Exercise improves everything about your overall health. It effects how well you sleep, burn fat, feeling, energy levels and of course how fast and how many calories you burn. The question is which exercises help you burn the most calories? 

We talked about the big debate of how to properly work out in last week's article. While there is still some debate, strength training prior to cardio seems to be the way to go. We know if you desire that lean body, sticking to the treadmill or elliptical just isn't enough. Strength training is equally important as cardio. A regular fitness routine should include a balance of both for optimal health benefits as well as keeping your weight at bay. Even those who are just focused on running need to incorporate strength training into their routine. But the question is when you're in a hurry with say only an hour or half hour to spare, which should you tackle first? 

But good ol` fashion running still matters. Even further, this summer when you're on vacation, running on the sand will boost your calorie burn rate. Running on the sand makes your body have to work twice as hard to get over it. You expend at least 150% more energy and burn more calories running on sand than on hard surfaces—and it actually makes you faster.

Start this routine by wearing shoes because you're introducing a whole new set of mechanics to your feet, calf muscles and ankles. New terrain even as experienced runners can lead to injury. Ease yourself into running on a new surface. Stick to the shoreline when you first start out. And eventually, you can run barefoot. Start with short runs of five to seven minutes, then gradually up your soft-sand time to 10 to 12 minutes as your body adapts to the surface. You may still notice some mild fatigue in your Achilles, feet, and calves, but don’t worry—keep to a reasonable pace and mileage and you’ll be fine.