I've read that cardio is the best way to burn fat quickly, but what exactly is c!

I've read that cardio is the best way to burn fat quickly, but what exactly is classified as cardio?

I do not have access to a gym or any equipment other than 5 lb dumbbells and one of those stretchy resistance bands.

Aerobic activity.

There are two kinds of exercise - Aerobic and Anaerobic. Aerobic activity primarilly uses the oxygen you breath in to burn stored energy. ANaerobic activity occurs when you cannot breath in enough oxygen to burn the stored energy efficiently. So for instance in lifting weights or when you are sprinting, you just can't breath fast enough to exchange all that oxygen needed. But luckilly the body can burn its stored energy IN-efficiently as well and get about 15% energy out of it if you HAVE to have it.

Up to now I have only called it stored energy. There are two basic kinds of energy your body can use and store. Since you don't have a degree in biology, I'll just call them sugar and fat.(they are related compounds your body has partially broken down or changed)

Aerobic activity can burn both sugar and fat.
AN-aerobic activity can Only burn sugar.

So to burn your fat, you need to perform more aerobic activity than anaerobic activity.

I suggest power walking on a treadmill, recumbant stationary biking, or stair climbing on a stair climber machine. You could do the real world analog of any of those - powerwalking in a mall being the easiest one to achieve - if you have no access to a gym, but the danger factor of being out in the world gets higher.

A good rule of thumb for when aerobic activity is changing to Anaerobic activity is if you can't speak in a whole sentence anymore because you are breathing too hard. Try and keep your heart rate below around 160 beats per minute. If it has gotten up to 180 you are pushing too hard.