I get many questions regarding “losing those extra few pounds and
extra layer of fat.” This always brings me to the cardio/aerobics
question. “What is it and how much should I do?”
Well,
let’s start with what it is. “Cardio” literally
means “having to do with the heart and blood vessels.” It is essentially low-
impact repetition training that helps to improve
your overall cardiovascular health.
Cardio is one of the best ways to burn a lot of
calories while losing extra bodyfat and giving your metabolism a big boost.
Cardio exercises are those that raise your heart
rate to 65-90% of your maximum heart rate. Now,
you may be thinking: “How do I find out what my
maximum heart rate is?”
An easy way to figure out your maximum heart rate is
to subtract your age from 220. For instance, the
maximum heart rate for a 28-year-old should be
192 ( 220-28=192). To figure out your cardio range,
multiply your maximum heart rate by 65% and 90%.
So, the cardio range for that same 28-year-old should be
between 125 and 173 ( 192 times .65 = 125 and 192 times
.90 = 173).
Just remember, a general rule of thumb to follow is
that if you are having trouble talking because you
are gasping for air, you are working too hard. On
the other hand, if your breathing rate hardly
changes, you aren’t working hard enough.
Cardio has many benefits, from; reducing blood
pressure, improving heart health to improving lung
function. Amidst all of these good reasons to do
cardio work, the biggest reason for most people is to
lose fat. How much should you do though?
If you are a beginner, or if you just haven’t done
any cardio activities for a few months, you
should limit your first few sessions to only 10-15 min.
After you’ve done it for a few weeks and have built up
some endurance, you should increase your cardio
sessions to 20-60 min. You begin to burn more fat
than carbohydrates after 20 minutes. Because of this,
shorter cardio sessions are best for maintaining your
current weight, while longer sessions are best for losing
weight.
If you just want to maintain your current weight then
60-90 minutes PER WEEK will usually be adequate. How
you choose to split that time up during the week is your
choice and depends on your level of endurance.
If your goal is to burn as much bodyfat as you can,
2-5 hours of cardio PER WEEK will be sufficient.
Your sessions should be 40-60 minutes in length.
The best time to do your cardio sessions
for maximum fat loss is right away in the morning before
you eat anything. After you’ve been asleep for 6-8 hours,
the level of sugar (glucose) in your blood is very low and your
body will use stored fat as an alternative energy source.
If you are consistent with your cardio workouts and
can incorporate them into your life, you will see results!
