How Cardio Exercise Can Help You Lose Weight
Cardio exercise is only one part of a weight-loss plan. You also need to revamp your eating habits and embark on a weight-training program. Also, keep in mind that losing weight is not as easy as it sounds on TV diet commercials. It takes a lot more commitment than just drinking that delicious shake for breakfast.
And it takes time. On a super-low-calorie diet, you deprive your body of essential nutrients, and you have a tougher time keeping the weight off because your metabolism slows down. Realize, too, that genetics plays a large role in weight loss. Here are some general cardio guidelines for weight loss.
Consult a registered dietitian and certified fitness trainer to come up with a plan best suited to your specific goals and schedule. To make a serious dent in your fat-loss program, work out in your target zone most of the time. You may have heard that exercising at a slow pace is more effective for weight loss than working out more intensely.
But this is misleading. As it turns out, the concept of a fat-burning zone is no more real than the Twilight Zone.
During low-intensity aerobic exercise, your body does use fat as its primary fuel source. As you get closer to your breaking point, your body starts using a smaller percentage of fat and a larger percentage of carbohydrates, another fuel source. Maximize weight-loss benefits by incorporating up to four non-consecutive days a week of resistance-based exercises, such as kettlebells, TRX, and weightlifting.
How often you need to do cardio for weight loss
Try this weekly strength-training workout plan for beginners. Should you start with strength training or cardio for weight loss? When it comes to doing a full, high-intensity cardio session and an entire resistance training workout, perform each on separate days, says Vastola, so you can give each one your all and burn more calories in the process. Here's the thing: There's no one answer to how much cardio you should do to lose weight.
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But whyyyy? There are a few different factors in addition to fat-burning cardio that contribute to weight loss, such as consuming fewer calories, maintaining a healthy diet, building muscles, among others.
Slogging away on the treadmill to hit some magic number is a waste of time and energy, especially since machines can only roughly estimate your metabolic rate, says Vastola. Ignore the red digits on the console and focus on intensity instead while doing cardio for weight loss goals. If you work harder in shorter bursts, you'll burn more calories even after your workout is over aka the afterburn effect.
Use a heart-rate monitor aim to stay between 75 and 85 percent of your max heart rate or the rate of perceived exertion scale of 1 to 10 strive for an 8 or 9 on high-intensity intervals to determine if you're working hard enough.
How Cardio Exercise Can Help You Lose Weight
Not sure where to start? In addition to doing cardio for weight loss, try these strength-training moves that boost your metabolism. ICYMI earlier and are still wondering, "does cardio burn fat? You see, your body also burns fat as fuel during lower-intensity workouts when you're in the "fat-burning zone" of about 65 percent of your max. However, that's not necessarily what you need to focus on for weight loss.
What counts the most is your overall calorie expenditure, not the fuel source. That burn lasts up to 24 hours after your last rep or step, and studies show you'll lose fat faster, she adds. But before you go switching all that cardio for weight loss to high-intensity, maximum-effort training, remember that this type of exercise isn't without its risks, such as a greater risk of injury and overtraining fatigue. Montenegro recommends alternating between low- and high-intensity workouts to give your body proper time to recover and build consistency.
For example, do your high-intensity interval training on Mondays and Thursdays, low- to moderate-intensity on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and mix in some yoga or strength on Tuesdays and Fridays. You can't drive a car without gas, so why expect something different from your body? The trouble with the fasted cardio theory is that the large muscles that power you through that cardio for weight loss rely heavily on a combination of carbs and fats for energy.
When you run or bike on an empty stomach, your body will turn to the carb and fat fragments in your bloodstream and muscle stores, not to the fat in your fat cells to energize your workout, says Michele Olson , Ph.
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This strategy could completely backfire, she adds, as you may become hyperglycemic and low on hydration, which can cause you to cut back on the intensity or stop before you've put in the 40 to 50 minutes research has shown is necessary for effective fat-burning cardio. Skip the pre-gym fast and show up ready to rock by fueling up about 90 minutes before your workout. Olson suggests something light and easy to digest, such as a small piece of fruit and half a cup of low-fat yogurt sprinkled with a couple of tablespoons of granola.
And be sure to wash it down with one or two full glasses of water.
Can You Lose Body Fat Without Cardio?
If you're a fan of sunrise sweat sessions, here's what to eat before and after your a. There a ton of benefits to running a 5K or marathon—improved cardiovascular fitness, more stamina, working out for a good cause if you run for charity—but seeing the number on the scale go down isn't necessarily one of them. All the training you do to cross the finish line makes your body efficient at conserving energy so you can go the distance.