The best fat-burning activities you can do WITHOUT hitting the gym

A good cardio session goes a long way toward blasting unwanted fat, but it's not always appealing to hit the gym after a hard day at work.

If you find you relax more into exercise when you're in your own environment or outside with a friend, that doesn't mean you need to compromise on calorie-burning.

There are many different styles of exercise that can benefit your body without you ever having to step inside a gym.

Check out these activities… they'll burn more calories than you might think,

Running
It's no surprise that running is a great way to melt fat, as it exercises the legs, core and bum, all of which are huge calorie burners. Jogging outdoors on undulating terrain works your muscles far more than running on a treadmill, so get out and get active.

Skipping
Root your old jumping rope out of the attic and give this a go – it's a boxing training staple that burns around 340 calories in 30 minutes. Keep your feet slightly apart, stand up straight and ensure your jumps are low to the ground.

Dancing
Ok, slow-waltzing around your living room won't burn off much fat, but up the tempo and you'll get your lungs pumping soon enough. Choose a playlist of songs that's as long as an average workout, say 30 minutes, and get dancing. Slow things down at the end for a cool off.

Brisk walking
Walking burns around half as many calories as running, but get a brisk pace going (enough that you can't keep up a conversation) and you'll feel the results. Aim for short, quick steps and you should burn around 170 cals in 30 minutes.

Swimming
If you hate the gym but don't mind hitting the pool, then swimming should be your exercise of choice. Half an hour of front crawl burns around 250 – 300 calories, plus it's a low impact, total body workout. Win.