All cardio burns calories. Different modes burn very different amounts per hour — and have very different effects on joints, appetite and time efficiency.
This used to be a back-of-the-envelope job. Now it is one tap, but the logic has not changed. All cardio burns calories. Different modes burn very different amounts per hour — and have very different effects on joints, appetite and time efficiency.
Running 8 km/h: ~600. Cycling 25 km/h: ~600. Rowing moderate: ~500. Swimming freestyle: ~600. Walking 5 km/h: ~250.
HIIT sessions burn fewer calories during but more after (EPOC). Net advantage: small but real.
Rowing — full-body, high calorie, low joint impact. Best per-hour ROI for most people.
Long endurance sessions can spike hunger. Strength + short cardio combo controls appetite better for fat loss.
What's the best cardio for fat loss? The one you'll do consistently. Adherence beats optimisation.
Does fasted cardio burn more fat? Marginally. Total calories still rules over multi-week timelines.
The math is the easy part. Acting on what it tells you is where the real win lives.