What are the best exercises to burn off the kilos? Damien Kelly steps us through his selection of fat-burning workout moves.
If you're carrying a few extra kilos and need to get moving to lose them, we'll show you the top kilojoule burners to kick-start your exercise regime . The only thing you need is the motivation to open the front door.
What the numbers mean:The kilojoule totals we've given for all the activities reflect the amount of kilojoules per kilogram of body weight that a 60-kilogram woman will burn in 30 minutes. These figures are a guide only - different people will get different results.
The faster you swim, the better your fat-burning results will be. High-intensity intervals work well with swimming. Do a 50m hard sprint and then rest for 30 to 60 seconds, or swim 50m slowly as your recovery. If you're a good swimmer with a smooth, effortless technique you'll unfortunately need to push extra hard for the same results. But if you're like me, finishing the pool length at any pace will burn plenty of kilojoules.
25 metres per minute = 660kJ / 30 mins
50 metres per minute = 1260kJ / 30 mins
Getting out for a weekend bushwalk is as good for the soul as it is for the body. Once again, for optimal fat burning, intensity and duration are important. If you choose a route that is rough and includes plenty of hills you'll be burning kilojoules fast. Add a backpack to your shoulders and you'll accelerate your results. Just make sure you maintain good posture throughout your hike so that you don't injure your back. And remember to take a map and tell someone where you're going.
0kg load = 840 kJ / 30 mins
5kg load = 1020 kJ / 30 mins
10kg load = 1080 kJ / 30 mins
15kg load = 1320 kJ / 30 mins
It's no surprise that running is high on the fat-burning scale. It's upright, it uses big muscles and involves impact, all of which are essential for effective fat burning. Not surprisingly, the faster you run, the better your results will be. High-intensity interval training is the most effective. This involves repeats of short sprints (10 to 30 seconds) interspersed by short rests (20 to 60 seconds). Do one to four sets of between six to 10 reps.
8km/h = 1020 kJ / 30 mins
10km/h = 1260 kJ / 30 mins
13km/h = 1680 kJ / 30 mins
16km/h = 1920 kJ / 30 mins
Most of us don't participate in team sport to lose weight, but it's a nice bonus. The higher intensity the sport, the greater its fat-burning effectiveness. Sports that involve multiple short, sharp sprints are best and the duration of the game is important too. Intense training sessions will have the same effect. The figures below are an estimate; if you push really hard in a game you'll undoubtedly do even better.
Soccer = 1080 kJ / 30 mins
Squash = 1140 kJ / 30 mins
Tennis = 900 kJ / 30 mins
Volleyball = 660 kJ / 30 mins
Basketball = 1200 kJ / 30 mins
I love the versatility of skipping. You can do it pretty much anywhere and it's the perfect cardio burst for a strength circuit. You can do it while travelling - a rope won't take up much bag space - or you can do it in your lounge room when the weather is bad. Skipping is your no-excuse fitness tool that is super-effective.
Fast skipping = 1560 kJ / 30 mins
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