Unlike fat, muscle tissue is metabolically active. This means any muscle you build will demand nutrients and calories for their growth and maintenance.
Because of this, building muscle is crucial in your quest to get lean, as the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn.
So what is the best exercise to burn fat?
Intense anaerobic exercise like weight training.
Fortunately, you don't need to spend hours locked away in the gym to build muscle, as you can get an effective workout using an abbreviated strength training routine.
Burn fat weight training with core movements like the barbell squat, and you will boost your metabolism as you build muscle.