested with the world’s most accurate calorie tracker","meta_descriptions":["Which cardio burns the most fat? From jogging and sprints to incline walking and swimming, here’s what a metabolic-mask experiment revealed – and what actually matters for long-term fat loss."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Hard though it is to believe, some people don’t enjoy jogging. That’s why online fitness coach Jeremy Ethier conducted an experiment into which cardio exercises rival or beat jogging for fat burn.\nJeremy was joined by his friend Dennis, who has a significantly lower fitness level than him. Fitness level impact fat burn – those with superior fitness are typically better able to convert stored fat into energy– so this experiment offers a useful insight into how the ‘best’ cardio exercises might differ depending on someone’s base fitness. Scroll for each of their rankings.\nHow they tested\nEach activity was tested using a metabolic mask to measure calorie expenditure – considered the gold standard for such data collection outside a lab setting. It works by measuring the air you breathe in and out during exercise, tracking how much oxygen you use and carbon dioxide you produce to calculate your calorie burn, and whether those calories derive more from fat or carbohydrates. That’s markedly different to smartwatches or gym machines, which estimate calorie burn based on metrics such as heart rate, speed and body weight.\nSex also affects fat-burn efficiency. In fact,\nresearchers from the University of Bath recently found\nthat biological sex and fitness levels are the biggest predictors of people’s ability to burn fat. They also found that fit women burnt fat more efficiently than men during endurance exercise – one of the reasons touted for women’s prowess over ultramarathon distances.\nSo, while this experiment is still accurate, it’s worth noting that sex as well as fitness level can affect the results.\nThe results\nSkipping (10 mins)\nFirst up, that warm-up staple,\nskipping\n. ‘The jump rope workout we’re doing is considered HIIT: high-intensity interval training. You push hard, rest briefly, then repeat,’ said Jeremy in the video documenting the experiment. ‘This type of cardio exploded in popularity because of the so-called “afterburn” effect.’ He’s referring to your body’s ability to continue burning additional calories hours after your workout due to the exertion.\nJeremy burnt 160 calories, with 28 extra ‘afterburn’ calories (measured 20 mins post-recovery) and Dennis burnt 69 calories, with 8 afterburn.\nHIIT (10 mins)\nOn the topic of\nHIIT\n, Jeremy and Dennis next tried a YouTube HIIT workout. ‘To boost the intensity without relying on coordination, we turned to one of the most popular YouTube HIIT workouts,’ says Jeremy.\nJeremy burnt 136 calories, with 24 afterburn calories and Dennis burnt 100 and 16 respectively.\nHowever, Jeremy notes that for both skipping and HIIT, his\nheart rate\ndidn’t reach what is ‘high enough to classify as “actual” HIIT.’\n‘Which means we're gonna go more intense,’ he adds.\nSprint interval training (10 mins)\nWhich brings us to...fast\nsprints\n. They did 10-15 seconds of all-out sprints, followed by 30-60 seconds of walking. ‘Some researchers claim that just one minute of all-out effort can give you the same benefits as 50 minutes of normal cardio.’\nJeremy burnt 178 calories, with 48 afterburn, and Dennis hit 148 and 27 calories respectively.\n‘However, one thing I noticed about the data is that 97% of the calories I burnt were from carbs, and only 3% from fat. We’ll talk more about what this means when we compare it to walking later on,’ said Jeremy.\nJogging (20 mins)\nNow onto the lower-intensity cardio workouts, beginning with the classic: jogging.\n‘Even though our jog was twice as long as our sprint workout, I was not expecting the calorie burn to almost double as well, with me burning 350 calories and Dennis burning 260 calories,’ said Jeremy. ‘But when you look at our heart rate chart, it starts to make sense. Jogging keeps the heart rate consistently elevated in the high range, whereas HIIT only spikes it briefly during intense intervals.’\nFasted jogging (20 mins)\nEmilija Manevska\n\/\/\nGetty Images\nFasted jogging burnt the same number of calories as regular jogging\nNoting a\nstudy\nfrom the\nBritish Journal of Nutrition\n, which suggests that if you run first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, you burn twice the amount of fat compared with doing the exact same workout after eating, Jeremy explained that they wanted to test the effectiveness of\nfasted cardio\n. Indeed, they ‘burnt about the same number of calories as our regular jog – but this time, a bigger chunk of those calories came from fat.’\nHe cites the work of top exercise science researcher Dr Eric Helms to explain: ‘When you don’t eat before a workout, your body doesn’t have as many carbs to use – so it turns to fat for energy instead.’ However, this isn’t always necessarily a good thing. When you don’t have as much fuel on board, your body uses ‘the available fat stores in your body, which sounds great. But then the rest of the day, you're going to be relying on other sources of fuel.’ Whereas, if you do a high-intensity session, you’ll primarily burn carbs, depleting glycogen, meaning you’ll use body fat and fatty acid oxidation for the remainder of the day.\n‘In both of those two scenarios, the amount of fat loss you achieve or fat mass gain you achieve is going to be dependent upon the net surplus or deficit, not what happened in those 30 minutes,’ explained Helms. In other words, the bigger picture is important – eg, diet and exercise frequency.\n‘What he’s saying is backed by\nlong-term studies\n, which have found no long-term fat loss benefit to doing cardio fasted, but for some people, fasted cardio still might be the better choice,’ said Jeremy. ‘It’s about doing what you’ll be more likely to stick to, and in our case, our joints were starting to take a beating from all our jogging.’\n'It’s about doing what you’ll be more likely to stick to'\nAdequately fuelling your body remains crucial – even if weight loss is your goal – which is why it’s always advisable to consult an expert for advice and guidance where possible.\nKangoo jog (20 mins)\nfrantic00\n\/\/\nGetty Images\nKangoo boots in action\nAnd now for something completely different ‘[Kangoo Jumps] are banned in races. They look ridiculous. But supposedly, they reduce joint impact by 80% and burn 25% more calories than regular jogging. So could it be the best cardio for losing weight?,’ said Jeremy. Well, Jeremy and Dennis burnt around 315 and 235 calories respectively.\n‘Although they definitely felt better on the knees, we ended up burning 10% fewer calories than regular jogging, which might be the weight of the boots [which cost around £200] limiting how fast we could run,’ said Jeremy\nSwimming (20 mins)\n‘While the mask and drysuit limited our ability to properly swim, just a few minutes in, our heart rates were climbing,’ said Jeremy. ‘After 20 minutes of walking each other like dogs, we ended up burning way more calories than I expected: 276 calories for me, and 223 for Dennis.’\nWhile your\nswimming\nsession would likely be more efficient than this thanks to the lack of a metabolic mask, it highlights how beneficial the workout is. ‘Unlike most exercises, swimming works nearly every major muscle group at once. More muscles working equals more calories burnt,’ said Jeremy. ‘Plus, water pulls heat away from your body faster than air does, so your body has to burn extra calories just to stay warm, especially in a cooler pool.’\nWalking (30 mins)\nEmily English: Walking Is the Best Exercise Everyone Keeps Ignoring\nWomen's Health UK\nLIVE\nCurrent Time  \n0:00\nTotal Duration  \n1:33\nArguably the most accessible exercise on this list, it was important to include\nwalking\nin this experiment. ‘After 30 minutes at 3.2 miles per hour [on the treadmill], we both burnt almost 200 calories each,’ said Jeremy. ‘But the fat burn is where it gets interesting – 81% of the calories we burnt were from fat – the highest so far. Jogging had only 40% fat burn, and sprints were just 3%.’\nAgain, though, he flags that fat burn and fat loss are not the same. ‘Just like fasted cardio, what really matters is your total calorie burn,’ says Jeremy. ‘And while walking wasn’t the highest burner, it can quickly add up,’ he adds, highlighting a\nstudy\nthat found people who added 2.5 hours of extra walking per week (around 20 mins a day), experienced an extra 3.5 pounds of fat loss in 12 weeks.\nIncline walking (6%, 30 mins)\nOne way you can increase the total calorie burn of your walk? Add an incline. ‘Compared to flat walking at the same speed, we both burnt about 50% more calories,’ says Jeremy. That’s a steep improvement.\nWalking with a\nweighted vest\n(30 mins)\n‘We also tested walking with a 20-pound  [9kg] backpack to see if it could be the best cardio for losing weight,’ says Jeremy. Also known as\nrucking\n, this exercise had different results for each individual.\n‘For me, it only burnt 13% more than regular walking,’ says Jeremy. ‘But for Dennis, since 20 pounds is a bigger jump for his body weight, he burnt 30% more,’ he added, noting that the difference helps explain why people can plateau with fat loss.\n‘As you lose fat, it’s like taking off a backpack full of the fat you’ve been carrying around all day. So you burn fewer calories, even if nothing else changes. So to keep fat loss moving, you’ll eventually have to eat a bit less, move a bit more – and ideally, lift weights to prevent muscle loss and keep your metabolism high,’ said Jeremy.\nStairMaster (20 mins)\nThe pair also tested two activities classed as moderate intensity, starting with the\nStairMaster\n– a marmite gym machine for many. ‘After 20 minutes of watching our favourite shows, the machine said I burnt 223 calories, and Dennis burnt 190,’ said Jeremy. However, ‘cardio machines use generic algorithms to estimate calorie burn, and have been known to be off by up to 10-30%, which explains why, according to the mask, I actually burnt 256 calories and Dennis burnt 215.’\nSo, if you’re just going on your machine’s number, know that it’s likely conservative.\nBoxing (20 mins)\nSo you’re probably\nnot\ngoing to be able to watch your favourite TV show while doing this activity – and if you don’t enjoy it, you might be better off returning to the StairMaster. ‘It felt brutal, but with all the rest between rounds, after 20 minutes, it became clear it wasn't the best cardio for losing weight; the calorie burn was actually about the same as the StairMaster – 270 for me, and 215 for Dennis,’ said Jeremy.\nFor a visual ranking of all the activities, see the figures below\nJeremy total calories burnt\nJogging (20 mins) – 350 kcal\nFasted jogging (20 mins) – 335 kcal\nKangoo jog (20 mins) – 320 kcal\nIncline walking, 6% (30 mins) – 295 kcal\nSwimming (20 mins) – 276 kcal\nBoxing (20 mins) – 270 kcal\nStairMaster (20 mins) – 256 kcal\nWeighted walking, +20 lb (30 mins) – 225 kcal\nRegular walking, 3.2 mph (30 mins) – 196 kcal\nHIIT sprints (10 mins) – 178 kcal\nJump rope (10 mins) – 146 kcal\nHIIT bodyweight (10 mins) – 136 kcal\nDennis total calories burnt\nJogging (20 mins) – 260 kcal\nIncline walking, 6% (30 mins) – 250 kcal\nFasted jogging (20 mins) – 250 kcal\nKangoo jog (20 mins) – 240 kcal\nWeighted walking, +20 lb (30 mins) – 226 kcal\nSwimming (20 mins) – 223 kcal\nBoxing (20 mins) – 218 kcal\nStairMaster (20 mins) – 215 kcal\nRegular walking, 3.2 mph (30 mins) – 175 kcal\nHIIT sprints (10 mins) – 148 kcal\nHIIT bodyweight (10 mins) – 100 kcal\nJump rope (10 mins) – 69 kcal\nJeremy – calories burnt per minute\nHIIT sprints – 17.8 kcal\/min\nJogging – 17.5 kcal\/min\nFasted jogging – 16.75 kcal\/min\nKangoo jog – 16 kcal\/min\nJump rope – 14.6 kcal\/min\nSwimming – 13.8 kcal\/min\nHIIT bodyweight – 13.6 kcal\/min\nBoxing – 13.5 kcal\/min\nStairMaster – 12.8 kcal\/min\nIncline walking (6%) – 9.8 kcal\/min\nWeighted walking (+20 lb) – 7.5 kcal\/min\nRegular walking (3.2 mph) – 6.5 kcal\/min\nDennis – calories burnt per minute\nHIIT sprints – 14.8 kcal\/min\nJogging – 13 kcal\/min\nFasted jogging – 12.5 kcal\/min\nKangoo jog – 12 kcal\/min\nSwimming – 11.2 kcal\/min\nBoxing – 10.9 kcal\/min\nStairMaster – 10.8 kcal\/min\nHIIT bodyweight – 10 kcal\/min\nIncline walking (6%) – 8.3 kcal\/min\nWeighted walking (+20 lb) – 7.5 kcal\/min\nJump rope – 6.9 kcal\/min\nRegular walking (3.2 mph) – 5.8 kcal\/min\nTry our marathon plans for free\nFancy giving our marathon plans a try? For a limited time only, we’re giving customers the chance to unlock 14 days of free access to our complete training plan library on the\nRunner’s World UK\napp.\nUNLOCK ACCESS HERE","attrs_markdown":"[![Search](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/search.f1c199c.svg)Search](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/search\/)\n\n![Close](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/close.38e3324.svg)\n***\n- [Events](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/events\/)\n- [Training](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/)\n- [Gear](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/gear\/)\n- [Health](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/health\/)\n- [Nutrition](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/nutrition\/)\n- [News](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/news\/)\n- [Newsletter](https:\/\/link.runnersworld.co.uk\/join\/signup-runners-world)\n- [Forums](https:\/\/forums.runnersworld.co.uk\/)\n- [Competitions](https:\/\/comps.runnersworld.co.uk\/)\n- [Subscribe](https:\/\/www.hearstmagazines.co.uk\/runners-world-magazine-subscription-website?utm_source=runnersworld.co.uk&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=hamburger-nav)\n- [Follow](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/motivation\/a70392311\/best-cardio-for-fat-burn\/)\n- [Podcast](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/health\/a776048\/listen-to-and-download-the-runners-world-uk-podcast\/)\n- [RW Club](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/news\/a63716053\/runners-world-club\/)\n\n- [Other Editions](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/)\n\n[Privacy Notice](http:\/\/www.hearst.co.uk\/privacy-policy)[Terms Of Use](http:\/\/www.hearst.co.uk\/terms-and-conditions)\n\n[Skip to Content](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/motivation\/a70392311\/best-cardio-for-fat-burn\/#main-content)\n\n[![Logo](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/runnersworld\/static\/images\/logos\/logo.bac833a.svg?primary=%2523000000)](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/)\n\n- [Gear](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/gear\/)\n- [Training](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/)\n- [Health & Injuries](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/health\/)\n- [Podcast](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/health\/a776048\/listen-to-and-download-the-runners-world-uk-podcast\/)\n- [RW Club](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/news\/a63716053\/runners-world-club\/)\n\n[Subscribe](http:\/\/www.hearstmagazines.co.uk\/runners-world-magazine-subscription-website?utm_source=runnersworld.co.uk&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=nav-bar)\n\n[Newsletter](https:\/\/link.runnersworld.co.uk\/join\/signup-runners-world-allnewsletters)\n\n[Best Garmin deals](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/gear\/tech\/a64839410\/best-garmin-deals-january-2026\/)\n\n[UK ultramarathons](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/events\/a40319998\/uk-ultramarathons\/)\n\n[DOMS](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a41869140\/doms\/)\n\n[Best running shoes](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/gear\/shoes\/a776671\/best-running-shoes\/)\n\n[Best wireless headphones](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/gear\/tech\/g43475750\/best-headphones-runners\/)\n\n![vo2 max training mask with a young athlete exercising for fitness during a workout at the physio to monitor her health and wellness. cardio, endurance and running for medical testing and insurance](data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)[![pinterest](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/social\/pinterest.e8cf655.svg?primary=%2523ffffff)](https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/motivation\/a70392311\/best-cardio-for-fat-burn\/&description=runnersworlduk&media=https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/vo2-max-training-mask-with-a-young-athlete-royalty-free-image-1771341101.pjpeg?resize=1600:*)\n\nKobus Louw\/\/Getty Images\n\n1. [Training](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/)\n2. [Motivation](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/motivation\/)\n3. [12 cardio exercises ranked for fat burn – tested with the world’s most accurate calorie tracker](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/motivation\/a70392311\/best-cardio-for-fat-burn\/)\n# 12 cardio exercises ranked for fat burn – tested with the world’s most accurate calorie tracker\nFrom sprints to incline walking, the data shows which workouts burned the most fat – and it's good news for runners\n\nBy [Hannah Bradfield](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/author\/438084\/hannah-bradfield\/ \"Hannah Bradfield\") and [Rick Pearson](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/author\/789014\/rick-pearson\/ \"Rick Pearson\")\n\nPublished: 21 February 2026\n\n## Jump to:\n- [How they tested](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/motivation\/a70392311\/best-cardio-for-fat-burn\/#how-they-tested)\n- [The results](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/motivation\/a70392311\/best-cardio-for-fat-burn\/#the-results)\n- [Try our marathon plans for free](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/motivation\/a70392311\/best-cardio-for-fat-burn\/#try-our-marathon-plans-for-free)\n\nHard though it is to believe, some people don’t enjoy jogging. That’s why online fitness coach Jeremy Ethier conducted an experiment into which cardio exercises rival or beat jogging for fat burn.\n\nJeremy was joined by his friend Dennis, who has a significantly lower fitness level than him. Fitness level impact fat burn – those with superior fitness are typically better able to convert stored fat into energy– so this experiment offers a useful insight into how the ‘best’ cardio exercises might differ depending on someone’s base fitness. Scroll for each of their rankings.\n\n## **How they tested**\nEach activity was tested using a metabolic mask to measure calorie expenditure – considered the gold standard for such data collection outside a lab setting. It works by measuring the air you breathe in and out during exercise, tracking how much oxygen you use and carbon dioxide you produce to calculate your calorie burn, and whether those calories derive more from fat or carbohydrates. That’s markedly different to smartwatches or gym machines, which estimate calorie burn based on metrics such as heart rate, speed and body weight.\n\nSex also affects fat-burn efficiency. In fact, [researchers from the University of Bath recently found](https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/announcements\/the-fitter-you-are-the-better-you-burn-fat-new-research\/) that biological sex and fitness levels are the biggest predictors of people’s ability to burn fat. They also found that fit women burnt fat more efficiently than men during endurance exercise – one of the reasons touted for women’s prowess over ultramarathon distances.\n\nSo, while this experiment is still accurate, it’s worth noting that sex as well as fitness level can affect the results.\n\n## **The results**\n## **Skipping (10 mins)**\n![Image no longer available](data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)\n\nFirst up, that warm-up staple, [skipping](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/cross-training\/a69623103\/skipping-benefits-running\/). ‘The jump rope workout we’re doing is considered HIIT: high-intensity interval training. You push hard, rest briefly, then repeat,’ said Jeremy in the video documenting the experiment. ‘This type of cardio exploded in popularity because of the so-called “afterburn” effect.’ He’s referring to your body’s ability to continue burning additional calories hours after your workout due to the exertion.\n\n## What everyone's reading\nJeremy burnt 160 calories, with 28 extra ‘afterburn’ calories (measured 20 mins post-recovery) and Dennis burnt 69 calories, with 8 afterburn.\n\n## **HIIT (10 mins)**\nOn the topic of [HIIT](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a773582\/interval-training-how-it-works\/), Jeremy and Dennis next tried a YouTube HIIT workout. ‘To boost the intensity without relying on coordination, we turned to one of the most popular YouTube HIIT workouts,’ says Jeremy.\n\nJeremy burnt 136 calories, with 24 afterburn calories and Dennis burnt 100 and 16 respectively.\n\nHowever, Jeremy notes that for both skipping and HIIT, his [heart rate](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a70389126\/hrv-for-runners\/) didn’t reach what is ‘high enough to classify as “actual” HIIT.’\n\n‘Which means we're gonna go more intense,’ he adds.\n\n## **Sprint interval training (10 mins)**\nWhich brings us to...fast [sprints](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a63840420\/sprint-training-distance-runners\/). They did 10-15 seconds of all-out sprints, followed by 30-60 seconds of walking. ‘Some researchers claim that just one minute of all-out effort can give you the same benefits as 50 minutes of normal cardio.’\n\nJeremy burnt 178 calories, with 48 afterburn, and Dennis hit 148 and 27 calories respectively.\n\n‘However, one thing I noticed about the data is that 97% of the calories I burnt were from carbs, and only 3% from fat. We’ll talk more about what this means when we compare it to walking later on,’ said Jeremy.\n\n## **Jogging (20 mins)**\nNow onto the lower-intensity cardio workouts, beginning with the classic: jogging.\n\n‘Even though our jog was twice as long as our sprint workout, I was not expecting the calorie burn to almost double as well, with me burning 350 calories and Dennis burning 260 calories,’ said Jeremy. ‘But when you look at our heart rate chart, it starts to make sense. Jogging keeps the heart rate consistently elevated in the high range, whereas HIIT only spikes it briefly during intense intervals.’\n\n## **Fasted jogging (20 mins)**\n![jogging trainers](data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)\n\nEmilija Manevska\/\/Getty Images\n\nFasted jogging burnt the same number of calories as regular jogging\n\nNoting a [study](https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27609363\/) from the *British Journal of Nutrition*, which suggests that if you run first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, you burn twice the amount of fat compared with doing the exact same workout after eating, Jeremy explained that they wanted to test the effectiveness of [fasted cardio](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/health\/a39712489\/fasted-cardio\/). Indeed, they ‘burnt about the same number of calories as our regular jog – but this time, a bigger chunk of those calories came from fat.’\n\nHe cites the work of top exercise science researcher Dr Eric Helms to explain: ‘When you don’t eat before a workout, your body doesn’t have as many carbs to use – so it turns to fat for energy instead.’ However, this isn’t always necessarily a good thing. When you don’t have as much fuel on board, your body uses ‘the available fat stores in your body, which sounds great. But then the rest of the day, you're going to be relying on other sources of fuel.’ Whereas, if you do a high-intensity session, you’ll primarily burn carbs, depleting glycogen, meaning you’ll use body fat and fatty acid oxidation for the remainder of the day.\n\n‘In both of those two scenarios, the amount of fat loss you achieve or fat mass gain you achieve is going to be dependent upon the net surplus or deficit, not what happened in those 30 minutes,’ explained Helms. In other words, the bigger picture is important – eg, diet and exercise frequency.\n\n‘What he’s saying is backed by [long-term studies](https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9674552), which have found no long-term fat loss benefit to doing cardio fasted, but for some people, fasted cardio still might be the better choice,’ said Jeremy. ‘It’s about doing what you’ll be more likely to stick to, and in our case, our joints were starting to take a beating from all our jogging.’\n\n> > 'It’s about doing what you’ll be more likely to stick to'\n\nAdequately fuelling your body remains crucial – even if weight loss is your goal – which is why it’s always advisable to consult an expert for advice and guidance where possible.\n\n## **Kangoo jog (20 mins)**\n![kangoo boots](data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)\n\nfrantic00\/\/Getty Images\n\nKangoo boots in action\n\nAnd now for something completely different ‘\\[Kangoo Jumps\\] are banned in races. They look ridiculous. But supposedly, they reduce joint impact by 80% and burn 25% more calories than regular jogging. So could it be the best cardio for losing weight?,’ said Jeremy. Well, Jeremy and Dennis burnt around 315 and 235 calories respectively.\n\n‘Although they definitely felt better on the knees, we ended up burning 10% fewer calories than regular jogging, which might be the weight of the boots \\[which cost around £200\\] limiting how fast we could run,’ said Jeremy\n\n## **Swimming (20 mins)**\n‘While the mask and drysuit limited our ability to properly swim, just a few minutes in, our heart rates were climbing,’ said Jeremy. ‘After 20 minutes of walking each other like dogs, we ended up burning way more calories than I expected: 276 calories for me, and 223 for Dennis.’\n\nWhile your [swimming](https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/uk\/fitness\/fat-loss\/a60496853\/calories-burned-swimming\/) session would likely be more efficient than this thanks to the lack of a metabolic mask, it highlights how beneficial the workout is. ‘Unlike most exercises, swimming works nearly every major muscle group at once. More muscles working equals more calories burnt,’ said Jeremy. ‘Plus, water pulls heat away from your body faster than air does, so your body has to burn extra calories just to stay warm, especially in a cooler pool.’\n\n## **Walking (30 mins)**\n![Play video](<data:image\/svg+xml,\\<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" fill=\"%23ffffff\" viewBox=\"0 0 256 256\"\\>%0A%09\\<path d=\"M240,128a15.74,15.74,0,0,1-7.6,13.51L88.32,229.65a16,16,0,0,1-16.2.3A15.86,15.86,0,0,1,64,216.13V39.87a15.86,15.86,0,0,1,8.12-13.82,16,16,0,0,1,16.2.3L232.4,114.49A15.74,15.74,0,0,1,240,128Z\"\\>%0A\\<\/path\\>\\<\/svg\\>>)\n\n![Video poster](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/vidthumb\/d0acf6b5-56e3-4ff3-9322-06fa36b9861d\/thumb_1920x1080.0000001.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nEmily English: Walking Is the Best Exercise Everyone Keeps Ignoring\n\nWomen's Health UK\n\n![Playlist Back](<data:image\/svg+xml,\\<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" fill=\"%23ffffff\" viewBox=\"0 0 256 256\"\\>%0A%09\\<path d=\"M208,47.88V208.12a16,16,0,0,1-24.43,13.43L64,146.77V216a8,8,0,0,1-16,0V40a8,8,0,0,1,16,0v69.23L183.57,34.45A15.95,15.95,0,0,1,208,47.88Z\"\\>\\<\/path\\>%0A\\<\/svg\\>>)\n\n![Play](<data:image\/svg+xml,\\<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" fill=\"%23ffffff\" viewBox=\"0 0 256 256\"\\>%0A%09\\<path d=\"M240,128a15.74,15.74,0,0,1-7.6,13.51L88.32,229.65a16,16,0,0,1-16.2.3A15.86,15.86,0,0,1,64,216.13V39.87a15.86,15.86,0,0,1,8.12-13.82,16,16,0,0,1,16.2.3L232.4,114.49A15.74,15.74,0,0,1,240,128Z\"\\>%0A\\<\/path\\>\\<\/svg\\>>)![Pause](<data:image\/svg+xml,\\<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" fill=\"%23ffffff\" viewBox=\"0 0 256 256\"\\>%0A%09\\<path d=\"M216,48V208a16,16,0,0,1-16,16H160a16,16,0,0,1-16-16V48a16,16,0,0,1,16-16h40A16,16,0,0,1,216,48ZM96,32H56A16,16,0,0,0,40,48V208a16,16,0,0,0,16,16H96a16,16,0,0,0,16-16V48A16,16,0,0,0,96,32Z\"\\>\\<\/path\\>%0A\\<\/svg\\>%0A>)![Replay](<data:image\/svg+xml,\\<svg width=\"20\" height=\"21\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 21\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\\>%0A\\<path d=\"M17.8125 10.5001C17.8127 12.5541 17.004 14.5256 15.5614 15.9877C14.1188 17.4499 12.1585 18.2851 10.1047 18.3126H10C8.00552 18.3168 6.08591 17.5534 4.63906 16.1806C4.45828 16.0099 4.35273 15.7743 4.34562 15.5258C4.33851 15.2772 4.43044 15.036 4.60117 14.8552C4.77191 14.6744 5.00746 14.5689 5.25602 14.5618C5.50458 14.5547 5.74578 14.6466 5.92656 14.8173C6.77519 15.6185 7.84111 16.1518 8.99112 16.3506C10.1411 16.5494 11.3242 16.4049 12.3926 15.9352C13.4609 15.4654 14.3671 14.6912 14.998 13.7093C15.6288 12.7274 15.9563 11.5814 15.9395 10.4144C15.9227 9.24745 15.5623 8.11133 14.9035 7.14802C14.2446 6.1847 13.3165 5.43691 12.2351 4.9981C11.1536 4.55929 9.96684 4.44891 8.82303 4.68076C7.67922 4.91261 6.62911 5.47641 5.80391 6.3017C5.79375 6.31185 5.78438 6.32123 5.77344 6.3306L4.28828 7.68763H5.625C5.87364 7.68763 6.1121 7.78641 6.28791 7.96222C6.46373 8.13804 6.5625 8.37649 6.5625 8.62513C6.5625 8.87377 6.46373 9.11223 6.28791 9.28805C6.1121 9.46386 5.87364 9.56263 5.625 9.56263H1.875C1.62636 9.56263 1.3879 9.46386 1.21209 9.28805C1.03627 9.11223 0.9375 8.87377 0.9375 8.62513V4.87513C0.9375 4.62649 1.03627 4.38804 1.21209 4.21222C1.3879 4.03641 1.62636 3.93763 1.875 3.93763C2.12364 3.93763 2.3621 4.03641 2.53791 4.21222C2.71373 4.38804 2.8125 4.62649 2.8125 4.87513V6.49388L4.49062 4.95795C5.58508 3.86937 6.97748 3.12942 8.49209 2.83148C10.0067 2.53354 11.5756 2.69096 13.0008 3.28388C14.4261 3.87681 15.6437 4.87865 16.5001 6.16296C17.3564 7.44728 17.8131 8.9565 17.8125 10.5001Z\" fill=\"white\"\/\\>%0A\\<\/svg\\>%0A>)\n\n![Playlist Forward](<data:image\/svg+xml,\\<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" fill=\"%23ffffff\" viewBox=\"0 0 256 256\"\\>%0A%09\\<path d=\"M208,40V216a8,8,0,0,1-16,0V146.77L72.43,221.55A15.95,15.95,0,0,1,48,208.12V47.88A15.95,15.95,0,0,1,72.43,34.45L192,109.23V40a8,8,0,0,1,16,0Z\"\\>\\<\/path\\>%0A\\<\/svg\\>>)\n\nLIVE\n\n![Unmute](<data:image\/svg+xml,\\<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"%23ffffff\" viewBox=\"0 0 256 256\"\\>%0A%09\\<path d=\"M213.92,210.62a8,8,0,1,1-11.84,10.76L160,175.09v48.6a8.29,8.29,0,0,1-3.91,7.18,8,8,0,0,1-9-.56l-65.55-51A4,4,0,0,1,80,176.18V87.09L42.08,45.38A8,8,0,1,1,53.92,34.62Zm-27.21-55.46a8,8,0,0,0,11.29-.7,40,40,0,0,0,0-52.88,8,8,0,1,0-12,10.57,24,24,0,0,1,0,31.72A8,8,0,0,0,186.71,155.16Zm40.92-80.49a8,8,0,1,0-11.92,10.66,64,64,0,0,1,0,85.34,8,8,0,1,0,11.92,10.66,80,80,0,0,0,0-106.66ZM153,119.87a4,4,0,0,0,7-2.7V32.25a8.27,8.27,0,0,0-2.88-6.4,8,8,0,0,0-10-.16L103.83,59.33a4,4,0,0,0-.5,5.85ZM60,80H32A16,16,0,0,0,16,96v64a16,16,0,0,0,16,16H60a4,4,0,0,0,4-4V84A4,4,0,0,0,60,80Z\"\\>\\<\/path\\>%0A\\<\/svg\\>>)![Mute](<data:image\/svg+xml,\\<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"%23ffffff\" viewBox=\"0 0 256 256\"\\>%0A%09\\<path d=\"M160,32.25V223.69a8.29,8.29,0,0,1-3.91,7.18,8,8,0,0,1-9-.56l-65.57-51A4,4,0,0,1,80,176.16V79.84a4,4,0,0,1,1.55-3.15l65.57-51a8,8,0,0,1,10,.16A8.27,8.27,0,0,1,160,32.25ZM60,80H32A16,16,0,0,0,16,96v64a16,16,0,0,0,16,16H60a4,4,0,0,0,4-4V84A4,4,0,0,0,60,80Zm126.77,20.84a8,8,0,0,0-.72,11.3,24,24,0,0,1,0,31.72,8,8,0,1,0,12,10.58,40,40,0,0,0,0-52.88A8,8,0,0,0,186.74,100.84Zm40.89-26.17a8,8,0,1,0-11.92,10.66,64,64,0,0,1,0,85.34,8,8,0,1,0,11.92,10.66,80,80,0,0,0,0-106.66Z\"\\>\\<\/path\\>%0A\\<\/svg\\>>)\n\nCurrent Time 0:00\n\nTotal Duration 1:33\n\n![Closed Captions](<data:image\/svg+xml,\\<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"%23ffffff\" viewBox=\"0 0 256 256\"\\>%0A%09\\<path d=\"M224,48H32A16,16,0,0,0,16,64V192a16,16,0,0,0,16,16H224a16,16,0,0,0,16-16V64A16,16,0,0,0,224,48ZM116,162.64a40,40,0,1,1,0-69.28,8,8,0,1,1-8,13.85,24,24,0,1,0,0,41.58,8,8,0,0,1,8,13.85Zm80,0a40,40,0,1,1,0-69.28,8,8,0,1,1-8,13.85,24,24,0,1,0,0,41.58,8,8,0,0,1,8,13.85Z\"\\>\\<\/path\\>%0A\\<\/svg\\>>)\n\n- Captions Off\n\n![Enter Fullscreen](<data:image\/svg+xml,\\<svg width=\"20\" height=\"21\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 21\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\\>%0A\\<path d=\"M4.0415 7.79134H1.6665V1.83301H7.62484V4.20801H4.0415V7.79134ZM1.6665 12.5413H4.0415V16.1247H7.62484V18.4997H1.6665V12.5413ZM15.9582 4.20801H12.3748V1.83301H18.3332V7.79134H15.9582V4.20801ZM12.3748 18.4997V16.1247H15.9582V12.5413H18.3332V18.4997H12.3748Z\" fill=\"white\"\/\\>%0A\\<\/svg\\>%0A>)![Exit Fullscreen](<data:image\/svg+xml,\\<svg width=\"20\" height=\"21\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 21\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\\>%0A\\<path d=\"M1.6665 5.73794H5.23794V2.1665H7.6189V8.1189H1.6665V5.73794ZM5.23794 15.2617H1.6665V12.8808H7.6189V18.8332H5.23794V15.2617ZM12.3808 2.1665H14.7617V5.73794H18.3332V8.1189H12.3808V2.1665ZM14.7617 15.2617V18.8332H12.3808V12.8808H18.3332V15.2617H14.7617Z\" fill=\"white\"\/\\>%0A\\<\/svg\\>%0A>)\n\nWatch: [Emily English: Walking Is the Best Exercise]()\n\n✕\n\nArguably the most accessible exercise on this list, it was important to include [walking](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a38065495\/guide-to-jeffing\/) in this experiment. ‘After 30 minutes at 3.2 miles per hour \\[on the treadmill\\], we both burnt almost 200 calories each,’ said Jeremy. ‘But the fat burn is where it gets interesting – 81% of the calories we burnt were from fat – the highest so far. Jogging had only 40% fat burn, and sprints were just 3%.’\n\nAgain, though, he flags that fat burn and fat loss are not the same. ‘Just like fasted cardio, what really matters is your total calorie burn,’ says Jeremy. ‘And while walking wasn’t the highest burner, it can quickly add up,’ he adds, highlighting a [study](https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28794207\/) that found people who added 2.5 hours of extra walking per week (around 20 mins a day), experienced an extra 3.5 pounds of fat loss in 12 weeks.\n\n## **Incline walking (6%, 30 mins)**\nOne way you can increase the total calorie burn of your walk? Add an incline. ‘Compared to flat walking at the same speed, we both burnt about 50% more calories,’ says Jeremy. That’s a steep improvement.\n\n## **Walking with a [weighted vest](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/gear\/g65460015\/best-weighted-vest\/) (30 mins)**\n‘We also tested walking with a 20-pound \\[9kg\\] backpack to see if it could be the best cardio for losing weight,’ says Jeremy. Also known as [rucking](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/cross-training\/a69408523\/rucking\/), this exercise had different results for each individual.\n\n‘For me, it only burnt 13% more than regular walking,’ says Jeremy. ‘But for Dennis, since 20 pounds is a bigger jump for his body weight, he burnt 30% more,’ he added, noting that the difference helps explain why people can plateau with fat loss.\n\n‘As you lose fat, it’s like taking off a backpack full of the fat you’ve been carrying around all day. So you burn fewer calories, even if nothing else changes. So to keep fat loss moving, you’ll eventually have to eat a bit less, move a bit more – and ideally, lift weights to prevent muscle loss and keep your metabolism high,’ said Jeremy.\n\n## **StairMaster (20 mins)**\nThe pair also tested two activities classed as moderate intensity, starting with the [StairMaster](https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/uk\/fitness\/a39595079\/25-7-2-workout\/) – a marmite gym machine for many. ‘After 20 minutes of watching our favourite shows, the machine said I burnt 223 calories, and Dennis burnt 190,’ said Jeremy. However, ‘cardio machines use generic algorithms to estimate calorie burn, and have been known to be off by up to 10-30%, which explains why, according to the mask, I actually burnt 256 calories and Dennis burnt 215.’\n\nSo, if you’re just going on your machine’s number, know that it’s likely conservative.\n\n## **Boxing (20 mins)**\n![Image no longer available](data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)\n\nSo you’re probably *not* going to be able to watch your favourite TV show while doing this activity – and if you don’t enjoy it, you might be better off returning to the StairMaster. ‘It felt brutal, but with all the rest between rounds, after 20 minutes, it became clear it wasn't the best cardio for losing weight; the calorie burn was actually about the same as the StairMaster – 270 for me, and 215 for Dennis,’ said Jeremy.\n\nFor a visual ranking of all the activities, see the figures below\n\n## **Jeremy total calories burnt**\n1. Jogging (20 mins) – 350 kcal\n2. Fasted jogging (20 mins) – 335 kcal\n3. Kangoo jog (20 mins) – 320 kcal\n4. Incline walking, 6% (30 mins) – 295 kcal\n5. Swimming (20 mins) – 276 kcal\n6. Boxing (20 mins) – 270 kcal\n7. StairMaster (20 mins) – 256 kcal\n8. Weighted walking, +20 lb (30 mins) – 225 kcal\n9. Regular walking, 3.2 mph (30 mins) – 196 kcal\n10. HIIT sprints (10 mins) – 178 kcal\n11. Jump rope (10 mins) – 146 kcal\n12. HIIT bodyweight (10 mins) – 136 kcal\n## **Dennis total calories burnt**\n1. Jogging (20 mins) – 260 kcal\n2. Incline walking, 6% (30 mins) – 250 kcal\n3. Fasted jogging (20 mins) – 250 kcal\n4. Kangoo jog (20 mins) – 240 kcal\n5. Weighted walking, +20 lb (30 mins) – 226 kcal\n6. Swimming (20 mins) – 223 kcal\n7. Boxing (20 mins) – 218 kcal\n8. StairMaster (20 mins) – 215 kcal\n9. Regular walking, 3.2 mph (30 mins) – 175 kcal\n10. HIIT sprints (10 mins) – 148 kcal\n11. HIIT bodyweight (10 mins) – 100 kcal\n12. Jump rope (10 mins) – 69 kcal\n## **Jeremy – calories burnt per minute**\n1. HIIT sprints – 17.8 kcal\/min\n2. Jogging – 17.5 kcal\/min\n3. Fasted jogging – 16.75 kcal\/min\n4. Kangoo jog – 16 kcal\/min\n5. Jump rope – 14.6 kcal\/min\n6. Swimming – 13.8 kcal\/min\n7. HIIT bodyweight – 13.6 kcal\/min\n8. Boxing – 13.5 kcal\/min\n9. StairMaster – 12.8 kcal\/min\n10. Incline walking (6%) – 9.8 kcal\/min\n11. Weighted walking (+20 lb) – 7.5 kcal\/min\n12. Regular walking (3.2 mph) – 6.5 kcal\/min\n## **Dennis – calories burnt per minute**\n1. HIIT sprints – 14.8 kcal\/min\n2. Jogging – 13 kcal\/min\n3. Fasted jogging – 12.5 kcal\/min\n4. Kangoo jog – 12 kcal\/min\n5. Swimming – 11.2 kcal\/min\n6. Boxing – 10.9 kcal\/min\n7. StairMaster – 10.8 kcal\/min\n8. HIIT bodyweight – 10 kcal\/min\n9. Incline walking (6%) – 8.3 kcal\/min\n10. Weighted walking (+20 lb) – 7.5 kcal\/min\n11. Jump rope – 6.9 kcal\/min\n12. Regular walking (3.2 mph) – 5.8 kcal\/min\n\n![youtube](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/social\/youtube.ce3e1ae.svg?primary=currentColor&id=link-out-embed)[View full post on YouTube](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Fz89dJTZsko)\n***\n## Try our marathon plans for free\nFancy giving our marathon plans a try? 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Registered in England 112955. All rights reserved.\n\n[RSS](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/rss\/all.xml)[Contact Us](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/about\/a29958213\/contact-runners-world-uk\/)[Cookies Policy](http:\/\/www.hearst.co.uk\/cookies-policy)[Terms and Conditions](http:\/\/www.hearst.co.uk\/terms-and-conditions)[Complaints](http:\/\/www.hearst.co.uk\/hearst-magazines-uk-complaints-procedure)[Privacy Notice](http:\/\/www.hearst.co.uk\/privacy-notice)[Sitemap](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/sitemap\/)[Advertising](https:\/\/www.hearst.co.uk\/brands\/runners-world)\n\n[Cookies Choices](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/motivation\/a70392311\/best-cardio-for-fat-burn\/ \"Cookies Choices\")\n\n![Ipso Regulated](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/images\/logos\/ipso-regulated.4f346f9.svg?primary=%2523ffffff)","attrs_readable_markdown":"Hard though it is to believe, some people don’t enjoy jogging. That’s why online fitness coach Jeremy Ethier conducted an experiment into which cardio exercises rival or beat jogging for fat burn.\n\nJeremy was joined by his friend Dennis, who has a significantly lower fitness level than him. Fitness level impact fat burn – those with superior fitness are typically better able to convert stored fat into energy– so this experiment offers a useful insight into how the ‘best’ cardio exercises might differ depending on someone’s base fitness. Scroll for each of their rankings.\n\n## **How they tested**\nEach activity was tested using a metabolic mask to measure calorie expenditure – considered the gold standard for such data collection outside a lab setting. It works by measuring the air you breathe in and out during exercise, tracking how much oxygen you use and carbon dioxide you produce to calculate your calorie burn, and whether those calories derive more from fat or carbohydrates. That’s markedly different to smartwatches or gym machines, which estimate calorie burn based on metrics such as heart rate, speed and body weight.\n\nSex also affects fat-burn efficiency. In fact, [researchers from the University of Bath recently found](https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/announcements\/the-fitter-you-are-the-better-you-burn-fat-new-research\/) that biological sex and fitness levels are the biggest predictors of people’s ability to burn fat. They also found that fit women burnt fat more efficiently than men during endurance exercise – one of the reasons touted for women’s prowess over ultramarathon distances.\n\nSo, while this experiment is still accurate, it’s worth noting that sex as well as fitness level can affect the results.\n\n## **The results**\n## **Skipping (10 mins)**\n![Image no longer available](data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)\n\nFirst up, that warm-up staple, [skipping](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/cross-training\/a69623103\/skipping-benefits-running\/). ‘The jump rope workout we’re doing is considered HIIT: high-intensity interval training. You push hard, rest briefly, then repeat,’ said Jeremy in the video documenting the experiment. ‘This type of cardio exploded in popularity because of the so-called “afterburn” effect.’ He’s referring to your body’s ability to continue burning additional calories hours after your workout due to the exertion.\n\nJeremy burnt 160 calories, with 28 extra ‘afterburn’ calories (measured 20 mins post-recovery) and Dennis burnt 69 calories, with 8 afterburn.\n\n## **HIIT (10 mins)**\nOn the topic of [HIIT](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a773582\/interval-training-how-it-works\/), Jeremy and Dennis next tried a YouTube HIIT workout. ‘To boost the intensity without relying on coordination, we turned to one of the most popular YouTube HIIT workouts,’ says Jeremy.\n\nJeremy burnt 136 calories, with 24 afterburn calories and Dennis burnt 100 and 16 respectively.\n\nHowever, Jeremy notes that for both skipping and HIIT, his [heart rate](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a70389126\/hrv-for-runners\/) didn’t reach what is ‘high enough to classify as “actual” HIIT.’\n\n‘Which means we're gonna go more intense,’ he adds.\n\n## **Sprint interval training (10 mins)**\nWhich brings us to...fast [sprints](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a63840420\/sprint-training-distance-runners\/). They did 10-15 seconds of all-out sprints, followed by 30-60 seconds of walking. ‘Some researchers claim that just one minute of all-out effort can give you the same benefits as 50 minutes of normal cardio.’\n\nJeremy burnt 178 calories, with 48 afterburn, and Dennis hit 148 and 27 calories respectively.\n\n‘However, one thing I noticed about the data is that 97% of the calories I burnt were from carbs, and only 3% from fat. We’ll talk more about what this means when we compare it to walking later on,’ said Jeremy.\n\n## **Jogging (20 mins)**\nNow onto the lower-intensity cardio workouts, beginning with the classic: jogging.\n\n‘Even though our jog was twice as long as our sprint workout, I was not expecting the calorie burn to almost double as well, with me burning 350 calories and Dennis burning 260 calories,’ said Jeremy. ‘But when you look at our heart rate chart, it starts to make sense. Jogging keeps the heart rate consistently elevated in the high range, whereas HIIT only spikes it briefly during intense intervals.’\n\n## **Fasted jogging (20 mins)**\n![jogging trainers](data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)\n\nEmilija Manevska\/\/Getty Images\n\nFasted jogging burnt the same number of calories as regular jogging\n\nNoting a [study](https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27609363\/) from the *British Journal of Nutrition*, which suggests that if you run first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, you burn twice the amount of fat compared with doing the exact same workout after eating, Jeremy explained that they wanted to test the effectiveness of [fasted cardio](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/health\/a39712489\/fasted-cardio\/). Indeed, they ‘burnt about the same number of calories as our regular jog – but this time, a bigger chunk of those calories came from fat.’\n\nHe cites the work of top exercise science researcher Dr Eric Helms to explain: ‘When you don’t eat before a workout, your body doesn’t have as many carbs to use – so it turns to fat for energy instead.’ However, this isn’t always necessarily a good thing. When you don’t have as much fuel on board, your body uses ‘the available fat stores in your body, which sounds great. But then the rest of the day, you're going to be relying on other sources of fuel.’ Whereas, if you do a high-intensity session, you’ll primarily burn carbs, depleting glycogen, meaning you’ll use body fat and fatty acid oxidation for the remainder of the day.\n\n‘In both of those two scenarios, the amount of fat loss you achieve or fat mass gain you achieve is going to be dependent upon the net surplus or deficit, not what happened in those 30 minutes,’ explained Helms. In other words, the bigger picture is important – eg, diet and exercise frequency.\n\n‘What he’s saying is backed by [long-term studies](https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9674552), which have found no long-term fat loss benefit to doing cardio fasted, but for some people, fasted cardio still might be the better choice,’ said Jeremy. ‘It’s about doing what you’ll be more likely to stick to, and in our case, our joints were starting to take a beating from all our jogging.’\n\n> > 'It’s about doing what you’ll be more likely to stick to'\n\nAdequately fuelling your body remains crucial – even if weight loss is your goal – which is why it’s always advisable to consult an expert for advice and guidance where possible.\n\n## **Kangoo jog (20 mins)**\n![kangoo boots](data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)\n\nfrantic00\/\/Getty Images\n\nKangoo boots in action\n\nAnd now for something completely different ‘\\[Kangoo Jumps\\] are banned in races. They look ridiculous. But supposedly, they reduce joint impact by 80% and burn 25% more calories than regular jogging. So could it be the best cardio for losing weight?,’ said Jeremy. Well, Jeremy and Dennis burnt around 315 and 235 calories respectively.\n\n‘Although they definitely felt better on the knees, we ended up burning 10% fewer calories than regular jogging, which might be the weight of the boots \\[which cost around £200\\] limiting how fast we could run,’ said Jeremy\n\n## **Swimming (20 mins)**\n‘While the mask and drysuit limited our ability to properly swim, just a few minutes in, our heart rates were climbing,’ said Jeremy. ‘After 20 minutes of walking each other like dogs, we ended up burning way more calories than I expected: 276 calories for me, and 223 for Dennis.’\n\nWhile your [swimming](https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/uk\/fitness\/fat-loss\/a60496853\/calories-burned-swimming\/) session would likely be more efficient than this thanks to the lack of a metabolic mask, it highlights how beneficial the workout is. ‘Unlike most exercises, swimming works nearly every major muscle group at once. More muscles working equals more calories burnt,’ said Jeremy. ‘Plus, water pulls heat away from your body faster than air does, so your body has to burn extra calories just to stay warm, especially in a cooler pool.’\n\n## **Walking (30 mins)**\n![Video poster](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/vidthumb\/d0acf6b5-56e3-4ff3-9322-06fa36b9861d\/thumb_1920x1080.0000001.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nEmily English: Walking Is the Best Exercise Everyone Keeps Ignoring\n\nWomen's Health UK\n\nLIVE\n\nCurrent Time 0:00\n\nTotal Duration 1:33\n\nArguably the most accessible exercise on this list, it was important to include [walking](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a38065495\/guide-to-jeffing\/) in this experiment. ‘After 30 minutes at 3.2 miles per hour \\[on the treadmill\\], we both burnt almost 200 calories each,’ said Jeremy. ‘But the fat burn is where it gets interesting – 81% of the calories we burnt were from fat – the highest so far. Jogging had only 40% fat burn, and sprints were just 3%.’\n\nAgain, though, he flags that fat burn and fat loss are not the same. ‘Just like fasted cardio, what really matters is your total calorie burn,’ says Jeremy. ‘And while walking wasn’t the highest burner, it can quickly add up,’ he adds, highlighting a [study](https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28794207\/) that found people who added 2.5 hours of extra walking per week (around 20 mins a day), experienced an extra 3.5 pounds of fat loss in 12 weeks.\n\n## **Incline walking (6%, 30 mins)**\nOne way you can increase the total calorie burn of your walk? Add an incline. ‘Compared to flat walking at the same speed, we both burnt about 50% more calories,’ says Jeremy. That’s a steep improvement.\n\n## **Walking with a [weighted vest](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/gear\/g65460015\/best-weighted-vest\/) (30 mins)**\n‘We also tested walking with a 20-pound \\[9kg\\] backpack to see if it could be the best cardio for losing weight,’ says Jeremy. Also known as [rucking](https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/cross-training\/a69408523\/rucking\/), this exercise had different results for each individual.\n\n‘For me, it only burnt 13% more than regular walking,’ says Jeremy. ‘But for Dennis, since 20 pounds is a bigger jump for his body weight, he burnt 30% more,’ he added, noting that the difference helps explain why people can plateau with fat loss.\n\n‘As you lose fat, it’s like taking off a backpack full of the fat you’ve been carrying around all day. So you burn fewer calories, even if nothing else changes. So to keep fat loss moving, you’ll eventually have to eat a bit less, move a bit more – and ideally, lift weights to prevent muscle loss and keep your metabolism high,’ said Jeremy.\n\n## **StairMaster (20 mins)**\nThe pair also tested two activities classed as moderate intensity, starting with the [StairMaster](https:\/\/www.womenshealthmag.com\/uk\/fitness\/a39595079\/25-7-2-workout\/) – a marmite gym machine for many. ‘After 20 minutes of watching our favourite shows, the machine said I burnt 223 calories, and Dennis burnt 190,’ said Jeremy. However, ‘cardio machines use generic algorithms to estimate calorie burn, and have been known to be off by up to 10-30%, which explains why, according to the mask, I actually burnt 256 calories and Dennis burnt 215.’\n\nSo, if you’re just going on your machine’s number, know that it’s likely conservative.\n\n## **Boxing (20 mins)**\n![Image no longer available](data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)\n\nSo you’re probably *not* going to be able to watch your favourite TV show while doing this activity – and if you don’t enjoy it, you might be better off returning to the StairMaster. ‘It felt brutal, but with all the rest between rounds, after 20 minutes, it became clear it wasn't the best cardio for losing weight; the calorie burn was actually about the same as the StairMaster – 270 for me, and 215 for Dennis,’ said Jeremy.\n\nFor a visual ranking of all the activities, see the figures below\n\n## **Jeremy total calories burnt**\n1. Jogging (20 mins) – 350 kcal\n2. Fasted jogging (20 mins) – 335 kcal\n3. Kangoo jog (20 mins) – 320 kcal\n4. Incline walking, 6% (30 mins) – 295 kcal\n5. Swimming (20 mins) – 276 kcal\n6. Boxing (20 mins) – 270 kcal\n7. StairMaster (20 mins) – 256 kcal\n8. Weighted walking, +20 lb (30 mins) – 225 kcal\n9. Regular walking, 3.2 mph (30 mins) – 196 kcal\n10. HIIT sprints (10 mins) – 178 kcal\n11. Jump rope (10 mins) – 146 kcal\n12. HIIT bodyweight (10 mins) – 136 kcal\n## **Dennis total calories burnt**\n1. Jogging (20 mins) – 260 kcal\n2. Incline walking, 6% (30 mins) – 250 kcal\n3. Fasted jogging (20 mins) – 250 kcal\n4. Kangoo jog (20 mins) – 240 kcal\n5. Weighted walking, +20 lb (30 mins) – 226 kcal\n6. Swimming (20 mins) – 223 kcal\n7. Boxing (20 mins) – 218 kcal\n8. StairMaster (20 mins) – 215 kcal\n9. Regular walking, 3.2 mph (30 mins) – 175 kcal\n10. HIIT sprints (10 mins) – 148 kcal\n11. HIIT bodyweight (10 mins) – 100 kcal\n12. Jump rope (10 mins) – 69 kcal\n## **Jeremy – calories burnt per minute**\n1. HIIT sprints – 17.8 kcal\/min\n2. Jogging – 17.5 kcal\/min\n3. Fasted jogging – 16.75 kcal\/min\n4. Kangoo jog – 16 kcal\/min\n5. Jump rope – 14.6 kcal\/min\n6. Swimming – 13.8 kcal\/min\n7. HIIT bodyweight – 13.6 kcal\/min\n8. Boxing – 13.5 kcal\/min\n9. StairMaster – 12.8 kcal\/min\n10. Incline walking (6%) – 9.8 kcal\/min\n11. Weighted walking (+20 lb) – 7.5 kcal\/min\n12. Regular walking (3.2 mph) – 6.5 kcal\/min\n## **Dennis – calories burnt per minute**\n1. HIIT sprints – 14.8 kcal\/min\n2. Jogging – 13 kcal\/min\n3. Fasted jogging – 12.5 kcal\/min\n4. Kangoo jog – 12 kcal\/min\n5. Swimming – 11.2 kcal\/min\n6. Boxing – 10.9 kcal\/min\n7. StairMaster – 10.8 kcal\/min\n8. HIIT bodyweight – 10 kcal\/min\n9. Incline walking (6%) – 8.3 kcal\/min\n10. Weighted walking (+20 lb) – 7.5 kcal\/min\n11. Jump rope – 6.9 kcal\/min\n12. Regular walking (3.2 mph) – 5.8 kcal\/min\n***\n## Try our marathon plans for free\nFancy giving our marathon plans a try? For a limited time only, we’re giving customers the chance to unlock 14 days of free access to our complete training plan library on the *Runner’s World UK* app.\n\n[UNLOCK ACCESS HERE](https:\/\/link.hearstmagazines.co.uk\/join\/7of\/signup-runners-world-realrunnersmarathon-titlesite?hearst_refdomain=direct&hearst_utm=none)","meta_canonical":null}

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Meta Title	12 cardio exercises ranked for fat burn – tested with the world’s most accurate calorie tracker
Meta Description	Which cardio burns the most fat? From jogging and sprints to incline walking and swimming, here’s what a metabolic-mask experiment revealed – and what actually matters for long-term fat loss.
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Boilerpipe Text	Hard though it is to believe, some people don’t enjoy jogging. That’s why online fitness coach Jeremy Ethier conducted an experiment into which cardio exercises rival or beat jogging for fat burn. Jeremy was joined by his friend Dennis, who has a significantly lower fitness level than him. Fitness level impact fat burn – those with superior fitness are typically better able to convert stored fat into energy– so this experiment offers a useful insight into how the ‘best’ cardio exercises might differ depending on someone’s base fitness. Scroll for each of their rankings. How they tested Each activity was tested using a metabolic mask to measure calorie expenditure – considered the gold standard for such data collection outside a lab setting. It works by measuring the air you breathe in and out during exercise, tracking how much oxygen you use and carbon dioxide you produce to calculate your calorie burn, and whether those calories derive more from fat or carbohydrates. That’s markedly different to smartwatches or gym machines, which estimate calorie burn based on metrics such as heart rate, speed and body weight. Sex also affects fat-burn efficiency. In fact, researchers from the University of Bath recently found that biological sex and fitness levels are the biggest predictors of people’s ability to burn fat. They also found that fit women burnt fat more efficiently than men during endurance exercise – one of the reasons touted for women’s prowess over ultramarathon distances. So, while this experiment is still accurate, it’s worth noting that sex as well as fitness level can affect the results. The results Skipping (10 mins) First up, that warm-up staple, skipping . ‘The jump rope workout we’re doing is considered HIIT: high-intensity interval training. You push hard, rest briefly, then repeat,’ said Jeremy in the video documenting the experiment. ‘This type of cardio exploded in popularity because of the so-called “afterburn” effect.’ He’s referring to your body’s ability to continue burning additional calories hours after your workout due to the exertion. Jeremy burnt 160 calories, with 28 extra ‘afterburn’ calories (measured 20 mins post-recovery) and Dennis burnt 69 calories, with 8 afterburn. HIIT (10 mins) On the topic of HIIT , Jeremy and Dennis next tried a YouTube HIIT workout. ‘To boost the intensity without relying on coordination, we turned to one of the most popular YouTube HIIT workouts,’ says Jeremy. Jeremy burnt 136 calories, with 24 afterburn calories and Dennis burnt 100 and 16 respectively. However, Jeremy notes that for both skipping and HIIT, his heart rate didn’t reach what is ‘high enough to classify as “actual” HIIT.’ ‘Which means we're gonna go more intense,’ he adds. Sprint interval training (10 mins) Which brings us to...fast sprints . They did 10-15 seconds of all-out sprints, followed by 30-60 seconds of walking. ‘Some researchers claim that just one minute of all-out effort can give you the same benefits as 50 minutes of normal cardio.’ Jeremy burnt 178 calories, with 48 afterburn, and Dennis hit 148 and 27 calories respectively. ‘However, one thing I noticed about the data is that 97% of the calories I burnt were from carbs, and only 3% from fat. We’ll talk more about what this means when we compare it to walking later on,’ said Jeremy. Jogging (20 mins) Now onto the lower-intensity cardio workouts, beginning with the classic: jogging. ‘Even though our jog was twice as long as our sprint workout, I was not expecting the calorie burn to almost double as well, with me burning 350 calories and Dennis burning 260 calories,’ said Jeremy. ‘But when you look at our heart rate chart, it starts to make sense. Jogging keeps the heart rate consistently elevated in the high range, whereas HIIT only spikes it briefly during intense intervals.’ Fasted jogging (20 mins) Emilija Manevska // Getty Images Fasted jogging burnt the same number of calories as regular jogging Noting a study from the British Journal of Nutrition , which suggests that if you run first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, you burn twice the amount of fat compared with doing the exact same workout after eating, Jeremy explained that they wanted to test the effectiveness of fasted cardio . Indeed, they ‘burnt about the same number of calories as our regular jog – but this time, a bigger chunk of those calories came from fat.’ He cites the work of top exercise science researcher Dr Eric Helms to explain: ‘When you don’t eat before a workout, your body doesn’t have as many carbs to use – so it turns to fat for energy instead.’ However, this isn’t always necessarily a good thing. When you don’t have as much fuel on board, your body uses ‘the available fat stores in your body, which sounds great. But then the rest of the day, you're going to be relying on other sources of fuel.’ Whereas, if you do a high-intensity session, you’ll primarily burn carbs, depleting glycogen, meaning you’ll use body fat and fatty acid oxidation for the remainder of the day. ‘In both of those two scenarios, the amount of fat loss you achieve or fat mass gain you achieve is going to be dependent upon the net surplus or deficit, not what happened in those 30 minutes,’ explained Helms. In other words, the bigger picture is important – eg, diet and exercise frequency. ‘What he’s saying is backed by long-term studies , which have found no long-term fat loss benefit to doing cardio fasted, but for some people, fasted cardio still might be the better choice,’ said Jeremy. ‘It’s about doing what you’ll be more likely to stick to, and in our case, our joints were starting to take a beating from all our jogging.’ 'It’s about doing what you’ll be more likely to stick to' Adequately fuelling your body remains crucial – even if weight loss is your goal – which is why it’s always advisable to consult an expert for advice and guidance where possible. Kangoo jog (20 mins) frantic00 // Getty Images Kangoo boots in action And now for something completely different ‘[Kangoo Jumps] are banned in races. They look ridiculous. But supposedly, they reduce joint impact by 80% and burn 25% more calories than regular jogging. So could it be the best cardio for losing weight?,’ said Jeremy. Well, Jeremy and Dennis burnt around 315 and 235 calories respectively. ‘Although they definitely felt better on the knees, we ended up burning 10% fewer calories than regular jogging, which might be the weight of the boots [which cost around £200] limiting how fast we could run,’ said Jeremy Swimming (20 mins) ‘While the mask and drysuit limited our ability to properly swim, just a few minutes in, our heart rates were climbing,’ said Jeremy. ‘After 20 minutes of walking each other like dogs, we ended up burning way more calories than I expected: 276 calories for me, and 223 for Dennis.’ While your swimming session would likely be more efficient than this thanks to the lack of a metabolic mask, it highlights how beneficial the workout is. ‘Unlike most exercises, swimming works nearly every major muscle group at once. More muscles working equals more calories burnt,’ said Jeremy. ‘Plus, water pulls heat away from your body faster than air does, so your body has to burn extra calories just to stay warm, especially in a cooler pool.’ Walking (30 mins) Emily English: Walking Is the Best Exercise Everyone Keeps Ignoring Women's Health UK LIVE Current Time 0:00 Total Duration 1:33 Arguably the most accessible exercise on this list, it was important to include walking in this experiment. ‘After 30 minutes at 3.2 miles per hour [on the treadmill], we both burnt almost 200 calories each,’ said Jeremy. ‘But the fat burn is where it gets interesting – 81% of the calories we burnt were from fat – the highest so far. Jogging had only 40% fat burn, and sprints were just 3%.’ Again, though, he flags that fat burn and fat loss are not the same. ‘Just like fasted cardio, what really matters is your total calorie burn,’ says Jeremy. ‘And while walking wasn’t the highest burner, it can quickly add up,’ he adds, highlighting a study that found people who added 2.5 hours of extra walking per week (around 20 mins a day), experienced an extra 3.5 pounds of fat loss in 12 weeks. Incline walking (6%, 30 mins) One way you can increase the total calorie burn of your walk? Add an incline. ‘Compared to flat walking at the same speed, we both burnt about 50% more calories,’ says Jeremy. That’s a steep improvement. Walking with a weighted vest (30 mins) ‘We also tested walking with a 20-pound [9kg] backpack to see if it could be the best cardio for losing weight,’ says Jeremy. Also known as rucking , this exercise had different results for each individual. ‘For me, it only burnt 13% more than regular walking,’ says Jeremy. ‘But for Dennis, since 20 pounds is a bigger jump for his body weight, he burnt 30% more,’ he added, noting that the difference helps explain why people can plateau with fat loss. ‘As you lose fat, it’s like taking off a backpack full of the fat you’ve been carrying around all day. So you burn fewer calories, even if nothing else changes. So to keep fat loss moving, you’ll eventually have to eat a bit less, move a bit more – and ideally, lift weights to prevent muscle loss and keep your metabolism high,’ said Jeremy. StairMaster (20 mins) The pair also tested two activities classed as moderate intensity, starting with the StairMaster – a marmite gym machine for many. ‘After 20 minutes of watching our favourite shows, the machine said I burnt 223 calories, and Dennis burnt 190,’ said Jeremy. However, ‘cardio machines use generic algorithms to estimate calorie burn, and have been known to be off by up to 10-30%, which explains why, according to the mask, I actually burnt 256 calories and Dennis burnt 215.’ So, if you’re just going on your machine’s number, know that it’s likely conservative. Boxing (20 mins) So you’re probably not going to be able to watch your favourite TV show while doing this activity – and if you don’t enjoy it, you might be better off returning to the StairMaster. ‘It felt brutal, but with all the rest between rounds, after 20 minutes, it became clear it wasn't the best cardio for losing weight; the calorie burn was actually about the same as the StairMaster – 270 for me, and 215 for Dennis,’ said Jeremy. For a visual ranking of all the activities, see the figures below Jeremy total calories burnt Jogging (20 mins) – 350 kcal Fasted jogging (20 mins) – 335 kcal Kangoo jog (20 mins) – 320 kcal Incline walking, 6% (30 mins) – 295 kcal Swimming (20 mins) – 276 kcal Boxing (20 mins) – 270 kcal StairMaster (20 mins) – 256 kcal Weighted walking, +20 lb (30 mins) – 225 kcal Regular walking, 3.2 mph (30 mins) – 196 kcal HIIT sprints (10 mins) – 178 kcal Jump rope (10 mins) – 146 kcal HIIT bodyweight (10 mins) – 136 kcal Dennis total calories burnt Jogging (20 mins) – 260 kcal Incline walking, 6% (30 mins) – 250 kcal Fasted jogging (20 mins) – 250 kcal Kangoo jog (20 mins) – 240 kcal Weighted walking, +20 lb (30 mins) – 226 kcal Swimming (20 mins) – 223 kcal Boxing (20 mins) – 218 kcal StairMaster (20 mins) – 215 kcal Regular walking, 3.2 mph (30 mins) – 175 kcal HIIT sprints (10 mins) – 148 kcal HIIT bodyweight (10 mins) – 100 kcal Jump rope (10 mins) – 69 kcal Jeremy – calories burnt per minute HIIT sprints – 17.8 kcal/min Jogging – 17.5 kcal/min Fasted jogging – 16.75 kcal/min Kangoo jog – 16 kcal/min Jump rope – 14.6 kcal/min Swimming – 13.8 kcal/min HIIT bodyweight – 13.6 kcal/min Boxing – 13.5 kcal/min StairMaster – 12.8 kcal/min Incline walking (6%) – 9.8 kcal/min Weighted walking (+20 lb) – 7.5 kcal/min Regular walking (3.2 mph) – 6.5 kcal/min Dennis – calories burnt per minute HIIT sprints – 14.8 kcal/min Jogging – 13 kcal/min Fasted jogging – 12.5 kcal/min Kangoo jog – 12 kcal/min Swimming – 11.2 kcal/min Boxing – 10.9 kcal/min StairMaster – 10.8 kcal/min HIIT bodyweight – 10 kcal/min Incline walking (6%) – 8.3 kcal/min Weighted walking (+20 lb) – 7.5 kcal/min Jump rope – 6.9 kcal/min Regular walking (3.2 mph) – 5.8 kcal/min Try our marathon plans for free Fancy giving our marathon plans a try? 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[12 cardio exercises ranked for fat burn – tested with the world’s most accurate calorie tracker](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/motivation/a70392311/best-cardio-for-fat-burn/) # 12 cardio exercises ranked for fat burn – tested with the world’s most accurate calorie tracker From sprints to incline walking, the data shows which workouts burned the most fat – and it's good news for runners By [Hannah Bradfield](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/author/438084/hannah-bradfield/ "Hannah Bradfield") and [Rick Pearson](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/author/789014/rick-pearson/ "Rick Pearson") Published: 21 February 2026 ## Jump to: - [How they tested](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/motivation/a70392311/best-cardio-for-fat-burn/#how-they-tested) - [The results](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/motivation/a70392311/best-cardio-for-fat-burn/#the-results) - [Try our marathon plans for free](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/motivation/a70392311/best-cardio-for-fat-burn/#try-our-marathon-plans-for-free) Hard though it is to believe, some people don’t enjoy jogging. That’s why online fitness coach Jeremy Ethier conducted an experiment into which cardio exercises rival or beat jogging for fat burn. Jeremy was joined by his friend Dennis, who has a significantly lower fitness level than him. Fitness level impact fat burn – those with superior fitness are typically better able to convert stored fat into energy– so this experiment offers a useful insight into how the ‘best’ cardio exercises might differ depending on someone’s base fitness. Scroll for each of their rankings. ## How they tested* Each activity was tested using a metabolic mask to measure calorie expenditure – considered the gold standard for such data collection outside a lab setting. It works by measuring the air you breathe in and out during exercise, tracking how much oxygen you use and carbon dioxide you produce to calculate your calorie burn, and whether those calories derive more from fat or carbohydrates. That’s markedly different to smartwatches or gym machines, which estimate calorie burn based on metrics such as heart rate, speed and body weight. Sex also affects fat-burn efficiency. In fact, [researchers from the University of Bath recently found](https://www.bath.ac.uk/announcements/the-fitter-you-are-the-better-you-burn-fat-new-research/) that biological sex and fitness levels are the biggest predictors of people’s ability to burn fat. They also found that fit women burnt fat more efficiently than men during endurance exercise – one of the reasons touted for women’s prowess over ultramarathon distances. So, while this experiment is still accurate, it’s worth noting that sex as well as fitness level can affect the results. ## The results ## Skipping (10 mins) ![Image no longer available](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) First up, that warm-up staple, [skipping](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/cross-training/a69623103/skipping-benefits-running/). ‘The jump rope workout we’re doing is considered HIIT: high-intensity interval training. You push hard, rest briefly, then repeat,’ said Jeremy in the video documenting the experiment. ‘This type of cardio exploded in popularity because of the so-called “afterburn” effect.’ He’s referring to your body’s ability to continue burning additional calories hours after your workout due to the exertion. ## What everyone's reading Jeremy burnt 160 calories, with 28 extra ‘afterburn’ calories (measured 20 mins post-recovery) and Dennis burnt 69 calories, with 8 afterburn. ## HIIT (10 mins) On the topic of [HIIT](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/a773582/interval-training-how-it-works/), Jeremy and Dennis next tried a YouTube HIIT workout. ‘To boost the intensity without relying on coordination, we turned to one of the most popular YouTube HIIT workouts,’ says Jeremy. Jeremy burnt 136 calories, with 24 afterburn calories and Dennis burnt 100 and 16 respectively. However, Jeremy notes that for both skipping and HIIT, his [heart rate](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/a70389126/hrv-for-runners/) didn’t reach what is ‘high enough to classify as “actual” HIIT.’ ‘Which means we're gonna go more intense,’ he adds. ## Sprint interval training (10 mins) Which brings us to...fast [sprints](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/a63840420/sprint-training-distance-runners/). They did 10-15 seconds of all-out sprints, followed by 30-60 seconds of walking. ‘Some researchers claim that just one minute of all-out effort can give you the same benefits as 50 minutes of normal cardio.’ Jeremy burnt 178 calories, with 48 afterburn, and Dennis hit 148 and 27 calories respectively. ‘However, one thing I noticed about the data is that 97% of the calories I burnt were from carbs, and only 3% from fat. We’ll talk more about what this means when we compare it to walking later on,’ said Jeremy. ## Jogging (20 mins) Now onto the lower-intensity cardio workouts, beginning with the classic: jogging. ‘Even though our jog was twice as long as our sprint workout, I was not expecting the calorie burn to almost double as well, with me burning 350 calories and Dennis burning 260 calories,’ said Jeremy. ‘But when you look at our heart rate chart, it starts to make sense. Jogging keeps the heart rate consistently elevated in the high range, whereas HIIT only spikes it briefly during intense intervals.’ ## Fasted jogging (20 mins) ![jogging trainers](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) Emilija Manevska//Getty Images Fasted jogging burnt the same number of calories as regular jogging Noting a [study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27609363/) from the British Journal of Nutrition, which suggests that if you run first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, you burn twice the amount of fat compared with doing the exact same workout after eating, Jeremy explained that they wanted to test the effectiveness of [fasted cardio](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/health/a39712489/fasted-cardio/). Indeed, they ‘burnt about the same number of calories as our regular jog – but this time, a bigger chunk of those calories came from fat.’ He cites the work of top exercise science researcher Dr Eric Helms to explain: ‘When you don’t eat before a workout, your body doesn’t have as many carbs to use – so it turns to fat for energy instead.’ However, this isn’t always necessarily a good thing. When you don’t have as much fuel on board, your body uses ‘the available fat stores in your body, which sounds great. But then the rest of the day, you're going to be relying on other sources of fuel.’ Whereas, if you do a high-intensity session, you’ll primarily burn carbs, depleting glycogen, meaning you’ll use body fat and fatty acid oxidation for the remainder of the day. ‘In both of those two scenarios, the amount of fat loss you achieve or fat mass gain you achieve is going to be dependent upon the net surplus or deficit, not what happened in those 30 minutes,’ explained Helms. In other words, the bigger picture is important – eg, diet and exercise frequency. ‘What he’s saying is backed by [long-term studies](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9674552), which have found no long-term fat loss benefit to doing cardio fasted, but for some people, fasted cardio still might be the better choice,’ said Jeremy. ‘It’s about doing what you’ll be more likely to stick to, and in our case, our joints were starting to take a beating from all our jogging.’ > > 'It’s about doing what you’ll be more likely to stick to' Adequately fuelling your body remains crucial – even if weight loss is your goal – which is why it’s always advisable to consult an expert for advice and guidance where possible. ## Kangoo jog (20 mins) ![kangoo boots](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) frantic00//Getty Images Kangoo boots in action And now for something completely different ‘\[Kangoo Jumps\] are banned in races. They look ridiculous. But supposedly, they reduce joint impact by 80% and burn 25% more calories than regular jogging. So could it be the best cardio for losing weight?,’ said Jeremy. Well, Jeremy and Dennis burnt around 315 and 235 calories respectively. ‘Although they definitely felt better on the knees, we ended up burning 10% fewer calories than regular jogging, which might be the weight of the boots \[which cost around £200\] limiting how fast we could run,’ said Jeremy ## Swimming (20 mins) ‘While the mask and drysuit limited our ability to properly swim, just a few minutes in, our heart rates were climbing,’ said Jeremy. ‘After 20 minutes of walking each other like dogs, we ended up burning way more calories than I expected: 276 calories for me, and 223 for Dennis.’ While your [swimming](https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/fitness/fat-loss/a60496853/calories-burned-swimming/) session would likely be more efficient than this thanks to the lack of a metabolic mask, it highlights how beneficial the workout is. ‘Unlike most exercises, swimming works nearly every major muscle group at once. More muscles working equals more calories burnt,’ said Jeremy. ‘Plus, water pulls heat away from your body faster than air does, so your body has to burn extra calories just to stay warm, especially in a cooler pool.’ ## Walking (30 mins) ![Play video](<data:image/svg+xml,\<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" fill="%23ffffff" viewBox="0 0 256 256"\>%0A%09\<path d="M240,128a15.74,15.74,0,0,1-7.6,13.51L88.32,229.65a16,16,0,0,1-16.2.3A15.86,15.86,0,0,1,64,216.13V39.87a15.86,15.86,0,0,1,8.12-13.82,16,16,0,0,1,16.2.3L232.4,114.49A15.74,15.74,0,0,1,240,128Z"\>%0A\</path\>\</svg\>>) ![Video poster](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vidthumb/d0acf6b5-56e3-4ff3-9322-06fa36b9861d/thumb_1920x1080.0000001.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Emily English: Walking Is the Best Exercise Everyone Keeps Ignoring Women's Health UK ![Playlist Back](<data:image/svg+xml,\<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" fill="%23ffffff" viewBox="0 0 256 256"\>%0A%09\<path 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9.46386 5.87364 9.56263 5.625 9.56263H1.875C1.62636 9.56263 1.3879 9.46386 1.21209 9.28805C1.03627 9.11223 0.9375 8.87377 0.9375 8.62513V4.87513C0.9375 4.62649 1.03627 4.38804 1.21209 4.21222C1.3879 4.03641 1.62636 3.93763 1.875 3.93763C2.12364 3.93763 2.3621 4.03641 2.53791 4.21222C2.71373 4.38804 2.8125 4.62649 2.8125 4.87513V6.49388L4.49062 4.95795C5.58508 3.86937 6.97748 3.12942 8.49209 2.83148C10.0067 2.53354 11.5756 2.69096 13.0008 3.28388C14.4261 3.87681 15.6437 4.87865 16.5001 6.16296C17.3564 7.44728 17.8131 8.9565 17.8125 10.5001Z" fill="white"/\>%0A\</svg\>%0A>) ![Playlist Forward](<data:image/svg+xml,\<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" fill="%23ffffff" viewBox="0 0 256 256"\>%0A%09\<path d="M208,40V216a8,8,0,0,1-16,0V146.77L72.43,221.55A15.95,15.95,0,0,1,48,208.12V47.88A15.95,15.95,0,0,1,72.43,34.45L192,109.23V40a8,8,0,0,1,16,0Z"\>\</path\>%0A\</svg\>>) LIVE ![Unmute](<data:image/svg+xml,\<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" 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d="M160,32.25V223.69a8.29,8.29,0,0,1-3.91,7.18,8,8,0,0,1-9-.56l-65.57-51A4,4,0,0,1,80,176.16V79.84a4,4,0,0,1,1.55-3.15l65.57-51a8,8,0,0,1,10,.16A8.27,8.27,0,0,1,160,32.25ZM60,80H32A16,16,0,0,0,16,96v64a16,16,0,0,0,16,16H60a4,4,0,0,0,4-4V84A4,4,0,0,0,60,80Zm126.77,20.84a8,8,0,0,0-.72,11.3,24,24,0,0,1,0,31.72,8,8,0,1,0,12,10.58,40,40,0,0,0,0-52.88A8,8,0,0,0,186.74,100.84Zm40.89-26.17a8,8,0,1,0-11.92,10.66,64,64,0,0,1,0,85.34,8,8,0,1,0,11.92,10.66,80,80,0,0,0,0-106.66Z"\>\</path\>%0A\</svg\>>) Current Time 0:00 Total Duration 1:33 ![Closed Captions](<data:image/svg+xml,\<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" fill="%23ffffff" viewBox="0 0 256 256"\>%0A%09\<path d="M224,48H32A16,16,0,0,0,16,64V192a16,16,0,0,0,16,16H224a16,16,0,0,0,16-16V64A16,16,0,0,0,224,48ZM116,162.64a40,40,0,1,1,0-69.28,8,8,0,1,1-8,13.85,24,24,0,1,0,0,41.58,8,8,0,0,1,8,13.85Zm80,0a40,40,0,1,1,0-69.28,8,8,0,1,1-8,13.85,24,24,0,1,0,0,41.58,8,8,0,0,1,8,13.85Z"\>\</path\>%0A\</svg\>>) - Captions Off ![Enter Fullscreen](<data:image/svg+xml,\<svg width="20" height="21" viewBox="0 0 20 21" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"\>%0A\<path d="M4.0415 7.79134H1.6665V1.83301H7.62484V4.20801H4.0415V7.79134ZM1.6665 12.5413H4.0415V16.1247H7.62484V18.4997H1.6665V12.5413ZM15.9582 4.20801H12.3748V1.83301H18.3332V7.79134H15.9582V4.20801ZM12.3748 18.4997V16.1247H15.9582V12.5413H18.3332V18.4997H12.3748Z" fill="white"/\>%0A\</svg\>%0A>)![Exit Fullscreen](<data:image/svg+xml,\<svg width="20" height="21" viewBox="0 0 20 21" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"\>%0A\<path d="M1.6665 5.73794H5.23794V2.1665H7.6189V8.1189H1.6665V5.73794ZM5.23794 15.2617H1.6665V12.8808H7.6189V18.8332H5.23794V15.2617ZM12.3808 2.1665H14.7617V5.73794H18.3332V8.1189H12.3808V2.1665ZM14.7617 15.2617V18.8332H12.3808V12.8808H18.3332V15.2617H14.7617Z" fill="white"/\>%0A\</svg\>%0A>) Watch: [Emily English: Walking Is the Best Exercise]() ✕ Arguably the most accessible exercise on this list, it was important to include [walking](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/a38065495/guide-to-jeffing/) in this experiment. ‘After 30 minutes at 3.2 miles per hour \[on the treadmill\], we both burnt almost 200 calories each,’ said Jeremy. ‘But the fat burn is where it gets interesting – 81% of the calories we burnt were from fat – the highest so far. Jogging had only 40% fat burn, and sprints were just 3%.’ Again, though, he flags that fat burn and fat loss are not the same. ‘Just like fasted cardio, what really matters is your total calorie burn,’ says Jeremy. ‘And while walking wasn’t the highest burner, it can quickly add up,’ he adds, highlighting a [study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28794207/) that found people who added 2.5 hours of extra walking per week (around 20 mins a day), experienced an extra 3.5 pounds of fat loss in 12 weeks. ## Incline walking (6%, 30 mins) One way you can increase the total calorie burn of your walk? Add an incline. ‘Compared to flat walking at the same speed, we both burnt about 50% more calories,’ says Jeremy. That’s a steep improvement. ## Walking with a [weighted vest](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/gear/g65460015/best-weighted-vest/) (30 mins) ‘We also tested walking with a 20-pound \[9kg\] backpack to see if it could be the best cardio for losing weight,’ says Jeremy. Also known as [rucking](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/cross-training/a69408523/rucking/), this exercise had different results for each individual. ‘For me, it only burnt 13% more than regular walking,’ says Jeremy. ‘But for Dennis, since 20 pounds is a bigger jump for his body weight, he burnt 30% more,’ he added, noting that the difference helps explain why people can plateau with fat loss. ‘As you lose fat, it’s like taking off a backpack full of the fat you’ve been carrying around all day. So you burn fewer calories, even if nothing else changes. So to keep fat loss moving, you’ll eventually have to eat a bit less, move a bit more – and ideally, lift weights to prevent muscle loss and keep your metabolism high,’ said Jeremy. ## StairMaster (20 mins) The pair also tested two activities classed as moderate intensity, starting with the [StairMaster](https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/fitness/a39595079/25-7-2-workout/) – a marmite gym machine for many. ‘After 20 minutes of watching our favourite shows, the machine said I burnt 223 calories, and Dennis burnt 190,’ said Jeremy. However, ‘cardio machines use generic algorithms to estimate calorie burn, and have been known to be off by up to 10-30%, which explains why, according to the mask, I actually burnt 256 calories and Dennis burnt 215.’ So, if you’re just going on your machine’s number, know that it’s likely conservative. ## Boxing (20 mins) ![Image no longer available](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) So you’re probably not going to be able to watch your favourite TV show while doing this activity – and if you don’t enjoy it, you might be better off returning to the StairMaster. ‘It felt brutal, but with all the rest between rounds, after 20 minutes, it became clear it wasn't the best cardio for losing weight; the calorie burn was actually about the same as the StairMaster – 270 for me, and 215 for Dennis,’ said Jeremy. For a visual ranking of all the activities, see the figures below ## Jeremy total calories burnt 1. Jogging (20 mins) – 350 kcal 2. Fasted jogging (20 mins) – 335 kcal 3. Kangoo jog (20 mins) – 320 kcal 4. Incline walking, 6% (30 mins) – 295 kcal 5. Swimming (20 mins) – 276 kcal 6. Boxing (20 mins) – 270 kcal 7. StairMaster (20 mins) – 256 kcal 8. Weighted walking, +20 lb (30 mins) – 225 kcal 9. Regular walking, 3.2 mph (30 mins) – 196 kcal 10. HIIT sprints (10 mins) – 178 kcal 11. Jump rope (10 mins) – 146 kcal 12. HIIT bodyweight (10 mins) – 136 kcal ## Dennis total calories burnt 1. Jogging (20 mins) – 260 kcal 2. Incline walking, 6% (30 mins) – 250 kcal 3. Fasted jogging (20 mins) – 250 kcal 4. Kangoo jog (20 mins) – 240 kcal 5. Weighted walking, +20 lb (30 mins) – 226 kcal 6. Swimming (20 mins) – 223 kcal 7. Boxing (20 mins) – 218 kcal 8. StairMaster (20 mins) – 215 kcal 9. Regular walking, 3.2 mph (30 mins) – 175 kcal 10. HIIT sprints (10 mins) – 148 kcal 11. HIIT bodyweight (10 mins) – 100 kcal 12. Jump rope (10 mins) – 69 kcal ## Jeremy – calories burnt per minute 1. HIIT sprints – 17.8 kcal/min 2. Jogging – 17.5 kcal/min 3. Fasted jogging – 16.75 kcal/min 4. Kangoo jog – 16 kcal/min 5. Jump rope – 14.6 kcal/min 6. Swimming – 13.8 kcal/min 7. HIIT bodyweight – 13.6 kcal/min 8. Boxing – 13.5 kcal/min 9. StairMaster – 12.8 kcal/min 10. Incline walking (6%) – 9.8 kcal/min 11. Weighted walking (+20 lb) – 7.5 kcal/min 12. Regular walking (3.2 mph) – 6.5 kcal/min ## Dennis – calories burnt per minute 1. HIIT sprints – 14.8 kcal/min 2. Jogging – 13 kcal/min 3. Fasted jogging – 12.5 kcal/min 4. Kangoo jog – 12 kcal/min 5. Swimming – 11.2 kcal/min 6. Boxing – 10.9 kcal/min 7. StairMaster – 10.8 kcal/min 8. HIIT bodyweight – 10 kcal/min 9. Incline walking (6%) – 8.3 kcal/min 10. Weighted walking (+20 lb) – 7.5 kcal/min 11. Jump rope – 6.9 kcal/min 12. Regular walking (3.2 mph) – 5.8 kcal/min ![youtube](https://www.runnersworld.com/_assets/design-tokens/fre/static/icons/social/youtube.ce3e1ae.svg?primary=currentColor&id=link-out-embed)[View full post on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz89dJTZsko) *** ## Try our marathon plans for free Fancy giving our marathon plans a try? 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Readable Markdown	Hard though it is to believe, some people don’t enjoy jogging. That’s why online fitness coach Jeremy Ethier conducted an experiment into which cardio exercises rival or beat jogging for fat burn. Jeremy was joined by his friend Dennis, who has a significantly lower fitness level than him. Fitness level impact fat burn – those with superior fitness are typically better able to convert stored fat into energy– so this experiment offers a useful insight into how the ‘best’ cardio exercises might differ depending on someone’s base fitness. Scroll for each of their rankings. ## How they tested Each activity was tested using a metabolic mask to measure calorie expenditure – considered the gold standard for such data collection outside a lab setting. It works by measuring the air you breathe in and out during exercise, tracking how much oxygen you use and carbon dioxide you produce to calculate your calorie burn, and whether those calories derive more from fat or carbohydrates. That’s markedly different to smartwatches or gym machines, which estimate calorie burn based on metrics such as heart rate, speed and body weight. Sex also affects fat-burn efficiency. In fact, [researchers from the University of Bath recently found](https://www.bath.ac.uk/announcements/the-fitter-you-are-the-better-you-burn-fat-new-research/) that biological sex and fitness levels are the biggest predictors of people’s ability to burn fat. They also found that fit women burnt fat more efficiently than men during endurance exercise – one of the reasons touted for women’s prowess over ultramarathon distances. So, while this experiment is still accurate, it’s worth noting that sex as well as fitness level can affect the results. ## The results ## Skipping (10 mins) ![Image no longer available](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) First up, that warm-up staple, [skipping](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/cross-training/a69623103/skipping-benefits-running/). ‘The jump rope workout we’re doing is considered HIIT: high-intensity interval training. You push hard, rest briefly, then repeat,’ said Jeremy in the video documenting the experiment. ‘This type of cardio exploded in popularity because of the so-called “afterburn” effect.’ He’s referring to your body’s ability to continue burning additional calories hours after your workout due to the exertion. Jeremy burnt 160 calories, with 28 extra ‘afterburn’ calories (measured 20 mins post-recovery) and Dennis burnt 69 calories, with 8 afterburn. ## HIIT (10 mins) On the topic of [HIIT](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/a773582/interval-training-how-it-works/), Jeremy and Dennis next tried a YouTube HIIT workout. ‘To boost the intensity without relying on coordination, we turned to one of the most popular YouTube HIIT workouts,’ says Jeremy. Jeremy burnt 136 calories, with 24 afterburn calories and Dennis burnt 100 and 16 respectively. However, Jeremy notes that for both skipping and HIIT, his [heart rate](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/a70389126/hrv-for-runners/) didn’t reach what is ‘high enough to classify as “actual” HIIT.’ ‘Which means we're gonna go more intense,’ he adds. ## Sprint interval training (10 mins) Which brings us to...fast [sprints](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/a63840420/sprint-training-distance-runners/). They did 10-15 seconds of all-out sprints, followed by 30-60 seconds of walking. ‘Some researchers claim that just one minute of all-out effort can give you the same benefits as 50 minutes of normal cardio.’ Jeremy burnt 178 calories, with 48 afterburn, and Dennis hit 148 and 27 calories respectively. ‘However, one thing I noticed about the data is that 97% of the calories I burnt were from carbs, and only 3% from fat. We’ll talk more about what this means when we compare it to walking later on,’ said Jeremy. ## Jogging (20 mins) Now onto the lower-intensity cardio workouts, beginning with the classic: jogging. ‘Even though our jog was twice as long as our sprint workout, I was not expecting the calorie burn to almost double as well, with me burning 350 calories and Dennis burning 260 calories,’ said Jeremy. ‘But when you look at our heart rate chart, it starts to make sense. Jogging keeps the heart rate consistently elevated in the high range, whereas HIIT only spikes it briefly during intense intervals.’ ## Fasted jogging (20 mins) ![jogging trainers](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) Emilija Manevska//Getty Images Fasted jogging burnt the same number of calories as regular jogging Noting a [study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27609363/) from the British Journal of Nutrition, which suggests that if you run first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, you burn twice the amount of fat compared with doing the exact same workout after eating, Jeremy explained that they wanted to test the effectiveness of [fasted cardio](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/health/a39712489/fasted-cardio/). Indeed, they ‘burnt about the same number of calories as our regular jog – but this time, a bigger chunk of those calories came from fat.’ He cites the work of top exercise science researcher Dr Eric Helms to explain: ‘When you don’t eat before a workout, your body doesn’t have as many carbs to use – so it turns to fat for energy instead.’ However, this isn’t always necessarily a good thing. When you don’t have as much fuel on board, your body uses ‘the available fat stores in your body, which sounds great. But then the rest of the day, you're going to be relying on other sources of fuel.’ Whereas, if you do a high-intensity session, you’ll primarily burn carbs, depleting glycogen, meaning you’ll use body fat and fatty acid oxidation for the remainder of the day. ‘In both of those two scenarios, the amount of fat loss you achieve or fat mass gain you achieve is going to be dependent upon the net surplus or deficit, not what happened in those 30 minutes,’ explained Helms. In other words, the bigger picture is important – eg, diet and exercise frequency. ‘What he’s saying is backed by [long-term studies](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9674552), which have found no long-term fat loss benefit to doing cardio fasted, but for some people, fasted cardio still might be the better choice,’ said Jeremy. ‘It’s about doing what you’ll be more likely to stick to, and in our case, our joints were starting to take a beating from all our jogging.’ > > 'It’s about doing what you’ll be more likely to stick to' Adequately fuelling your body remains crucial – even if weight loss is your goal – which is why it’s always advisable to consult an expert for advice and guidance where possible. ## Kangoo jog (20 mins) ![kangoo boots](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) frantic00//Getty Images Kangoo boots in action And now for something completely different ‘\[Kangoo Jumps\] are banned in races. They look ridiculous. But supposedly, they reduce joint impact by 80% and burn 25% more calories than regular jogging. So could it be the best cardio for losing weight?,’ said Jeremy. Well, Jeremy and Dennis burnt around 315 and 235 calories respectively. ‘Although they definitely felt better on the knees, we ended up burning 10% fewer calories than regular jogging, which might be the weight of the boots \[which cost around £200\] limiting how fast we could run,’ said Jeremy ## Swimming (20 mins) ‘While the mask and drysuit limited our ability to properly swim, just a few minutes in, our heart rates were climbing,’ said Jeremy. ‘After 20 minutes of walking each other like dogs, we ended up burning way more calories than I expected: 276 calories for me, and 223 for Dennis.’ While your [swimming](https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/fitness/fat-loss/a60496853/calories-burned-swimming/) session would likely be more efficient than this thanks to the lack of a metabolic mask, it highlights how beneficial the workout is. ‘Unlike most exercises, swimming works nearly every major muscle group at once. More muscles working equals more calories burnt,’ said Jeremy. ‘Plus, water pulls heat away from your body faster than air does, so your body has to burn extra calories just to stay warm, especially in a cooler pool.’ ## Walking (30 mins) ![Video poster](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vidthumb/d0acf6b5-56e3-4ff3-9322-06fa36b9861d/thumb_1920x1080.0000001.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Emily English: Walking Is the Best Exercise Everyone Keeps Ignoring Women's Health UK LIVE Current Time 0:00 Total Duration 1:33 Arguably the most accessible exercise on this list, it was important to include [walking](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/a38065495/guide-to-jeffing/) in this experiment. ‘After 30 minutes at 3.2 miles per hour \[on the treadmill\], we both burnt almost 200 calories each,’ said Jeremy. ‘But the fat burn is where it gets interesting – 81% of the calories we burnt were from fat – the highest so far. Jogging had only 40% fat burn, and sprints were just 3%.’ Again, though, he flags that fat burn and fat loss are not the same. ‘Just like fasted cardio, what really matters is your total calorie burn,’ says Jeremy. ‘And while walking wasn’t the highest burner, it can quickly add up,’ he adds, highlighting a [study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28794207/) that found people who added 2.5 hours of extra walking per week (around 20 mins a day), experienced an extra 3.5 pounds of fat loss in 12 weeks. ## Incline walking (6%, 30 mins) One way you can increase the total calorie burn of your walk? Add an incline. ‘Compared to flat walking at the same speed, we both burnt about 50% more calories,’ says Jeremy. That’s a steep improvement. ## Walking with a [weighted vest](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/gear/g65460015/best-weighted-vest/) (30 mins) ‘We also tested walking with a 20-pound \[9kg\] backpack to see if it could be the best cardio for losing weight,’ says Jeremy. Also known as [rucking](https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/cross-training/a69408523/rucking/), this exercise had different results for each individual. ‘For me, it only burnt 13% more than regular walking,’ says Jeremy. ‘But for Dennis, since 20 pounds is a bigger jump for his body weight, he burnt 30% more,’ he added, noting that the difference helps explain why people can plateau with fat loss. ‘As you lose fat, it’s like taking off a backpack full of the fat you’ve been carrying around all day. So you burn fewer calories, even if nothing else changes. So to keep fat loss moving, you’ll eventually have to eat a bit less, move a bit more – and ideally, lift weights to prevent muscle loss and keep your metabolism high,’ said Jeremy. ## StairMaster (20 mins) The pair also tested two activities classed as moderate intensity, starting with the [StairMaster](https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/fitness/a39595079/25-7-2-workout/) – a marmite gym machine for many. ‘After 20 minutes of watching our favourite shows, the machine said I burnt 223 calories, and Dennis burnt 190,’ said Jeremy. However, ‘cardio machines use generic algorithms to estimate calorie burn, and have been known to be off by up to 10-30%, which explains why, according to the mask, I actually burnt 256 calories and Dennis burnt 215.’ So, if you’re just going on your machine’s number, know that it’s likely conservative. ## Boxing (20 mins) ![Image no longer available](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20viewBox%3D'0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3Crect%20width%3D'100%25'%20height%3D'100%25'%20fill%3D'%23f3f3f3'%2F%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'none'%20stroke%3D'%23545454'%20stroke-linecap%3D'round'%20stroke-width%3D'18'%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D'512'%20cy%3D'310'%20r%3D'97'%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D'm444%20245%20132%20133'%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3Cg%20fill%3D'%23545454'%20font-family%3D'Arial%2CHelvetica%2Csans-serif'%20font-size%3D'98'%20font-weight%3D'600'%20text-anchor%3D'middle'%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'535'%3EIMAGE%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'643'%3EFAILED%3C%2Ftext%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D'514'%20y%3D'747'%3ETO%20LOAD%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) So you’re probably not going to be able to watch your favourite TV show while doing this activity – and if you don’t enjoy it, you might be better off returning to the StairMaster. ‘It felt brutal, but with all the rest between rounds, after 20 minutes, it became clear it wasn't the best cardio for losing weight; the calorie burn was actually about the same as the StairMaster – 270 for me, and 215 for Dennis,’ said Jeremy. For a visual ranking of all the activities, see the figures below ## Jeremy total calories burnt 1. Jogging (20 mins) – 350 kcal 2. Fasted jogging (20 mins) – 335 kcal 3. Kangoo jog (20 mins) – 320 kcal 4. Incline walking, 6% (30 mins) – 295 kcal 5. Swimming (20 mins) – 276 kcal 6. Boxing (20 mins) – 270 kcal 7. StairMaster (20 mins) – 256 kcal 8. Weighted walking, +20 lb (30 mins) – 225 kcal 9. Regular walking, 3.2 mph (30 mins) – 196 kcal 10. HIIT sprints (10 mins) – 178 kcal 11. Jump rope (10 mins) – 146 kcal 12. HIIT bodyweight (10 mins) – 136 kcal ## Dennis total calories burnt 1. Jogging (20 mins) – 260 kcal 2. Incline walking, 6% (30 mins) – 250 kcal 3. Fasted jogging (20 mins) – 250 kcal 4. Kangoo jog (20 mins) – 240 kcal 5. Weighted walking, +20 lb (30 mins) – 226 kcal 6. Swimming (20 mins) – 223 kcal 7. Boxing (20 mins) – 218 kcal 8. StairMaster (20 mins) – 215 kcal 9. Regular walking, 3.2 mph (30 mins) – 175 kcal 10. HIIT sprints (10 mins) – 148 kcal 11. HIIT bodyweight (10 mins) – 100 kcal 12. Jump rope (10 mins) – 69 kcal ## Jeremy – calories burnt per minute 1. HIIT sprints – 17.8 kcal/min 2. Jogging – 17.5 kcal/min 3. Fasted jogging – 16.75 kcal/min 4. Kangoo jog – 16 kcal/min 5. Jump rope – 14.6 kcal/min 6. Swimming – 13.8 kcal/min 7. HIIT bodyweight – 13.6 kcal/min 8. Boxing – 13.5 kcal/min 9. StairMaster – 12.8 kcal/min 10. Incline walking (6%) – 9.8 kcal/min 11. Weighted walking (+20 lb) – 7.5 kcal/min 12. Regular walking (3.2 mph) – 6.5 kcal/min ## Dennis – calories burnt per minute 1. HIIT sprints – 14.8 kcal/min 2. Jogging – 13 kcal/min 3. Fasted jogging – 12.5 kcal/min 4. Kangoo jog – 12 kcal/min 5. Swimming – 11.2 kcal/min 6. Boxing – 10.9 kcal/min 7. StairMaster – 10.8 kcal/min 8. HIIT bodyweight – 10 kcal/min 9. Incline walking (6%) – 8.3 kcal/min 10. Weighted walking (+20 lb) – 7.5 kcal/min 11. Jump rope – 6.9 kcal/min 12. Regular walking (3.2 mph) – 5.8 kcal/min *** ## Try our marathon plans for free Fancy giving our marathon plans a try? For a limited time only, we’re giving customers the chance to unlock 14 days of free access to our complete training plan library on the Runner’s World UK app. [UNLOCK ACCESS HERE](https://link.hearstmagazines.co.uk/join/7of/signup-runners-world-realrunnersmarathon-titlesite?hearst_refdomain=direct&hearst_utm=none)
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