{"id":779188,"date":"2026-02-21T10:44:17","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T10:44:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/779188\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T10:44:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T10:44:17","slug":"12-cardio-exercises-ranked-for-fat-burn-tested-with-the-worlds-most-accurate-calorie-tracker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/779188\/","title":{"rendered":"12 cardio exercises ranked for fat burn \u2013 tested with the world\u2019s most accurate calorie tracker"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hard though it is to believe, some people don\u2019t enjoy jogging. That\u2019s why online fitness coach Jeremy Ethier conducted an experiment into which cardio exercises rival or beat jogging for fat burn.<\/p>\n

Jeremy was joined by his friend Dennis, who has a significantly lower fitness level than him. Fitness level impact fat burn \u2013 those with superior fitness are typically better able to convert stored fat into energy\u2013 so this experiment offers a useful insight into how the \u2018best\u2019 cardio exercises might differ depending on someone\u2019s base fitness. Scroll for each of their rankings.<\/p>\n

How they tested<\/strong><\/p>\n

Each activity was tested using a metabolic mask to measure calorie expenditure \u2013 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\u2019s markedly different to smartwatches or gym machines, which estimate calorie burn based on metrics such as heart rate, speed and body weight.<\/p>\n

Sex also affects fat-burn efficiency. In fact, researchers from the University of Bath recently found<\/a> that biological sex and fitness levels are the biggest predictors of people\u2019s ability to burn fat. They also found that fit women burnt fat more efficiently than men during endurance exercise \u2013 one of the reasons touted for women\u2019s prowess over ultramarathon distances.<\/p>\n

So, while this experiment is still accurate, it\u2019s worth noting that sex as well as fitness level can affect the results.<\/p>\n

The results<\/strong>Skipping (10 mins)<\/strong>\"Image<\/p>\n

First up, that warm-up staple, skipping<\/a>. \u2018The jump rope workout we\u2019re doing is considered HIIT: high-intensity interval training. You push hard, rest briefly, then repeat,\u2019 said Jeremy in the video documenting the experiment. \u2018This type of cardio exploded in popularity because of the so-called \u201cafterburn\u201d effect.\u2019 He\u2019s referring to your body\u2019s ability to continue burning additional calories hours after your workout due to the exertion.<\/p>\n

Jeremy burnt 160 calories, with 28 extra \u2018afterburn\u2019 calories (measured 20 mins post-recovery) and Dennis burnt 69 calories, with 8 afterburn. <\/p>\n

HIIT (10 mins)<\/strong><\/p>\n

On the topic of HIIT<\/a>, Jeremy and Dennis next tried a YouTube HIIT workout. \u2018To boost the intensity without relying on coordination, we turned to one of the most popular YouTube HIIT workouts,\u2019 says Jeremy. <\/p>\n

Jeremy burnt 136 calories, with 24 afterburn calories and Dennis burnt 100 and 16 respectively. <\/p>\n

However, Jeremy notes that for both skipping and HIIT, his heart rate <\/a>didn\u2019t reach what is \u2018high enough to classify as \u201cactual\u201d HIIT.\u2019
<\/p>\n

\u2018Which means we’re gonna go more intense,\u2019 he adds.<\/p>\n

Sprint interval training (10 mins)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Which brings us to…fast sprints<\/a>. They did 10-15 seconds of all-out sprints, followed by 30-60 seconds of walking. \u2018Some researchers claim that just one minute of all-out effort can give you the same benefits as 50 minutes of normal cardio.\u2019<\/p>\n

Jeremy burnt 178 calories, with 48 afterburn, and Dennis hit 148 and 27 calories respectively. <\/p>\n

\u2018However, one thing I noticed about the data is that 97% of the calories I burnt were from carbs, and only 3% from fat. We\u2019ll talk more about what this means when we compare it to walking later on,\u2019 said Jeremy. <\/p>\n

Jogging (20 mins) <\/strong><\/p>\n

Now onto the lower-intensity cardio workouts, beginning with the classic: jogging. <\/p>\n

\u2018Even 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,\u2019 said Jeremy. \u2018But 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.\u2019<\/p>\n

Fasted jogging (20 mins) <\/strong>\"joggingEmilija Manevska\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Fasted jogging burnt the same number of calories as regular jogging<\/p>\n

Noting a study<\/a> 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<\/a>. Indeed, they \u2018burnt about the same number of calories as our regular jog \u2013 but this time, a bigger chunk of those calories came from fat.\u2019
<\/p>\n

He cites the work of top exercise science researcher Dr Eric Helms to explain: \u2018When you don\u2019t eat before a workout, your body doesn\u2019t have as many carbs to use \u2013 so it turns to fat for energy instead.\u2019 However, this isn\u2019t always necessarily a good thing. When you don\u2019t have as much fuel on board, your body uses \u2018the 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.\u2019 Whereas, if you do a high-intensity session, you\u2019ll primarily burn carbs, depleting glycogen, meaning you\u2019ll use body fat and fatty acid oxidation for the remainder of the day. <\/p>\n

\u2018In 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,\u2019 explained Helms. In other words, the bigger picture is important \u2013 eg, diet and exercise frequency.<\/p>\n

\u2018What he\u2019s saying is backed by long-term studies<\/a>, 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,\u2019 said Jeremy. \u2018It\u2019s about doing what you\u2019ll be more likely to stick to, and in our case, our joints were starting to take a beating from all our jogging.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n

‘It\u2019s about doing what you\u2019ll be more likely to stick to’<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Adequately fuelling your body remains crucial \u2013 even if weight loss is your goal \u2013 which is why it\u2019s always advisable to consult an expert for advice and guidance where possible. <\/p>\n

Kangoo jog (20 mins)<\/strong>\"kangoofrantic00\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Kangoo boots in action<\/p>\n

And now for something completely different \u2018[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?,\u2019 said Jeremy. Well, Jeremy and Dennis burnt around 315 and 235 calories respectively.
<\/p>\n

\u2018Although 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 \u00a3200] limiting how fast we could run,\u2019 said Jeremy <\/p>\n

Swimming (20 mins)<\/strong> <\/p>\n

\u2018While the mask and drysuit limited our ability to properly swim, just a few minutes in, our heart rates were climbing,\u2019 said Jeremy. \u2018After 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.\u2019<\/p>\n

While your swimming<\/a> session would likely be more efficient than this thanks to the lack of a metabolic mask, it highlights how beneficial the workout is. \u2018Unlike most exercises, swimming works nearly every major muscle group at once. More muscles working equals more calories burnt,\u2019 said Jeremy. \u2018Plus, 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.\u2019<\/p>\n

Walking (30 mins) <\/strong><\/p>\n

Arguably the most accessible exercise on this list, it was important to include walking<\/a> in this experiment. \u2018After 30 minutes at 3.2 miles per hour [on the treadmill], we both burnt almost 200 calories each,\u2019 said Jeremy. \u2018But the fat burn is where it gets interesting \u2013 81% of the calories we burnt were from fat \u2013 the highest so far. Jogging had only 40% fat burn, and sprints were just 3%.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Again, though, he flags that fat burn and fat loss are not the same. \u2018Just like fasted cardio, what really matters is your total calorie burn,\u2019 says Jeremy. \u2018And while walking wasn\u2019t the highest burner, it can quickly add up,\u2019 he adds, highlighting a study<\/a> 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. <\/p>\n

Incline walking (6%, 30 mins)<\/strong><\/p>\n

One way you can increase the total calorie burn of your walk? Add an incline. \u2018Compared to flat walking at the same speed, we both burnt about 50% more calories,\u2019 says Jeremy. That\u2019s a steep improvement. <\/p>\n

\u2018We also tested walking with a 20-pound [9kg] backpack to see if it could be the best cardio for losing weight,\u2019 says Jeremy. Also known as rucking<\/a>, this exercise had different results for each individual.<\/p>\n

\u2018For me, it only burnt 13% more than regular walking,\u2019 says Jeremy. \u2018But for Dennis, since 20 pounds is a bigger jump for his body weight, he burnt 30% more,\u2019 he added, noting that the difference helps explain why people can plateau with fat loss.<\/p>\n

\u2018As you lose fat, it\u2019s like taking off a backpack full of the fat you\u2019ve been carrying around all day. So you burn fewer calories, even if nothing else changes. So to keep fat loss moving, you\u2019ll eventually have to eat a bit less, move a bit more \u2013 and ideally, lift weights to prevent muscle loss and keep your metabolism high,\u2019 said Jeremy. <\/p>\n

StairMaster (20 mins)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The pair also tested two activities classed as moderate intensity, starting with the StairMaster<\/a> \u2013 a marmite gym machine for many. \u2018After 20 minutes of watching our favourite shows, the machine said I burnt 223 calories, and Dennis burnt 190,\u2019 said Jeremy. However, \u2018cardio 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.\u2019 <\/p>\n

So, if you\u2019re just going on your machine\u2019s number, know that it\u2019s likely conservative.<\/p>\n

Boxing (20 mins)<\/strong>\"Image<\/p>\n

So you\u2019re probably not going to be able to watch your favourite TV show while doing this activity \u2013 and if you don\u2019t enjoy it, you might be better off returning to the StairMaster. \u2018It 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 \u2013 270 for me, and 215 for Dennis,\u2019 said Jeremy.<\/p>\n

For a visual ranking of all the activities, see the figures below<\/p>\n

Jeremy total calories burnt<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Jogging (20 mins) \u2013 350 kcal
    <\/li>\n
  2. Fasted jogging (20 mins) \u2013 335 kcal
    <\/li>\n
  3. Kangoo jog (20 mins) \u2013 320 kcal
    <\/li>\n
  4. Incline walking, 6% (30 mins) \u2013 295 kcal
    <\/li>\n
  5. Swimming (20 mins) \u2013 276 kcal
    <\/li>\n
  6. Boxing (20 mins) \u2013 270 kcal
    <\/li>\n
  7. StairMaster (20 mins) \u2013 256 kcal
    <\/li>\n
  8. Weighted walking, +20 lb (30 mins) \u2013 225 kcal
    <\/li>\n
  9. Regular walking, 3.2 mph (30 mins) \u2013 196 kcal
    <\/li>\n
  10. HIIT sprints (10 mins) \u2013 178 kcal
    <\/li>\n
  11. Jump rope (10 mins) \u2013 146 kcal
    <\/li>\n
  12. HIIT bodyweight (10 mins) \u2013 136 kcal
    <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Dennis total calories burnt<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Jogging (20 mins) \u2013 260 kcal
      <\/li>\n
    2. Incline walking, 6% (30 mins) \u2013 250 kcal
      <\/li>\n
    3. Fasted jogging (20 mins) \u2013 250 kcal
      <\/li>\n
    4. Kangoo jog (20 mins) \u2013 240 kcal
      <\/li>\n
    5. Weighted walking, +20 lb (30 mins) \u2013 226 kcal
      <\/li>\n
    6. Swimming (20 mins) \u2013 223 kcal
      <\/li>\n
    7. Boxing (20 mins) \u2013 218 kcal
      <\/li>\n
    8. StairMaster (20 mins) \u2013 215 kcal
      <\/li>\n
    9. Regular walking, 3.2 mph (30 mins) \u2013 175 kcal
      <\/li>\n
    10. HIIT sprints (10 mins) \u2013 148 kcal
      <\/li>\n
    11. HIIT bodyweight (10 mins) \u2013 100 kcal
      <\/li>\n
    12. Jump rope (10 mins) \u2013 69 kcal<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Jeremy \u2013 calories burnt per minute<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. HIIT sprints \u2013 17.8 kcal\/min
        <\/li>\n
      2. Jogging \u2013 17.5 kcal\/min
        <\/li>\n
      3. Fasted jogging \u2013 16.75 kcal\/min
        <\/li>\n
      4. Kangoo jog \u2013 16 kcal\/min
        <\/li>\n
      5. Jump rope \u2013 14.6 kcal\/min
        <\/li>\n
      6. Swimming \u2013 13.8 kcal\/min
        <\/li>\n
      7. HIIT bodyweight \u2013 13.6 kcal\/min
        <\/li>\n
      8. Boxing \u2013 13.5 kcal\/min
        <\/li>\n
      9. StairMaster \u2013 12.8 kcal\/min
        <\/li>\n
      10. Incline walking (6%) \u2013 9.8 kcal\/min
        <\/li>\n
      11. Weighted walking (+20 lb) \u2013 7.5 kcal\/min
        <\/li>\n
      12. Regular walking (3.2 mph) \u2013 6.5 kcal\/min
        <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Dennis \u2013 calories burnt per minute<\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. HIIT sprints \u2013 14.8 kcal\/min
          <\/li>\n
        2. Jogging \u2013 13 kcal\/min
          <\/li>\n
        3. Fasted jogging \u2013 12.5 kcal\/min
          <\/li>\n
        4. Kangoo jog \u2013 12 kcal\/min
          <\/li>\n
        5. Swimming \u2013 11.2 kcal\/min
          <\/li>\n
        6. Boxing \u2013 10.9 kcal\/min
          <\/li>\n
        7. StairMaster \u2013 10.8 kcal\/min
          <\/li>\n
        8. HIIT bodyweight \u2013 10 kcal\/min
          <\/li>\n
        9. Incline walking (6%) \u2013 8.3 kcal\/min
          <\/li>\n
        10. Weighted walking (+20 lb) \u2013 7.5 kcal\/min
          <\/li>\n
        11. Jump rope \u2013 6.9 kcal\/min
          <\/li>\n
        12. Regular walking (3.2 mph) \u2013 5.8 kcal\/min <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Try our marathon plans for free<\/p>\n

          Fancy giving our marathon plans a try? For a limited time only, we\u2019re giving customers the chance to unlock 14 days of free access to our complete training plan library on the Runner\u2019s World UK app.<\/p>\n

          UNLOCK ACCESS HERE<\/a><\/p>\n

          Related Story<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hard though it is to believe, some people don\u2019t enjoy jogging. That\u2019s why online fitness coach Jeremy Ethier…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":779189,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[4322],"tags":[2083,227281,1331,1630,105,1330,227280,218183,16,15],"class_list":["post-779188","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-content-type-default","tag-contentid-1608ef3b-ad52-46e4-b650-0f4d26dbcd24","tag-displaytype-standard-article","tag-fitness","tag-health","tag-locale-gb","tag-shorttitle-12-cardio-exercises-ranked-for-fat-burn","tag-subsection-motivation","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/779188","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=779188"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/779188\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/779189"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=779188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=779188"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=779188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}