Here it is, fast and simple: Any form of exercise that is repetitive, long and hard enough to challenge the heart and lungs to use oxygen for fuel qualifies as an aerobic workout. These workouts burn more calories so you lose weight.

During aerobic exercise, oxygen, fats and carbohydrates combine to produce the fuel cells needed so we can run, jog, swim, cycle, dance, or do whatever other activity we choose that’s challenging enough for us to break a sweat.

In general, a few of the cardio workouts that burn the most calories per hour, depending on a person’s weight and the intensity of the exercise, are running, rollerblading, tae kwon do, rope jumping, swimming, tennis and cycling and the ol’ reliable: clocking miles on a treadmill.

If you’re not sure how to start a cardio workout, simply follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guideline below that gets you off your duff and ready to torch those calories: “Moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking, is generally safe for most people.