We all know that the secret to a leaner, athletic silhouette figure is diet and exercise. The food you eat and the type of exercise you choose to take part in both have a dramatic effect on how you look… and feel.

In this guide we’ll break down the very best cardio workouts for fat loss, looking at exactly why they’re so effective. That way you’ve got more than enough weaponry in your fat fighting arsenal to make a real difference.

So strap in, take your pre workout and let’s get lean together girl…

Get Fit to Fight Fat

The key to a good fat loss plan is to monitor calorie intake and blast through an energy-burning workout in the gym.

It’s your diet that provides the nutrients needed to optimize health. It also forms the basis of an energy deficit too – the golden chalice of fat loss. But it’s exercise that builds toned muscle, creates shape where you want it and increase your fitness levels.

Using this two-pronged approach gives you every chance possible of ditching the excess fat, tightening those abs and building a body as next-level as your confidence.

Don’t forget to control those calories

Just before we start to look at the best cardio workouts for fat loss, let’s talk calories.

You could have the toughest fat melting program in the world right in front of you – but if you’re not focusing on your diet as well, you’ll ruin your results.

Your body stores excess calories from food as triglycerides in your fat cells. It sits there, content, ready to be used when ready.

The spark is a calorie deficit. This is where you take in fewer calories from food each day than you burn off through day-to-day activities and exercise.

It’s impossible to break into those fat cells and use that stored fat without a trigger from a deficit. If you’re unsure how to work out your energy needs, check out this easy-to-use calorie calculator.

So, if you’re working hard in the gym and not seeing the results you deserve, check your calorie intake. This might be what’s holding you back.

Key Point: A good weight loss or fat fighting plan combines a healthy, calorie-controlled diet with a challenging workout plan.

#1. High-Intensity Cardio

Let’s kick off this fat burning mission with the most time-efficient workout ever created… high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

As a fitness-focused calorie burner, HIIT involves short periods of high-intensity exercise followed by short periods of recovery. It’s horribly tough, but extremely effective.

There are hundreds of different HIIT workout programs to follow. Even subtle changes to the length of an interval or how active your recovery periods are can completely transform the way it feels. So you’ll never get bored.

Why is HIIT one of the best cardio workout for fat loss approaches?

According to scientific research, high-intensity cardio improves body composition by:

• Increased calorie burn and energy expenditure
• Enhancing fat oxidation (break down of fat for fuel)
• Improves insulin sensitivity
• Decreases appetite compared to traditional cardio
• Help your body adapt and get used to lower body fat levels

Key Point: HIIT workouts use periods of high-intensity cardio work followed by short, intermittent recovery bouts to boost fitness, fat burning and resilience.

#2. Steady State Aerobic Exercise

Back in the day, it was moderate-intensity cardio, cardio, cardio that was the weapon of choice for women to lose fat. Strength training wasn’t even an option.

Gyms were jam-packed full of girls running, rowing and cycling to get leaner led to the term ‘gym bunnies’. The problem wasn’t cardio itself was ineffective… it was more that cardio was all these women were doing.

Now here’s the thing. Steady-state cardio – often called low-intensity steady state or LISS – is great for fat loss, especially when combines with other styles of training such as weightlifting and circuits. And while some trainers suggest that cardio isn’t time-efficient, it still provides a relatively stress free way of burning calories.

The key thing about LISS is that it shouldn’t be too taxing. If you’d rather work hard and blast your body with high-intensity work, you’d be better off just cracking on with some HIIT work instead.

LISS should be performed at an intensity of 60-75% of your maximum heart rate.

If you’ve got a heart rate monitor this is easy to work out. But if you haven’t, just go for an intensity that’s hard enough to make you sweat and go a little pink in the face, but something you could maintain for a good 30 minutes or more minutes (60-90 is perfect if you have time).

Why is steady-state one of the best cardio workout for fat loss approaches?

Working out doesn’t always have to be brutal; burning calories is all about being clever. LISS is low impact. That means it’s less stressful on your body than other approaches and if anything, quite fun (okay, maybe not fun, but certainly less intense!).

• Burns more calories and enhances energy expenditure
• Has a high adherence rate. It’s easy to perform and stick to
• Less likely to burn out or overtrain – can be used as active recovery
• Doesn’t mess with your recovery as much as other more intense cardio methods
• Blasts your body with feel good hormones
• Suits beginners and is less intimidating than some types of cardio
• When used alongside HIIT (on separate days), provides a powerful fat blasting program

Key Point: Moderate-intensity cardio might not be the most time-efficient fat loss workout, but it’s low stress and helps with recovery as well as weight loss.

#3. High-Intensity Resistance Training (HIRT)

HIRT training combines fast-paced cardio with weight training to provide the metabolic blast of an atom bomb. When it comes to methods that get you lean but also build shape and tone, this is a clear winner.

As a system designed to give you the best results in the shortest time possible, HIRT isn’t for the faint-hearted. It’s one of the best cardio workouts for fat loss approaches out there… and tests everything from your fitness to your resilience.

In fact, as cardio goes this is hands down the toughest workout you’ll ever try. It goes without saying you’ll need a good base of fitness before you try it.

How do you structure a high-intensity resistance workout?

HIRT is a flexible workout plan that allows you to pick and choose which exercises you use. However, there are a few general rules that you should follow when organizing your workout.

• Pick an overall workout duration – 2-3 blocks of 10 minute works well.
• Choose your lifts – multi-muscle exercises such as squats, presses and pulls are brilliant HIRT exercises. Choose between 4-8 lifts in total.
• Decide on your rep range – most choose to go between 6-15 reps

The idea is to go from one exercise to the next in a circuit fashion until the 10 minute timer goes off. Then and only then can you rest. Work at your own pace and use strategy to get through the full mini-workout.

Once you’ve had a 3-5-minute rest, start your second circuit and follow a similar approach.

Sample workout (10 minutes):

1. Goblet squats
2. Push ups
3. Bent over row
4. Kettlebell swing

Why is HIRT one of the best cardio workout for fat loss approaches?

Because you’re hitting your cardio-respiratory and muscular systems in one workout, the benefits are broad and hard-hitting.

• Seriously ramps up energy expenditure and fat oxidation
• Improves maximal fitness levels and sports performance
• Builds toned muscle which in turn increases your metabolism
• Versatile and allows you to target specific muscles of your choice.

Key Point: If you’ve got a good foundation of fitness, HIRT is the most powerful combination of cardio and strength training you could ever imagine.

Looking for more ideas for training and diet? Check out these SMG articles…

• Girls Who Lift – Bigger Butt Workout
• The Hack Squat – Your Ultimate Guide
• A Guide to Finding the Best Pre-Workout for Women

Diet is a great way to get the show started, but the right cardio for female bodybuilders is essential to give you that extra edge on the stage. The problem is, there are so many different ideas on how to lose weight, without losing muscle. Knowing where to start is the first issue.

Don’t worry girl, we got you. We’ve broken down the facts behind fat loss for bodybuilders, and created a handy guide on exactly what cardio you need to be doing and why. Read on for that competition-winning shred.

Article preview:

• Do female bodybuilders need cardio?
• HIIT it – does it work?
• HIIT for body builders
• Should you try LISS?
• Is running OK?
• Supplementation

Do female bodybuilders need cardio?

You’ve built muscle and girl, you’re looking pretty damn good. You’re serving booty, you’re toned and you’re the envy of every other girl in the weights room. Do you really need cardio?

It depends on what you want and what you’re trying to achieve in the gym. If you’re building muscle then don’t go anywhere near that treadmill. You need to be in a calorie surplus to grow your physique and cardio could end up burning more than you eat. Definitely keep your cardio to a minimum if bulking season is in full swing.

However, if you’re shredding down for that competition-ready, super-defined physique, cardio can really help achieve that next level sculpted look.

You might have your diet nailed and your higher muscle density makes burning through fat a breeze. However, if you’re gonna hit the big leagues, you’ll need to give yourself an edge. That’s cardio.

We’re not saying get on the treadmill and stay there. Far from it. If you train smart, you can achieve stage-ready perfection, without losing your gains.

HIIT it – does it work?

Erm, hell yeah it works.

The well-known and commonly used HIIT training is a hardcore, fat-blasting, muscle-defining form of cardio for body builders.

This is all about power. Whether you’re doing an interval sprint session or a legs day finisher, this type of workout is designed to get your body working to its maximum – we’re no stranger to that girls.

By working at such a powerful rate for short periods, you’re actually telling your body you need strength, so you can maintain the muscles you’ve created in the weights room.

What’s more, a lung-bursting HIIT session can take place really quickly. The maximum amount of time you should be spending on your interval training should be around 20 minutes. So you can smash out a fat-burning workout and be home in no time.

The highly intense nature of a HIIT workout means that rather than turning to carbs for an energy source, your body actually begins to use the excess fat around your body. You heard us right – it focusses right in on the fat.

If you’re not already a HIIT convert, you’re about to be. Not only does it burn up to 30% more calories than your less intense resistance training, it also raises your metabolic rate and keeps it raised for up to 24 hours after you’ve finished working out. That means you’re still burning through fat for a day afterward.

HIIT for bodybuilders

HIIT also has a smart edge that we know you weight lifting ladies will love. With some clever training techniques you can get rid of fat, and maintain your muscle at the same time – if not help them grow.

A study looked into the female participants taking part in a 12-week HIIT training plan. After completing 20 minutes of high-intensity interval training three times a week, the women lost on average 2% bodyfat and gained almost two pounds of muscle.

As a bodybuilder, including weights in your HIIT workout alongside bodyweight movements will add an extra, muscle-building element to your session. We’re not talking crazy heavy, just a little extra resistance will give your body more to work with.

Should you try LISS?

This is the more chilled out little sister to our well-known HIIT. LISS is an acronym for Low-Intensity Steady State cardio.

Where HIIT is short, sharp and intense, LISS is longer, slower and a tiny bit more boring. For years LISS has been used as a fat burner as it puts your heart rate right in the fat burning zone for prolonged periods of time.

It’s often said that it will help you melt away fat, without breaking down your hard-earned muscle. However, research shows this might not be the case.

The same study showed that women who took part in steady-state exercise only lost 0.3% body fat and lost an average of a pound of muscle too. By spending a long time in an aerobic state, your body begins to adapt to this type of training, reducing your muscle gains slightly.

It’s definitely not the most effective way for a body builder to trim down on fat.

Is running OK?

We’ve all seen them. They spend hours on the treadmill, dripping with sweat pounding out a long-ass workout – runners. Where do they find the time or motivation?! Don’t worry girl, we know that’s not you.

You’re a strong boss girl, who knows that the key to a head-turning beach-bod and killer curves is in the weights room, not on the treadmill.

Spending hours on the running machine does the exact opposite of maintenance. Carrying a lot of muscle can actually add a lot of strain to your joints when you’re running and can break down the muscle you’ve painstakingly crafted onto your body. Just as your body adapts to lifting weights by becoming stronger, it adapts to running by shedding those muscles in favor of a more lightweight, runners frame.

Girl, we don’t need that. It’s a hard no from us.

No matter how much a runner tells you it’s a great idea to hit the long runs to burn fat, remember the hours you put in for those gains girl. The most we recommend you do at SMG is a sprints. They’re short, sharp, and require power so you don’t have to worry about muscle loss.

Supplementation

If you’re looking to take your physique prowess to the next level, your body needs all the help it can get to push it to the max. That’s where careful supplementation comes in.

Your body gets the most fat-burning benefits out of a HIIT workout by pushing itself to the absolute max. That means you need the right chemical balances in your body for an explosive session. A pre-workout designed to help you fulfil your full potential will maximize the effort you put in.

To complement that, a fat-burner will take your efforts in the cardio workout to the next level.

With some smart cardio training for body builders and the right supplementation, your body will be perfectly primed for optimum fat burning.

Shredded perfection is just a few workout alterations away girls. Introduce a few HIIT workouts into your weekly routine and you can say goodbye to excess fat and hello to beautifully sculpted muscle definition.

Discover more fitness information in our collection of handy articles:  

• Best Fat Burning Exercises for Women
• Normal Testosterone Levels in Women
• What is Post Exercise Fatigue Syndrome?

Shaping a slimmer, athletic, more toned version of you all comes down to planning. There’s a war going on between the energy coming into your body from food, and the energy you burn off through physical activity and exercise.

There can only be one winner.

Choosing cardio machines that give you the most bang-for-your-buck is your secret weapon for winning the daily battle that’ll result in a sexy hourglass shape.

These are the machines you need in your life…

Weight Loss – Calories, Cardio and Curves

There’s only one way to lose weight and burn fat. You have to take in less calories each day than you use day-to-day.

Calories are a measure of energy.

And energy obeys the laws of thermodynamics, meaning it can’t be created or destroyed, only transferred.

So when you eat that salad, bagel burger or fries, your body transfers the energy inside the food into your body. It then uses that energy for various bodily functions, much like a car uses fuel.

Calorie intake and macronutrients

Energy from food comes in the form of macronutrients. These are specific sources of energy that not only have unique chemical formulas, but different roles in the body too.

• Carbohydrates – you get 4 kcal for every gram you eat
• Fat – you get 9 kcal for every gram you eat
• Protein – you get 4 kcal for every gram you eat

Although nutrients like vitamins and minerals help you use the energy in macronutrients, ‘macros’ are the ONLY source of calories the human body needs or uses.

Vitamins and minerals themselves don’t contain calories.

Energy expenditure – burning off energy to maintain balance

Once energy from food enters your body, it goes to work. It’s used in various ways to keep your body functioning effectively.

You use those calories in the following ways:

• Basal metabolic rate (BMR) – these are the calories needed for essential, basic functions such as respiration, brain function, muscle maintenance and regulation of heart rate.
• Non-exercise activities – above and beyond your BMR, every time you fidget, move, stand or walk, you need energy. It’s not structured physical activity, just movement.
• Exercise – structured exercise such as weight lifting or cardio exercise requires a high level of energy.
• Digestion and absorption – known as the ‘thermal effect of food’, every time you eat you need to break down the component parts of food, digest it using mechanical and chemical processes, and then finally absorb it. This takes energy too.

Energy balance is the key to weight loss

Imagine a seesaw.

On one end is the calories coming into your body through macro-nutrition. On the other side is the energy being burned off through BMR, exercise etc.

What happens to your fat mass is dictated by which side of the scale wins.

• If the calories coming in is more than going out = weight gain
• When calories in equals calories out = weight maintenance
• But if calories in is less than that being burned off = weight loss

Cardio Machines That Burn The Most Calories

One of the best tools you have available to push energy balance in your favor is cardio.

Not only is it great for boosting your mood, elevating fitness levels and building your confidence, it’s also a hell of a calorie burner too.

The problem is that when you walk into the gym you just don’t know which equipment is best for burning the most calories. All you see is row after row of machines.

If you feel overwhelmed and not sure how best to spend your time (and effort), this is what you need to know…

Cardio machines that burn the most fat

Before we break down the specifics, it’s worth noting that all cardio machines burn calories. They’re all useful in the war against fat, and because enjoyment is a big factor for successful weight loss, you should always try to pick cardio machines that you actually enjoy using.

Variety is also important. Mixing up machines each week help to keep things interesting.

It also reduces the possibility of overuse injuries.

And last of all, the energy you burn on cardio machines all comes down to intensity. If you work to your maximum on one machine, but moderate or light on another, you’ll always burn the most calories on the first.

Research on cardio machines shows a big difference in calorie burning

A science paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association wanted to find out this very question.

The scientists involved asked a group of volunteers to work out at the same relative intensity on a range of commercial cardio machines.

• Bike
• Skiing ergometer
• Rower
• Stepper
• Treadmill
• Airdyne (a bike with moving handles)

Collecting energy expenditure data using gas analysis, the volunteers performed 3 stages of 5-minutes on each cardio machine.

The amount of calories burned on each machine varied by a huge amount – 261 kcal.

That’s over a period of only 5 minutes too! Imagine the difference over 30 or 60 minutes.

The treadmill was found to burn the most calories, with the ski and rowing machines coming in right behind it.

Both the bike and Airdyne came in last. They still burned calories, just not the most.

More muscle means more calories

Another interesting research project showed that you burn around 5 kcal for every liter of oxygen consumed during intense cardio exercise.

And with muscle needing oxygen for fuel, the more muscles activated during a cardio machine workout, the more total energy is expended.

This is probably why the bikes were less effective than the treadmill or rower.

Estimated calorie burn on cardio machines isn’t accurate

One thing you need to take into account when counting calories is that energy expenditure is relative. You can’t really just rely on machines to tell you how many calories you’ve burned as they’re pretty inaccurate.

Most cardio machines are pre-set by the manufacturer to to track the energy expenditure of a 180 lb, 30-year old man.

Your actual energy count is based around not only gender, but things like body mass and age too.

So if you’re a 140 lb 40 year old woman for example, your numbers will be way different.

Summary – Cardio Machines That Burn the Most Calories

Successful weight loss all comes down to balancing energy coming into your body with what you burn off.

Cardio machines not only boost your fitness, but help ramp up energy expenditure too. That way, you can literally run your way to fat loss by burning most calories.

According to research, when intensity is kept the same, the treadmill comes out on top, with ski and rowing machines not far behind it. And while we suggest mixing up your training with variety, these should be the focal point of your training if you’re after fast weight loss.