Burning fat can be accomplished through high-intensity interval training or low-intensity cardio workouts. HIIT includes fast-paced circuit training and frequent bursts of exertion, while low-intensity exercise includes activities such as brisk walking. The key advantage to HIIT, of course, is time. You may burn the same amount of fat running a mile or walking a mile, but your running workout will be done faster, and the metabolic boost you give your body will last longer after a run than a walk. But if you're just starting out with a fat-burning workout or you're recovering from an injury, a low-intensity cardio workout might be just right for you.
Circuit Training
If you have access to free weights, a resistance training workout that exercises all of the major muscle groups without a lot of rest between exercises can burn fat and build muscle. Try the following workout, resting for 60 seconds between each set and then repeating the circuit twice for a total of three sets for all exercises. This workout should be done three days a week, with at least one day of rest between days of exercise. Perform the following exercises using a weight that maxes you out for the last couple of repetitions: five repetitions of clean and press with a barbell; eight to 10 reps of mixed-grip pullups; five reps of flood press with barbell; six to eight reps of one-arm dumbbell rows; 50 reps of medicine ball situps; 50 reps of Swiss ball back extensions; 10 reps of walking lunges; 10 reps of medicine ball mountain climbers; 10 reps of medicine ball close-grip pushups; 20 reps of prisoner squats; five reps of hanging leg raises; 50 reps of jumping rope.
Running
During your off days, try running to help burn fat and boost your cardiorespiratory fitness level. Running also helps increase your metabolic rate so you burn calories more efficiently for a longer period of time after you stop exercising. Try running for 20 to 30 minutes with your heart rate at 65 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. You can estimate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age in years form 220. Be sure to rest a day between your running days.
Boxing Workout
There's a wide range of boxing-related workouts, but this one, shared by British Olympic middleweight champion James DeGale, will burn fat and make you stronger in the process. Start with five sets of "blind clap punches," which are essentially six lightning-fast combinations of punches on the heavy bag at the gym. Then move onto three sets of 90-second obstacle drills. Make three rows of three items each on the floor and then move quickly in and around the items on your toes, like a boxer. After that, try six sets of 30-second jump rope sessions, followed by three sets of 20 bar rotations. That's when you take a barbell or similar object and place it behind your neck and along your shoulders and bounce like a boxer before stopping, and rotating your upper body so one end of the barbell is pointing toward the ground and then rotating again so the other end points down. Follow that with three one-minute fistless shadow boxing rounds and two sets of 10 repetitions of one-arm medicine ball presses. Have someone stand over you with a medicine ball while you're on the floor or a bench. Press the ball up while it's still in your partner's hands and he's offering some resistance. To finish, do two sets of 10 lunges with each leg and two sets of one-minute bench jumping combinations.
Considerations
No matter what fat-burning workout you choose, be sure to help your efforts by eating a nutritious diet that is low in saturated fat and sugar, and high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean protein sources. And when you are ready to exercise, perform a light warmup and gentle stretching before your workout and similar stretches after you've finished to keep your muscles in good shape to keep on exercising week after week.
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