Lose weight? The best exercises according to Harvard studies

Trying to lose weight? If the answer is yes, you should concentrate on two elements: diet and exercise. We won't get into nutrition, but here's what Harvard University says are the best exercises to get in shape.

Besides the weight loss, Harvard points out that doing these exercises regularly will also boost your mood, improve your ability to fight off infection and lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and colon cancer. What else has so many benefits?

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It takes burning around 3,500 calories to burn a pound of fat, and no matter how hard you work out in a short period of time, weight loss should be sustainable for it to be meaningful. So, Harvard also advises to incorporate these activities into your overall lifestyle and easing into the workouts so they don't turn you off before you can learn to crave them.

Whether you practice outdoors or go to a spin class, cycling is one of the sports that burns the most fat. As an added bonus, it strengthens leg and glute muscles too.

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It depends on how hard you ride, but an intense bike session can burn 600 calories per hour.

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Running is a classic cardio activity that can also burn 600 calories per hour of exercise. Not only does it improves endurance and cardiovascular health, but also activates seven different muscle groups, including glutes and core.

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Running is a classic cardio activity that can also burn 600 calories per hour of exercise. Not only does it improves endurance and cardiovascular health, but also activates seven different muscle groups, including the glutes and core.
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One of the advantages of swimming is that it works all your body's muscles, from your legs to your arms and shoulders. It also burns calories like few other activities: as many as 900 in an hour.

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Besides helping you lose weight, swimming also can help significantly improve your endurance and strength. Given that there's no impact, it's a great sport for any age.

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Besides relieving stress through catharsis, boxing is a complete sport that is great for losing weight. In an intense session, people can burn up to 800 calories in a single hour.

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This sport is one of the few on the list that trains coordination, reflexes, endurance and strength. As an added bonus, it also serves to teach you some self-defense, just in case.

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This fitness craze is a fat-burning machine. Depending on the workout intensity, you can burn up to 800 calories in a one-hour session.

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Another advantage of CrossFit is the ability to work multiple muscle groups simultaneously. And once the session is over, your body will continue to burn calories. Get fit and feel the burn with this group activity.
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Rowing may not be the trendiest exercise, but it can help you burn between 400 and 600 calories per hour. That's right, with the very rowing machine that hardly anyone ever uses in the gym.

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If you row with the correct posture, you'll be working a lot of different muscle groups... from your chest to shoulders, arms, core and legs.

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HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training, which means you go as hard as you can, take a rest, and repeat. These workouts are highly effective and push you to your limit.

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These are explosive circuits that enhance endurance and generate the so-called afterburn effect, which uses the body's energy reserves even at rest. In one hour though, a HIIT session can burn up to 500 calories.

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Never underestimate the power of a leisurely walk. Walks are a gentle and enjoyable way to get exercise and get around. You can burn as many as 450 calories in an hour of hiking.

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If you add a backpack to your walk, you can burn another 100 calories in the same hour. If it weighs a lot, up to 200 calories. But make sure to adjust the backpack properly and evenly distribute the weight to avoid injuries.

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If you think lifting weights is only good for getting jacked, you are sorely mistaken. There are exercises such as squats or pull-ups that work several muscle groups at the same time and help burn calories.

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These weight-training exercises enhance strength and build muscle mass. This, in turn, boosts the basal metabolic rate, causing your body to burn more energy, even when it is at rest.

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To lose weight, trainers say you should jump rope at least 600 times. You'll know it's working once you start sweating as if you were in the sauna.

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If you can jump around 70 times per minute, you'll reach 600 jumps in eight minutes. Keep that up for an hour, if you can, and you'll burn around 750 calories!

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