Burning fat equates to burning calories. For every 3,500 calories you burn more than the number you take in, you lose 1 lb. of body fat. While even sitting around burns calories, you need extra activity to hit your target calorie burn and get the weight off. The Mayo Clinic recommends aiming for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. This can mean working out in the gym, but it also includes moderate to vigorous activities like hiking or playing with your kids.
Cycling
Harvard Health Publications ranks vigorous stationary cycling as one of the best calorie burners in the gym, at 315 to 466 calories in 1/2 hour of effort, depending on your body weight. Bicycling outside burns roughly the same number of calories if you maintain speeds between 14 and 15.9 miles per hour. Expect to put in between four and six hours of cycling to burn 3,500 calories.
Martial Arts
According to Harvard Health Publications, doing martial arts can burn anywhere between 300 and 444 calories in 1/2 hour. You can burn off a pound of fat in four to six hours of learning how to defend yourself, developing mental discipline or training for a competition.
Swimming Laps
Swimming laps doesn't just burn calories, it's also a common exercise for rehabilitating injuries because the water's buoyancy reduces stress on your joints. According to the Mayo Clinic, 1/2 hour of swimming laps will burn between 255 and 381 calories. This translates to burning 1 lb. of fat for every 4-1/2 to seven hours of lap swimming.
Hiking and Backpacking
Even if you're not walking at top speed, covering irregular terrain and climbing hills can turn hiking and backpacking into a moderately vigorous pursuit. The Mayo Clinic lists hiking and backpacking as burning anywhere from 219 to 382 calories in 1/2 hour. You could burn 3,500 calories in as little as 4-1/2 to eight hours of hiking.
Rope Jumping
Rope jumping is a popular form of exercise if you're dealing with limited space or a severely restricted budget. You can buy a jump rope for less than $20, and all you need is enough space to stand and swing the rope. According to Harvard Heart Publications, you can burn 300 to 444 calories in 1/2 hour of rope jumping, which translates to 1 lb. of fat for every four to six hours you spend jumping rope.
Play
According to Harvard Heart Publications, 30 minutes of vigorous playtime with your children will burn between 150 and 222 calories. Combining fun and family time with weight loss can burn off 1 lb. of fat in as few as eight hours.
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