Which Are The Best Cardio Exercises For Weight Loss?

In order to lose weight, you must force your body to draw on stored fat for energy by burning more calories than you consume. To lose weight at a rate of 1 lb. per week, you'll need to burn 500 calories more than you take in each day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Regular aerobic exercise can help you achieve this calorie deficit. Choose high-intensity aerobic workouts to burn the most calories.

Running

Running outdoors or on a treadmill provides a high-intensity, high-impact workout that burns calories efficiently. In one hour, a 200 lb. person can burn 728 calories by running at 5 mph or 1,229 calories by running at 8 mph, according to estimates published at MayoClinic.com. Burn more calories by running faster or on a steeper incline. If you can't sustain high speeds, add short sprints or intervals to your running workout.

Rollerblading

Rollerblading, also known as inline skating, provides an aerobic workout with impressive calorie-burning power. Rollerblading also provides a lower-impact alternative to running. A 200 lb. adult can burn 1,138 calories in one hour of rollerblading, according to MayoClinic.com. Wear a helmet and protective padding when rollerblading.

Competitive Sports

Competitive sports provide effective calorie-burning aerobic workouts. Choose sports that require consistent movement that keeps your heart rate elevated. An hour of playing basketball, football or singles tennis can burn 728 calories for a 200 lb. adult, about the same number of calories burned by a one-hour run at 5 mph, according to MayoClinic.com.

Stair Treadmill

Most gyms have stair treadmills, cardio exercise machines that simulate the motion of climbing flights of stairs. A one-hour workout on a stair treadmill can burn 819 calories for a 200 lb. person, according to MayoClinic.com. Boost the calorie-burning power of your stair treadmill workout by climbing against higher resistance or selecting a challenging preset workout mode, such as intervals.

Swimming

Swimming provides a nonimpact workout that targets muscles in your legs, arms, abdominals, chest and shoulders. In one hour of swimming laps, a 200 lb. person can burn 637 calories. The butterfly stroke burns calories the fastest, at a rate of about 150 calories per 10 minutes, according to the Daily Mail. The freestyle burns about 100 calories per 10 minutes, the backstroke burns about 80 calories per 10 minutes and the breaststroke burns about 60 calories per 10 minutes.