Whether you're looking to lose weight, keep fit, or improve your health, cardio is a great choice. There are plenty to choose from: running, walking, cycling, tennis, kickboxing, dancing - the main thing is to choose an activity to your liking. Of course, in order to effectively lose weight, you will have to combine cardio with strength training, but cardio itself has many benefits. Today we are talking about the benefits of cardio training for your body.
What exactly is the benefit of cardio training?
You will be surprised how great the benefits of cardiovascular exercise are for our body. It helps burn fat, increases endurance of the heart, improves the function of the respiratory system, reduces the risk of heart attack and hypertension, improves well-being, sleep, sexual function, and reduces stress. Agree, not so many activities bring so much benefit at the same time. And now in more detail.
1. Cardio helps burn belly fat
It turns out that abdominal exercise alone is not as effective at burning belly fat as it is with cardio. Numerous studies also show that walking, running and swimming effectively burn belly fat. And if you also continue cardio training after losing weight, then you will forever forget about a thick waist.
2. Cardio training increases the endurance of the heart
The heart is a muscle, and like other muscles in the body, it benefits from exercise. Without regular exercise, the heart weakens and fails. Many people get short of breath even from walking up the stairs to their floor. Sound familiar? This is all the lack of cardio training.
3. Cardio exercise improves brain function
One study has shown amazing results: Thanks to cardio training, the function of the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for verbal memory and learning, improves. Isn't there a reason to start training right now?
4. Cardio exercise improves sleep
The benefits of cardiovascular exercise are that it improves sleep. Good, long sleep is important for health and weight loss. Research has been done on this topic more than once, and here's what they say: People who exercise more sleep better. Two and a half hours a week of cardio training will improve your sleep by 65%.
5. Cardio helps with depression
The benefit of cardio is that it has the same effect as drugs for depression. 156 people suffering from depression took part in the study. One third of them did cardio, another third were on antidepressants, and the third group was exercising and taking antidepressants. After 4 months, 60-70% of participants in all three groups were free of depression. Why take medication when you can improve your health naturally?
Find the right cardio workouts and get started now! In a short time, you will feel better, your mood will improve, and in the long term, you will be doing a favor to your body, and especially your heart.
Lyudmila Polonchak, based on materials
There are a fairly large number of types of aerobic exercise. Many people get confused about them and do not understand which cardio workout for burning fat is best for them. Today I want to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of various types of cardio.
Cardio workouts for burning fat: which are better for losing weight
By virtue of its nature, aerobic exercise forces the body to use fat reserves as its main source of energy, and take carbohydrates and proteins to the background. Therefore, it is obvious that there must be a cardio load in your workout routine on drying.
At the same time, what kind of cardio for weight loss should be done is a matter that causes a lot of controversy. Typically, aerobic exercise is done at moderate intensity (although high intensity has been shown to burn more calories) and last 15-20 minutes. This time is enough to stimulate the work of the heart and lungs and force the body to actively consume oxygen.
Here are the main types of cardio for burning fat:
- Cycling
- Rowing
- Walking
Their commonality lies in the fact that they engage the largest muscle groups in the body. During aerobic exercise, oxygen, fats, and carbohydrates combine to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary fuel source for all cells.
Since body fat is higher than carbohydrates and proteins, it is more effective in providing energy during cardio for weight loss. In addition, it is mobilized faster in the presence of oxygen.
Thus, aerobic exercise of moderate intensity (50-75% of maximum heart rate) is likely to burn a lot of fat. But will she allow it to be done in the long run? Some researchers suggest not.
In fact, a lot depends on what your heart rate is for fat burning cardio. High-intensity cardio (75% or more of your maximum heart rate) uses more calories, which directly affects the burning of adipose tissue. To calculate the maximum heart rate for yourself, you need to subtract your age from 220.
As long as the exercise is performed in the aerobic zone (using oxygen) and does not become anaerobic (using carbohydrates), the higher the intensity, the better.
This does not mean that low-intensity cardio is useless. As I will explain later, it has its place in training. However, if you want to lose weight in no time, then you must stick to a high intensity.
The purpose of this article is to identify the optimal cardio workouts for fat burning and why they are effective. But let's first look at the advantages of high intensity over low intensity.
Benefits of aerobic exercise
All types of aerobic exercise are equally beneficial. At the same time, both high and low intensity of their implementation (albeit within the framework of the so-called fat-burning zone) has its advantages.
To accurately determine the intensity you need, you need to calculate your target heart rate. The lower limit of the target zone is 55% of the MHR and the upper limit is 80% of the MHR. Use an online calculator to find these numbers (or simply subtract your age from 220 and then multiply the result by 0.55 and 0.8, respectively).
Cardio training (regardless of intensity) will help:
- Strengthen the muscles involved in breathing, which means better lung function
- Increase the number of red blood cells in the body, which allows oxygen to circulate better throughout the body
- Strengthen the heart muscle
- Relieve stress and tension, as well as improve psychological well-being
- Improve blood circulation to all parts of the body
- Boost self-esteem
Pros of low to moderate intensity cardio (50-75% of MHR):
- Generally provides less impact on joints, making it ideal for those with obesity or low fitness
- Burns fat directly (not calories in general) and can be performed for an extended period of time
- Can be used for active recovery
Pros of high intensity cardio (70-85% of MHR):
- Burns More Calories and Fat
- Increases metabolic rate (during and after exercise) more than low-intensity cardio
- Improves endurance, strength and performance
- Helps Prevent Osteoporosis
Cardio Slimming Exercises and Their Benefits
The following types of cardio have different intensities. Choose the one that you like best and still produces lasting results.
1. Walking (burns 300-400 calories per hour)
It was once believed that walking was the ideal cardio workout for losing weight and promoting overall health. However, it is now regarded as one of the least effective aerobic exercise.
Walking is great for beginners as well as injured or obese people. Naturally, the lower the intensity of the exercise, the less will be the number of calories burned per unit of time (15 minutes of cycling burns more calories than 45 minutes of walking at a moderate pace).
In addition, after walking, metabolism accelerates by an average of only 1-2 hours, in contrast to high-intensity aerobic activity, where it can be increased up to 24 hours or more.
Pros of walking:
- Weight loss aid for obese people (who cannot do other exercises)
- Suitable for people with sore joints
- Moderate intensity suitable for active recovery
- Intensity: 50-70% of MHR
- Duration: 20-45 minutes
2. Running (burns about 600 calories per hour)
Running is effective cardio for weight loss and overall fitness.
Although running is stressful for your joints, it is intense enough to burn a lot of calories and stimulate your metabolism long after your workout.
For fat burning purposes, it is best to jog (jogging), as this will prevent you from crossing the anaerobic threshold and not burning carbs as your main source of energy. Running, like walking, involves the entire lower body, only on a much larger scale.
In particular, it includes the hip flexors, hamstrings, quadriceps, calf and soleus muscles. The arms are also actively moving while running, which provides additional calories burned.
Pros of running:
- Ability to train at increased intensity and burn more fat as a result
- Work on the relief of the muscles of the legs
- Improving physical fitness and athletic performance in general
- Increases metabolic rate for up to 24 hours
- Help prevent osteoporosis
- Frequency: 3 times a week
- Intensity: 65-85% of MHR
- Duration: 20-30 minutes
3. Cycling (burns about 600 calories per hour)
Cycling uses the same muscles as running, but it has the added benefit of less impact on the joints.
You can pedal both on an exercise bike (preferred for those who want to burn more fat) and on a bicycle.
Any of these methods will suit almost everyone, since by adjusting the resistance you can set different level intensity. This makes cycling ideal for HIIT training. Cycling can also help bodybuilders work on quads definition.
Cycling pros:
- Less impact on joints, high intensity
- Improving physical fitness in general and achieving great sports results
- Work on the relief of the quadriceps
- Frequency: 3 times a week
- Intensity: 65-85% of MHR
- Duration: 30-45 minutes
4. Rowing (burns about 840 calories per hour)
The rowing machine provides excellent high-intensity cardio for weight loss. Rowing burns more calories per hour than any other aerobic exercise.
Pros of working in a rowing machine:
- Burns more calories than any other cardio exercise
- General body workout
- Low impact on joints, high intensity
- Improving physical fitness and achieving greater athletic performance
5. Swimming (burns about 600 calories per hour)
Like rowing, swimming trains the body as a whole, while burning a lot of calories. It also does not stress the joints, and the risk of injury in the water is minimal.
Swimming works equally well for most people. Swim in different styles to focus on different muscle groups. Changing the intensity will also help you burn more calories.
Swimming pros:
- Low likelihood of injury
- Work of all major muscle groups
- Improving physical fitness and athletic performance
- Burning a lot of calories and fat
6. Jumping rope (burns about 1000 calories per hour)
Jumping rope allows for very effective cardio workouts for weight loss. They also allow me to work on the relief of the calves and shoulders, since they quite actively engage these muscle groups.
Jumping rope is perhaps one of the most difficult aerobic exercises, because it requires serious skills, strength, attention and patience. It burns more calories than rowing (over 1000).
The duration of the workout should not be too long to eliminate the risk of injury to the lower leg or thigh.
Pros of jumping rope:
- High calories burned
- Help prevent osteoporosis
- Development of explosive strength, endurance and speed (jumping rope is an integral part of boxing training).
7. HIIT training
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is a relatively new and one of the most effective ways to burn fat. Thanks to its increased intensity, it allows you to achieve excellent results and at the same time spend less time in the gym. HIIT training raises your metabolic rate for the next 24 hours.
In stationary cardio with a constant load, the body tries to save calories. HIIT avoids this situation by changing the intensity of your movements every minute.
An example of a HIIT workout:
Pedal the stationary bike at moderate intensity (75-80% of MHR) for 2 minutes and then at high intensity (90% of MHR) for 30-60 seconds. Repeat the cycle for up to 30 minutes. Running, rowing, or swimming can also be used to conduct this workout.
Pros of HIIT training:
- Increased levels of fat-burning hormones such as epinephrine and norepinephrine
- Decreased insulin levels
- Increased metabolic rate more than other cardiovascular exercises
Fat Burning Cardio Tips
Start gradually
As with any exercise, cardio should be started at a slow pace, especially if you are a beginner or overweight. Walking is great for beginners as it is low intensity and reduces pressure on the joints.
A sudden transition to heavy loads can lead to injury. It's important to start slowly to warm up your muscles and stretch your joints for the work ahead.
Work in your target heart rate zone
It's important to stay within your target heart rate zone to get the most out of your workouts and avoid negative health effects. Using the above formula, you can determine the lower and upper heart rate limits.
Do not overdo it
Your top priority is safety. Trying to do too much is likely to get the exact opposite effect. How long should cardio workout take to burn fat? If everything is in order with your health, then the session should not take you more than 45-60 minutes.
Going beyond this time frame can lead to sprains and other injuries, which will ultimately slow down your metabolism and therefore fat burning. If you are combining cardio and strength training for weight loss, then you need to carefully avoid overtraining.
Track intensity, timing and frequency of your workouts
To get the most out of your cardiovascular fat burning workout, plan the intensity, timing, and frequency. These variables will change depending on the stage of progress and the goals set.
For athletes with an average level of training, the intensity will be 70-85% of the MHR, the duration of the workout will be 45-60 minutes 4 times a week. For beginners, the load will naturally be lower.
Drink water before, during and after your workout
Since cardio workout for weight loss removes a lot of fluid from the body through sweat, it is very important to drink water before, during, and after exercise (depending on the duration). Insufficient hydration (especially in hot weather) can lead to dehydration and decreased performance.
Good nutrition for burning fat and gaining muscle mass
Conclusion
To get a lean, sculpted physique, cardiovascular fat burning is essential. Because everyone's body reacts differently to stress, it is important to choose the exercises that work for you for the best results.
Research has linked long-term endurance training to a variety of heart problems. Zozhnik translated the text by expert Rachel Sturts.
Excessive stress on endurance harms the cardiovascular system
An overwhelming body of research over the past decade has shown that intense prolonged endurance exercise can harm your heart in the same way that you try to help it work with it. One such study, published in Journal of Applied Physiology, states that persons of the middle age group regularly participating in marathons for a long time are more susceptible to myocardial fibrosis (the formation of fibrous tissue on the heart muscle), scarring and proliferation of the muscle heart fiber, which over time can lead to a loss of its elasticity.
Another study published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology, It was also found that men who trained and participated in marathon races for 25 consecutive years or more were more susceptible to the formation of coronary plaques in the arteries, subsequently leading to arrhythmias and other problems associated with the pumping function of the heart.
Even former professional cyclists are 5 times more likely to have ventricular tachycardia, which interferes with the normal functioning of the heart and increases the heart rate.
It is very difficult to achieve “overload”, and no load is even worse.
However, that doesn't mean you'll collapse with a heart attack on your next long-distance run, '' says Paul Thompson, Ph.D., director of the cardiology department at Hartford Hospital, Connecticut and author of the cardio training program for athletes.
Thompson adds: “You shouldn't overdo your workouts if your heart is not in perfect shape. There is not enough evidence to indicate this or that amount of stress that will be useful to you, as there is no evidence of its opposite effect, which can worsen your condition. Research in this area is relatively young. "
Dr. Thompson also notes that in the US, less than 1% of the population exercises 2-3 hours a day, so regular gym goers shouldn't worry. By forcing yourself to do another set of exercises, you will not lose consciousness from problems with the cardiovascular system.
For the same reason, a cyclist who exercises for an hour or an hour and a half at a moderate speed for years will not face the same potential risks faced by a cyclist with 10 years of experience training intensively for 3 hours a day or more. But if you train like an Olympian and feel healthy, well, maybe you are.
Moreover, for athletes who do not have a history of hereditary heart diseases, the doctor even allows them to skip mass preventive examinations.
“When a person exercises hard, the heart enlarges and the atrial chambers change,” Thompson explains. "An athlete's ECG may seem abnormal to a doctor who has not dealt with people in such a physical condition, which can lead to numerous and expensive follow-up tests."
The heart of an ordinary person and an athlete.
What load is useful / harmful
Cardiologist, chief physician clinic "Seven Doctors" Elena Kobeleva in the "Guide to the Heart" told how to train and why the load is useful for the cardiovascular system:
Physical fitness allows in everyday life situations to quickly restore the pulse to a calm one. For example: an untrained obese person, after 5 minutes of a brisk walk, can restore the pulse for 15-20 minutes or longer, and an athlete will take 1-2 minutes to do this.Imagine that this situation occurs every day several times a day.
The load that will make you stronger (and never hurt) is the training load: it is somewhere between 75-80% of the submaximal (a simple calculation option is this: the maximum heart rate is 220 minus age. The submaximal frequency is 85% of the maximum) ... That is, for a person aged 30 years, 80% of the submaximal = ((220-30) * 85%) * 80% = 130 beats / min.
You can safely carry out the load that such a pulse gives you for a long time - it will train, strengthen, develop for you.
Physical activity is useful and desirable for at least half an hour and daily: better for half an hour 5 times a week than once 3 hours.
When to worry
According to Thompson, the only time you should be concerned is when you notice a sudden change in how you feel. If you suddenly run out of energy while exercising or faint with exertion, see your doctor immediately. In such cases, it may be due to a hidden problem, often associated with the heart.
Either way, scientists continue to explore this area, and at the moment the positives of cardio outweigh the negative.
Cardio training is primarily aimed at training the heart muscle. This is an important part of bodybuilding because many neglect these workouts. And they are very important for the health of the cardiovascular system. In this article, we will consider the main myths and give recommendations for this type of training.
Cardio workouts include running, walking, jumping, and cycling.
Cardio training has become more and more popular lately. Sometimes, while visiting the gym during rush hour, it can be difficult to get to the free treadmill or. Many coaches say that some guests, doing their own work, are only wasting time and energy, and sometimes they can even act to their detriment.
How can you get the most out of your cardio workout and what should you consider while exercising?
You need to understand that cardio training is not aimed at developing muscles, but at the cardiovascular system. Cardio training can only be beneficial if a person exercises correctly and regularly. monitor your pulse... Otherwise, you can seriously harm your health.
Training
Before doing cardio training, be sure to find out the limits of your heart rate.: upper and lower stage. The most accurate way to do this is to undergo a computer examination, which will show the state of the cardiovascular system and give an idea of the permissible blood pressure during exercise. To find out the upper and lower limits of the heart rate without a computer, you need to subtract age from 220. If the resulting number is multiplied by 65%, we get the lower permissible limit, and multiplying by 85% - the upper one.
Almost all types of modern simulators are equipped with a sensor that determines the pulse, professionals advise using additional equipment as well. In order for the simulator to determine the exact heart rate during training on the treadmill, the athlete's palms must lie motionless on the handrails, which, in fact, is extremely difficult to do.
Five myths about cardio training
The first myth
"Cardio" burns "much better excess fat than barbell training. "
The quickest route to a lean figure is a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training. Some women mistakenly do just cardio for two reasons.
First, it is believed that aerobic exercise as an energy fuel, they say, directly uses fat, and strength exercises - only blood sugar and glycogen (sugar "stored" for future use in the liver).
Second, in 45 minutes of training, aerobic exercise "burns" much more calories than an equal strength training session.
Yes, true - aerobics uses subcutaneous fat stores as fuel, but blood sugar and glycogen also go into action! Science has proven: during the first 20 minutes of aerobic training, only blood sugar and glycogen are consumed... And only then does the "burning" of fats begin.
Aerobics "burns" more calories for an equal workout... However, there is another truth: strength training significantly raises your metabolic rate while at rest. For those who do not understand: at rest, our body gradually "burns" our fat in order to provide energy for the physiological work of our body (heartbeat, digestion, breathing, etc.). Strength training dramatically increases the rate of fat consumption at rest, the consumption itself depends on your muscle mass. For example, ten kg of muscle requires 500-900 additional calories per day, which is equivalent to one day of complete fasting per week!
Conclusion:"Burns" fat during training, but hardly affects fat consumption during rest. Strength training is not so good at "burning" fat, but it seriously spurs the resting metabolism.
By doing both, you will greatly speed up your weight loss.
Second myth
"The more aerobics, the better"
Scientists have found that although aerobics "burns" fat, but after an hour of exertion, the body switches to muscle tissue. And instead of fat, protein amino acids burn in the fire of metabolism. After two hours of cardio training, the body loses up to 90% of leucine, an amino acid that determines muscle growth. says: “Trying to get to 'relief', I decided to push on aerobics and lengthened aerobic training to one and a half hours. The strength of the muscles immediately dropped, and they lost their usual elasticity. Since then I have been doing aerobics no longer than 45-50 minutes. "
The third myth
"Start with cardio, then move on to strength training."
Everything is the other way around. For strength exercises to work, you need to apply heavy weights., with which you can do no more than 6-12 repetitions in the approach. Starting with cardio will use up glycogen, which will lead to a drop in muscle strength. As a result, you will not be able to develop the intensity of training that involves muscle growth. You need to start with "iron", and this will greatly help your aerobics. Strength exercises will deplete carbohydrate stores and therefore "fat burning" will not begin in a quarter of an hour, but almost immediately after the start of aerobic training.
The fourth myth
If you start to overeat, then you will have to lengthen the duration of aerobic training beyond a reasonable time. As a result, this will lead to overtraining, and nothing more. It is more correct to do this: increase the intensity, not the duration of aerobics in the next two workouts. Then you need to return to the usual level of intensity. The best thing to do, however, is to subtract the excess calories eaten from your next meal.
The fifth myth
"Increasing the amount of cardio and strength training with light weights will help you burn fat more efficiently."
It has already been said the best result in "burning" fat comes from a combination of aerobic and strength training. In the case of "iron" the load to the load is different. Low weights do not stimulate the growth of muscle tissue, but its amount, as you know, is a fundamental factor in "fat burning". So, the main rule remains indisputable: you need a full-fledged strength training with large weights (6-12 repetitions per set).
Answer to frequently asked questions
How long does it take to study?
Experts advise: at least 30 minutes three to five days a week... But we are all busy people and we cannot always find these 30 minutes in our schedule. Especially when we are working and want to devote some time to the family. So you can combine cardio training with work... For example, when leaving work and you need to go down or up a multi-story building, use your own feet and stairs instead of the elevator.
What are the best workouts for losing weight: running, walking, cycling?
Each of these types of loads will have their advantages. It all depends on what you enjoy.... This factor is key when choosing the type of cardio training, thanks to it you will both lose weight and not physically deplete.
When should you do aerobics to lose weight faster?
We recommend doing 2-3 times a week. traditional cardio workouts at a moderate pace for 45-60 minutes, and two more times - interval training... You need to do strength exercises at least 2-3 times.
What exercise regimen will help you maintain your weight loss?
So that the kilograms do not return, it is enough to train 3-4 times a week for 45-60 minutes at a moderate pace... Maintain your heart rate at 65-70% of your maximum heart rate. Practice interval training only in order of variety.
What is the most effective simulator?
The one you like! Losing weight determines how long you have aerobic exercise. The more there are, the greater the weight loss. Stay on longer with your favorite machine than the one you hate.
- Cardio is beneficial if the person is exercising correctly., that is, you need to monitor the pulse.
- During training you need to constantly monitor your heart rate... For this reason, many advise using additional equipment during training, especially for those who have a tendency to high blood pressure or problems with the cardiovascular system.
- Before training, you need to determine your goal.: active workout of the heart or weight loss. In the first case, the workout should be more intense (heart rate at 85% of the maximum upper mark), but shorter in time (on average 15-20 minutes. minutes, but with a lower intensity - 65% of the upper limit of the heart rate.
- It is best to start with 10-15 minute sessions. with low intensity.
- When choosing the time of day for cardio training, remember that the degree of load in the morning and evening is different... In the morning, the intensity of the classes should be lower - about 100-110 beats per minute for beginners, and 120-125 beats for regular visitors. Evening workout should take place in a more intense mode with a heart rate of 130 beats for beginners and 140 beats for advanced ones.
- Only a gradual increase in the load and intensity of training loads can provide safe and effective training. If you follow it, then after a month with the same exercise regimen, the pulse will be much less frequent, which means that it will be possible to increase the degree of load. To move to a new level of intensity, you can use the so-called "verbal" test: during training, a person should be able to talk calmly. And then, the professionals point out, you can gradually increase the load.
Cardio workout
Cardio training (aerobic training) is a type of physical activity that is accompanied by an increase in heart rate (pulse, heart rate) relative to rest and lasts at least 1.5 minutes. By heart rate, you can understand how intense the exercise is.
Types of cardio loads:
(for example, walking, swimming, jogging, rollerblading and cycling). The duration of cardio training is 40-60 minutes or more. When exercising at a low intensity, you can talk. During this workout, the calorie consumption is low.(speed skiing, rowing, race walking,). The duration may not exceed 30-40 minutes. Calorie consumption will be high, and you will not be able to carry on a conversation.Aerobic training improves the work of the cardiovascular system, speeds up metabolism, increases efficiency, improves mood, and increases the body's ability to withstand stress. With their help, you can easily increase your daily calorie expenditure, so they are indispensable in the fight against excess weight.
What are the benefits and harms of cardio training?
"Pros":
- Availability... To conduct cardio training, you do not need a membership to a fitness club or special equipment.
- Varieties for every taste... Don't like to run? You can walk! Can't swim? Ride your bike!
- The muscles of the whole body are strengthened.
- The work of the respiratory system improves, the volume of the lungs increases.
- Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
- The body's endurance increases.
- Most quick way burn fat.
- Immunity is strengthened.
- Sleep improves.
"Minuses":
- When running, there is a serious load on the joints of the legs, so you should choose a different type of cardio training for people with joint problems.
- Regular cardio exercise requires increased attention to the diet - after exercise, not only sleep improves, but also appetite.
- It is impossible to build an elastic, attractive body with the help of only one fat burning workout. Perhaps not immediately, but strength training for all muscle groups will definitely be needed.
Lesson rules
- The best time to do cardio is in the morning before breakfast. After a night's sleep, the body's stores of carbohydrate glycogen are depleted, so energy is immediately consumed from fat cells. Morning exercise kicks off the fat burning process for the whole day!
- The indicator of the effectiveness of the load is its intensity. Effective training should take place at a heart rate of 70-80% of maximum. Maximum heart rate is calculated using the formula "220 minus age".
- Duration is an important indicator of efficiency. A low intensity workout should last about an hour.
- To burn fat effectively, you need to exercise at least 3-5 times a week.
- The load should be increased gradually.
- Do not neglect a light articular warm-up before cardio and stretching after. This will reduce your risk of injury and help your muscles recover.
- Keep pace for maximum efficiency. Start slowly at a faster pace. Towards the end of the session, slow down gradually.
- Breathing during cardio should be natural. It is better to breathe through your nose, but during intense training, you need to breathe through your mouth - if you are not running in the cold or in the dust, then this type of breathing is quite acceptable.
Lose weight at home
Exercising at home can achieve very good results. What types of fat burning activities can you do without buying a gym membership?
- Walk. This option is optimal for the elderly, people with health problems, as well as for those whose weight is much higher than normal. It is best for these people to start with daily, hour-long fasting walks. Walking is also ideal for new mothers looking to lose weight. Instead of rolling the stroller at the entrance, you can take a brisk walk.
- Run. This is a great way to burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time. When starting to run, pay attention to your shoes. If you are running on tarmac, special running shoes will soon be needed. Be sure to warm up before jogging.
- Cycling, rollerblading, skating. These types of cardio workouts are less energy-consuming than running, but they can be more enjoyable to do, and will last longer.
- Circular training. Workouts at a fast pace for all muscle groups with body weight or with weights. For example, the famous Bikini Body Guide program from Kayla Itsines, and others. These workouts last about 30 minutes, but are very effective and energy consuming.
- Swimming. This is a useful workout for people of all fitness levels, but a fitness beginner probably won't be able to keep his pulse in the fat burning zone while swimming. But the appetite will definitely improve! Therefore, swimming at low intensity is more likely to promote weight gain rather than shedding it. In addition, when the swimming season is over, you will have to buy a subscription to the pool.
- Mini stepper... This home simulator is quite cheap and does not take up much space. With the help of the mini-stepper, you can also train the muscles of the buttocks.
- Any kind of aerobic activity in the desired heart rate zone: kicks, lunges, jumping, boxing. Without a heart rate monitor, you can tell if you’ve hit your target heart rate to burn fat by speaking in single phrases while exercising, but not whole paragraphs.
Gym classes
There are several types of exercise equipment in the cardio zone. Different machines target different muscle groups.
- Cardio stepper. This simulator simulates walking up the stairs. Cardio stepper is not the best choice for fat burning purposes, as it affects a small number of muscle groups and it is difficult to achieve the heart rate necessary for fat burning on it. But this trainer works great on the gluteal muscles if, when working on it, bend forward slightly and put your elbows on the stepper handles.
- Exercise bike(imitation of cycling). This machine strengthens the muscles of the legs and buttocks, but the energy consumption when working on a stationary bike is not very high.
- Treadmill. On the treadmill, you can change the speed, incline, set the interval pace, thus varying the intensity of the workout.
- Rowing machine(imitation of rowing). Affects the muscles of the legs, back, arms, chest. When working on a rowing machine, there is an active burning of calories.
- Ellipsoid. It is considered the most effective cardiovascular equipment. At the same time, the load on the joints and the spine is minimized.
It is most effective to use different simulators on different days, do interval training and change modes.
It is important
If the workout takes place in the morning, then to speed up fat burning, it is better to do it on an empty stomach. In order not to lose muscle mass, you can drink 4-6 grams of BCAA amino acids before exercising. This is especially important for those who already have a fairly low percentage of body fat.
Immediately after exercise, you should eat an easily digestible protein (you can drink whey isolate, or 2 egg whites). After one and a half to two hours, have breakfast with grains, which contain slow carbohydrates.
If you train in the daytime, then one and a half hours before class you need to eat something containing slow carbohydrates (cereals, pasta). If you didn't manage to eat, then half an hour before class, you can eat dried fruits or a banana for a quick release of energy. Immediately after training - a portion of the protein shake, after one and a half to two hours you can eat.
Watch the fat content of protein foods taken immediately after exercise. Ideal, it contains the maximum protein with a minimum of fat and carbohydrates.
For the purpose of losing weight after classes, be sure not to eat anything for 1.5-2 hours. During training, the process of burning fat is triggered, and it is active for another two hours after training. If you eat right after class, then this process will stop, and the body will begin to take energy from the food received.
It is imperative to drink water during training, otherwise problems with water-salt balance may arise. On average, 1 liter of water for 1 hour of intense training.
Contraindications to cardio
- Hypertension.
- Phlebeurysm.
- History of heart attack or stroke.
- Joint problems: For example, cycling is contraindicated for lower back problems, jogging is contraindicated for ankle and knee pain.
- Intensive training is contraindicated in obesity diagnoses, as well as in older people who are just starting to exercise. In these cases, it is better to limit yourself to walking until body weight is brought back to normal and before the body adapts to stress.
If you have any doubts about whether you can do cardio exercises, check with your doctor.
- To lose weight, you need a negative calorie balance, you must spend more than you eat.
- Pay attention to nutrition. It makes no sense to exercise until exhaustion, then to throw everything into your mouth - most likely, the intake of calories will exceed the consumption, and the weight will be added.
- Exercising to exhaustion, and then drinking cabbage broth all day is not effective, because it leads to fatigue, a decrease in immunity, and a decrease in muscle tissue. Nutrition should be balanced.
- It is generally accepted that women should "lose weight" and men should "pump muscles." This is true for overweight women and thin men. If you are overweight and want to get your body in shape, you definitely need cardio workouts 3-5 times a week. If you are a skinny woman, you need strength training to build a beautiful body.
- Do not be afraid to use sports nutrition - complex amino acids and protein shakes. They will help satisfy hunger between meals without burdening the body with excess carbohydrates and fats.
- Meals should be frequent and: breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. In conditions of prolonged lack of food, the body slows down the metabolism, which leads to weight gain. But it is important to keep track of the total calorie intake.
- For best results, alternate different types cardio workouts such as running, cycling, and circuit training.