Exercise helps burn calories. In addition, it can improve mood, strengthen bones, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Choosing an exercise regimen that suits your preferences and consistently sticking to it can yield physical and mental benefits in the long term and help you attain your desired weight faster.
Table of contents
9 Fastest Weight Loss Exercises
1. Running
Running is one of the best exercises for weight loss because it burns a lot of calories in a short time. When you run, your body works hard, increasing your heart rate and metabolism. This helps your body burn fat even after you stop running.
Another great benefit of running is that it engages multiple muscle groups, especially your legs, core, and arms. The more muscles you use, the more energy your body needs, leading to faster fat loss. Running also improves endurance, making your body more efficient at burning calories over time.
For the best weight loss results , try mixing steady-state running with sprint intervals. Running at a steady pace burns calories, while short bursts of sprinting increase your metabolism, helping you lose weight even faster.
2. Skipping (Jump Rope)
Skipping, or jump rope, is an excellent exercise for quick weight loss because it burns a high number of calories per minute. A 10-minute skipping session can burn as many calories as a 30-minute jog, making it an efficient workout. It also helps improve coordination and agility.
This exercise engages your whole body, including your legs, arms, and core, making it a great fat-burning workout . The constant jumping increases your heart rate, which boosts your metabolism and helps burn fat even after your workout is over.
To lose weight faster, try different jump rope techniques, such as double unders or high knees. You can also add interval training by skipping fast for 30 seconds, then resting for 10 seconds, and repeating the cycle.
3. Mountain Climbing (Mountain Climbers)
Mountain climbers are a powerful full-body workout that burns fat quickly. This exercise combines cardio and strength training, helping you shed pounds while toning your muscles. Since it’s a high-intensity movement, it keeps your heart rate up and your metabolism high.
The movement of bringing your knees toward your chest engages your core, arms, and legs, making it an effective way to burn calories . The continuous motion helps improve endurance and speed up fat loss.
For the best results, perform mountain climbers at high speed for 30–60 seconds, rest for 15 seconds, and repeat. This method keeps your body in fat-burning mode, helping you lose weight quickly .
4. Walking
Walking may seem simple, but it is a great way to lose weight , especially for beginners. It is a low-impact exercise that burns calories without putting too much strain on your joints. Walking also improves circulation and boosts your metabolism, helping you burn fat efficiently.
The key to making walking effective for weight loss is to increase intensity. Brisk walking or walking on an incline burns more calories than casual walking. Adding short bursts of faster walking or light jogging can also speed up fat burning.
To maximize results, aim for at least 30–60 minutes of brisk walking daily. Walking after meals can also improve digestion and help with fat loss by keeping your metabolism active.
5. Squat Jumps
Squat jumps are an explosive exercise that helps burn fat fast while strengthening your legs and glutes. This movement combines strength and cardio, making it a highly effective calorie-burning workout . The powerful jumping motion increases your heart rate and keeps your metabolism high.
Since squat jumps use your lower body muscles, they help build lean muscle while shedding fat. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even when you’re resting. This makes squat jumps a great exercise for long-term weight loss .
To see results quickly, do squat jumps in sets of 10–15 reps, with short rest periods in between. You can also add them to a high-intensity workout routine to maximize fat burning.
6. Burpees
Burpees are one of the best full-body exercises for weight loss because they combine cardio and strength training. This high-intensity movement burns a lot of calories in a short time while improving endurance and strength.
Each burpee engages your arms, chest, legs, and core, making it a complete workout. The explosive movement increases your heart rate and metabolism , helping your body burn fat long after your workout ends.
For maximum fat loss, try doing burpees in intervals—30 seconds of burpees followed by 10 seconds of rest. Doing multiple sets will help you lose weight faster and improve overall fitness.
7. Swimming
Swimming is a full-body workout that burns a lot of calories while being easy on the joints. Since water provides resistance, every movement works your muscles harder, helping you burn fat and build strength at the same time.
This exercise is especially great for people with joint pain or injuries because it provides an intense workout without the impact of running or jumping. Different strokes like freestyle, butterfly, and backstroke help target different muscle groups, making swimming an effective way to lose weight.
To maximize fat loss, swim for at least 30–45 minutes, mixing different strokes and intensities. Interval swimming—alternating between fast and slow laps— can help burn even more calories .
8. Strength Training
Strength training helps with weight loss by building lean muscle, which increases your metabolism. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn throughout the day, even when you’re not exercising.
Lifting weights or using resistance bands helps tone your body while burning fat. Unlike cardio, which mainly burns calories during exercise, strength training helps you burn calories long after your workout due to the "afterburn effect."
For the best results, combine compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and push-ups with lighter isolation exercises. Training at least 3–4 times a week will help speed up fat loss while building a strong, toned body.
9. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT is one of the fastest ways to burn fat because it combines short bursts of intense exercise with brief rest periods. This workout style keeps your heart rate high, which helps your body burn more calories in less time.
Exercises like jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers, and sprinting are commonly used in HIIT workouts. The intense effort followed by short rest periods creates the "afterburn effect," meaning your body continues to burn calories even after your workout is done.
To maximize weight loss, do HIIT workouts for 20–30 minutes, three to four times a week. Since it’s highly effective, you don’t need long sessions to see results—just consistency and intensity.
Conclusion
These nine exercises are some of the fastest ways to lose weight because they burn a high number of calories, increase metabolism, and engage multiple muscle groups. Whether you prefer running, swimming, or strength training, consistency is key to seeing results.
For the best fat loss results, combine these exercises with a healthy diet and proper hydration. Remember to listen to your body and adjust workouts based on your fitness level.
Start incorporating these exercises into your routine, and you’ll see noticeable changes in your weight and overall fitness in no time!