Okay, so here's the deal. This summer my pool is closed, I used to go there normally at least 3 times a week for excercise and maybe run during the other 4 days. But now that my pool is temporarily closing for the summer I am wondering what excercise 'burns' the most fat?

My brother always told me swimming is the best excercise, because it gives your whole body a work out. Is that true?
What do you think is the best excercise for losing weight?

All I have been doing is running about a mile a day (it was a faster speed than jogging most of the time) whilst using a new 'abgymnic' fitness belt I got on a fatblaster mode, I was told it really helps but I have been running for about a week and have yet to see results. I have basically cut out on all the crap, also have done situps and pressups to 'tone up' a bit..

Am I doing anything wrong? If you have a few more suggestions as to what I should do go ahead and tell me

Oh, and may I add I dont want to turn into Mr Muscle. All I want is to be thin, and drop the weight. I used to be active and quite thin but I havent really been as active as I used to be.

So to add on my question what is the best excercise to LOSE weight

Any exercise is good as long as it keeps you heart rate up in the right register.

If you do some reading around on the forum you will soon realise that the best way of losing fat is by combining resistance and cardio exercises. Of course, this assumes that your diet is also in check.

I would recommend doing a full body workout 3 timers per week. You dont necessarily need a gym membership or even fancy equipment. A barbell and weights will be more than enough.

Focus your energy on compound exercises which include squats, deadliftfs, pushups, pull/chinups, bent over rows, military press plus many others.

Do about 4-6 each workout and mix them up each session.

On the off days, you may wish to do some cardio exercise. For this i would recommend HIIT (there is a sticky thread somewhere) which is not only time efficient but also focuses on using fat for energy rather than depleting muscle.

Keep in mind the weights training wont necessarily turn you into Mr. Muscle but will create muscle which directly aids in burning up fat., giving you that "toned" look

Thanks a lot for your reply, unfortunatley I sold my weights a while ago, maybe I can get access from a friend but anyway. I wanted to ask you if not using weights is ok for losing is effiecently? I have been jogging twice a day doing about 30 minutes non-stop. Not eating any crap at all, so I think I can lose a lot, do you think its an effecient way to lose weight by combining 'cardio' and diet as it where?

You can definitely lose weight no doubt about it. It's all about calories in and calories out.

However, if you stick solely to cardio then you will also lose muscle as well as fat. You want to retain as much muscle as possible as it drastically aids in further fat loss.

I would still recommend you do some sort of resistance training. You dont even need equipment.....use your own body weight and get creative if need be i.e. use heavy backpacks etc....

Squats, pushups, pull/chinups and their variations are all great exercises that don't necessarily require any weights or equipment.

With your cardio, if you are running for 30 mins at a constant pace, try mixing it up a little by jogging, fast jogging, sprinting and even walking some sections. It is much more effective than keeping a constant pace. There is heaps of information on this type of interval training on the forum.

I agree completely. Weight training while cutting fat is essential. You have to give your body a reason to burn fat, and not muscle. If you are only running all the time, your body has no reason to keep that metabolically expensive muscle on your frame, and will be inclined to break it down for energy. Get yourself access to some weights or get creative with what you have, but make it happen!

Well aside from the stuff people gave you, I think the best cardio exercise would be either running, biking, or rowing. All three works pretty much a lot of your body (i.e. lungs, legs, arms, etc) so you're pretty much working your whole body and it's easier to get your heart rate up and do HIIT.

Good grief. Somebody needs to say that more often. That makes sense to a dumbo like me!

OK, I'm sold! I will lift with my heart a lil bit verses just my head.
FF'd

i'd like to think that the best exercise would be different for every single person - the best exercise is something that you have constant access to and something that you like doing (if you're into swimming and live near a lake; if you're a woodsman that likes chopping firewood, etc.) - as long as you are doing something that gets the ol' ticker pumping, go ahead. if you want you want your regimen to be more effective, well, that's where the experts come in - and this forum is abundant of that ^_^