Very good tips.

Another super easy way to build cardiovascular fitness, metabolism, and burn fat is "Tabata".

It's named after the Japanese research who did the study. Details on it are a bit fuzzy in my mind but I remember the basics. He had two groups. The first did 60 minutes of steady state cardio 5x a week for 6 weeks. The second group did a full-body exercise 20 second as fast as they could then rested 10 seconds, then did it 20 seconds again, rested 10, etc, for 4 minutes. He measured body fat, RMR (resting metabolic rate), and V02 max (a measure of fitness) before and after. I guess you can see where I'm going here, the 4 min/day group lost more body fat, had higher metabolism, and a higher level of fitness! This study is often quoted by HIIT proponents but I think it should be noted that you don't have to sprint or anything like that to replicate what was done in the study.

Here is what I do (and coach my wife into doing). Get two dumbells (or anything heavy and equal weight) in each hand. She uses 5lb dumbells, I use 20s. The movement is a "thruster" which is a lot like the olympic lift clean and jerk, but just the jerk. You put the weights at your shoulders, squat down deep and push your arms up as you come up. Do this as fast as you can 20 seconds, rest 10. Repeat 8 times and you will be sweating profusely and your arms/legs burning. Easy and takes 4 minutes a day and proven to be more effective than 60 minutes of slow/boring cardio!

Long comment, my apologies.
-Josh