by Thomas Mayne

Created on: July 21, 2009   Last Updated: January 13, 2010

Burning more calories than you consume is the only truly effective method of effecting noticeable and sustainable weight loss.

The best way to burn the most calories is through exercise, but what sorts of exercise are the most effective?

The answer to this pressing question is entirely dependant on your goals and current fitness levels. Instead of focusing on calorie numbers I'm going to investigate the best way to maximise your workouts so that whatever activity you undertake will be more effective in achieving your goals.

Ideally depending on your fitness levels you want to be exercising 3-5 times a week. This is the ideal level of strain to place your body under if you are unused to strenuous physical activity and helps to prevent fatigue and risk of injury. More serious gym-goers can push this up to 6 days a week, or have multiple workouts in a day (say weights in the morning and cardio at night) but an individual should work up to this sort of level slowly and try to avoid burning out by jumping in at the deep end.

Now to the different activities:

Weight Training: This is effective for building muscle and serves to burn calories at the same time (though less than a full cardio session). Do not discount the weights section of your gym however because of this however as lean muscle serves to increase your metabolism so that you burn more calories simply sitting around during the day. To maximise calorie consumption, aim to complete 3 sets of 10 repetitions per exercise with a minimal rest of between 30-90 seconds between sets. A good weights workout will include between 5-8 different exercises.

Cardio: this is the bread and butter of burning calories, and there are a number of options one can approach this with depending on fitness levels and time constraints or even simply personal preference.

Running: simple, easy, and a good calorie burn. This is usually the staple of any cardio session whether on the treadmill or simply jogging outside. Ensure you have adequate footwear however to minimise the chances of impact injuries.

Cross Trainer: like running but with no impact on the joints, again you can get a decent burn with the right resistance level and workout plan.

Cycling: whether a machine or in the great outdoors provides a good burn and tones your legs simultaneously. Generally have to exercise longer however to burn as many calories as when running.

Rowing Machine: Not for the faint of heart, this will provide both a strong cardio workout and a toning effect

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