Best Workout for Weight Loss: Honest Comparison

Everyone wants to know the single best workout for weight loss. Search online and you'll find a dozen contradictory answers - HIIT burns most fat, no wait it's running, actually strength training is best, swimming is superior...

Here's the truth: the best workout for weight loss is one you'll actually do consistently. Everything else is secondary.

That said, different workouts do burn different amounts of calories and affect your body in different ways. Let's break down the evidence honestly.

Calories Burned Per Hour (Comparison)

For a 70kg (11 stone) person, approximate calories burned per hour:

• Boxing (sparring/intense training): 700-900 calories
• Running (10km/h pace): 600-700 calories
• HIIT training: 500-700 calories (plus afterburn)
• Cycling (moderate-vigorous): 500-650 calories
• Swimming (moderate effort): 400-600 calories
• Rowing: 500-700 calories
• Strength training: 250-400 calories (but builds muscle)
• Walking (brisk): 250-350 calories

These numbers vary based on your weight, intensity, and individual metabolism. Heavier people burn more calories. Higher intensity burns more. But this gives you a useful comparison.

Breaking Down Each Workout

Running

Calories burned: 600-700/hour at moderate pace

Running is the classic weight loss workout. It's simple, requires minimal equipment, and burns serious calories.

• High calorie burn per hour
• Free (just need shoes)
• Can do anywhere
• Improves cardiovascular health
• Stress relief
• No learning curve

• High impact on joints (knees, hips, ankles)
• Injury risk if you push too hard too fast
• Can feel boring to some
• Weather dependent unless you have a treadmill
• Minimal muscle building

• Best for. People who enjoy being outdoors, have healthy joints, and like straightforward exercise.
• Weight loss verdict. Effective for calorie burning. The main issue is sustainability - many people start running for weight loss and quit within weeks because they find it boring or develop injuries.

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)

Calories burned: 500-700/hour plus 'afterburn'

HIIT involves short bursts of maximum effort followed by brief recovery periods. Formats vary wildly - from gym circuits to apps like 7-Minute Workout.

• Time-efficient (20-30 minute workouts deliver results)
• Elevated metabolism for hours after workout (EPOC/afterburn effect)
• Research suggests 25-30% more calories burned than steady-state cardio
• Builds some muscle alongside fat burning
• Huge variety of workouts available
• Can do at home or in gym

• Very demanding - requires genuine high intensity

• Not suitable for complete beginners (build base fitness first)
• Easy to do badly (resting too long, not pushing hard enough)
• Recovery needs are higher
• Risk of injury if form deteriorates during fatigue

• Best for. Time-poor people who can handle intensity. Those who get bored with steady-state cardio. Intermediate fitness levels and above.
• Weight loss verdict. Research consistently shows HIIT is highly effective for fat loss, particularly visceral fat (the dangerous fat around organs). The afterburn effect - where your metabolism stays elevated for hours after training - gives it an edge over steady cardio. But you have to actually work at high intensity, which many people don't.

Strength Training

Calories burned: 250-400/hour (but that's not the full picture)

Lifting weights burns fewer calories during the session than cardio. So why do experts consistently recommend it for weight loss?

• Builds muscle, which increases your basal metabolic rate
• 10 weeks of training can increase resting metabolism by 7% (research from PubMed)
• Prevents muscle loss during calorie deficit
• Changes body composition (smaller at same weight)
• Improves bone density
• Long-term fat loss benefits

• Lower immediate calorie burn than cardio
• Requires learning proper form
• Need equipment or gym access
• Progress can feel slow
• Less cardiovascular benefit

• Best for. Long-term fat loss. Anyone who wants to look toned rather than just smaller. People who want sustainable results.
• Weight loss verdict. Strength training alone burns fewer calories than cardio. But combined with cardio, it's arguably the most effective long-term approach. Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue. Building muscle means burning more calories 24/7, not just during workouts.

Swimming

Calories burned: 400-600/hour depending on stroke and intensity

Swimming offers full-body exercise with zero impact on joints.

• Zero impact (perfect for injuries, joint problems, or overweight individuals)
• Full-body workout
• Builds cardiovascular fitness
• Muscle toning across whole body
• Relaxing/meditative for some people
• Can swim at any age

• Requires pool access (cost/inconvenience)
• Swimming skill needed
• Hair/skin maintenance issues
• Chlorine exposure
• Less convenient than land-based exercise
• Lower calorie burn than running/HIIT at similar effort levels

• Best for. People with joint issues or injuries. Significantly overweight individuals starting fitness journeys. Those who genuinely enjoy swimming.
• Weight loss verdict. Effective if you're consistent. The zero-impact nature makes it sustainable for people who can't run or do high-impact training. The main barrier is pool access - if it's inconvenient, you won't go.

Cycling

Calories burned: 500-650/hour

Indoor or outdoor, cycling provides excellent cardio with lower impact than running.

• Lower impact than running

• Can be transport as well as exercise
• Indoor options (spin classes, stationary bikes)
• Good for all fitness levels
• Outdoor cycling is genuinely enjoyable
• Strong communities (clubs, group rides)

• Equipment cost (bike, helmet, gear)
• Weather dependent for outdoor
• Less upper body engagement
• Gym bikes can feel boring
• Requires some skill/balance for outdoor

• Best for. People who struggle with high-impact exercise. Commuters who can cycle to work. Those who enjoy spin classes.
• Weight loss verdict. Solid calorie burn with lower injury risk than running. Spin classes add the motivation of a group environment. Outdoor cycling is particularly effective because people actually enjoy it - and enjoyable exercise gets done consistently.

Boxing

Calories burned: 500-900/hour depending on intensity

Boxing training combines cardio, strength, and skill development in high-intensity sessions.

• Exceptional calorie burn (among the highest of any exercise)
• Full-body workout engaging core, legs, arms, shoulders
• Builds functional strength
• Stress relief (hitting things helps)
• Skill development keeps it interesting
• Community atmosphere at good gyms
• EPOC effect similar to HIIT
• Improves coordination and reflexes
• Self-defence skills as bonus

• Need coaching to learn proper technique
• Requires equipment (gloves, wraps) and gym access
• Can be intimidating for beginners
• Risk of injury during sparring (if you progress that far)
• Not suitable for certain health conditions

• Best for. People who find traditional cardio boring. Those wanting stress relief alongside fitness. Anyone interested in learning a skill while getting fit.
• Weight loss verdict. Boxing is one of the most effective workouts for calorie burning. A Harvard Medical School study found that a 70kg person can burn up to 800 calories in an hour of intense boxing training. But beyond raw numbers, boxing has an advantage: people stick with it. The skill development, stress relief, and community keep people coming back - and consistency trumps everything in weight loss.

We're a boxing gym, so we're biased. But the research supports boxing as an exceptional fat-burning workout. Try it yourself if you're curious.

Rowing

Calories burned: 500-700/hour

Rowing (on machines or water) provides full-body cardio with minimal joint stress.

• Engages 86% of your muscles
• Low impact
• Excellent calorie burn
• Builds upper and lower body simultaneously
• Good for all fitness levels
• Can be meditative

• Rowing machines can be boring
• Requires proper technique to avoid back injury
• Water rowing needs expensive equipment/club access
• Less convenient than running or cycling

• Best for. People wanting low-impact full-body exercise. Those who find treadmills boring but enjoy rowing machines.
• Weight loss verdict. Excellent calorie burn with low injury risk. The full-body engagement is genuinely effective. Main issue is access and whether you actually enjoy it.

So What's Actually Best?

Here's the honest answer: the workout you'll do consistently for months and years is best.

Someone who runs three times a week for a year will lose more weight than someone who does "optimal" HIIT for two weeks then quits.

That said, research suggests the most effective approach combines:

1. Regular cardio (3-4 times per week) - running, cycling, boxing, swimming, whatever you'll actually do
2. Strength training (2-3 times per week) - builds muscle, increases resting metabolism
3. Calorie control - you can't outrun a bad diet

The Diet Factor

No workout can overcome a poor diet. You can burn 500 calories in a boxing session, then consume 800 calories in a post-workout meal without trying.

Weight loss is fundamentally about calorie deficit - consuming fewer calories than you burn. Exercise helps create that deficit and has numerous health benefits, but it's not magic.

Rough guidelines:

• 3,500 calories = approximately 1 pound of fat
• 500 calorie daily deficit = 1 pound per week
• Sustainable loss is typically 0.5-1kg per week

Exercise makes the deficit easier to achieve and maintain. It also improves body composition, energy, mood, and health markers beyond just weight.

Practical Recommendations

If you're a complete beginner:

Start with walking. Seriously. 30 minutes of brisk walking daily burns meaningful calories with near-zero injury risk. Add other exercise as fitness improves.

If you're moderately fit:

Combine cardio you enjoy (running, cycling, swimming, boxing) with basic strength training. Two to three sessions of each per week delivers results.

If you're time-poor:

HIIT or boxing. Twenty to thirty minutes of high-intensity work beats an hour of half-hearted cardio. Boxing classes typically run 45-60 minutes and provide HIIT-level intensity.

If you get bored easily:

Choose something with skill development - boxing, martial arts, dance, climbing. The learning curve keeps it interesting. Group classes also help.

If you have joint issues:

Swimming, rowing, or cycling. Low impact doesn't mean low calorie burn.

Why We Recommend Boxing

We run a boxing gym, so obviously we're going to recommend boxing. But here's our honest reasoning:

1. Calorie burn is exceptional - 500-900 calories per hour is among the highest of any exercise
2. People stick with it - the skill development and community mean members stay for years, not weeks
3. It's genuinely fun - hitting pads releases stress in a way running can't
4. Full-body workout - you're building strength alongside cardio
5. Suitable for all levels - beginners start with basics and progress naturally
6. No experience needed - everyone starts somewhere

If you're in South East London and want to try boxing for weight loss, book a free trial with us. No experience necessary, and you'll burn more calories than you expect.

The Bottom Line

Stop searching for the perfect workout. Pick something you might enjoy, try it for a month, and see how you feel. If you hate it, try something else.

Consistency beats optimisation every time. The best workout for weight loss is one you'll actually do - three times a week, for months, without dreading it.