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!
About the Author
Do you want to consistently
lose 3 to 5 lbs. per week?
Ryan Betzina has created a
no-brainer weight loss program
to help you boost your metabolism
to burn more calories even
while you sleep...You DESIGN
YOUR OWN DIET!
Check out=====> http://www.easyhealthsecrets.com
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