Top ways to burn calories
1. Metabolic Resistance tied with Strength Training - check out my blog www.absolutleyhardcoreblogspot.com for metabolic training routines
2. High intensity Anaerobic Interval Training
3. High Intensity Aerobic Training ie Running
4. Low Intensity Aerobic Training ie Walking
Anaerobic Vs Aerobic These are the two pathways that your body derives it's energy from. Aerobic is any activity >2min. An Anaerobic activity is less than 2 min. You will have more calories burned via exercising the anaerobic pathway vs the aerobic pathway. An example of is comparing 20 minutes of running on a treadmil at 7.0 mph with a high intensity circuit of 30 second tuck jumps, push ups, mountain climbers, sit ups and 100yd sprints mixed together for 20 minutes. The best part of the high intensity metabolic training is that there is an aerobic carry over, because even though each the activities last only 30 seconds you are still exercising for 20 minutes total.
Abdominal exercise alone is not enough!
Doing sit ups, planks, crunches and other abdominal exercises alone will not decrease you waistline and give you the desired "6 pack". There must be a decrease in fat in the body for those muscles to shape your waistline. Therefore while an exercise routine based solely on core training will increase your strength and create muscle, it will not be enough to burn the total body fat needed to show off all your hard work.