How Does Cardio Burn Fat?
Cardio can help you burn fat, but as Rondel stated, you’ll more than likely lose muscle mass. To prevent that from occurring, Rondel recommended high-intensity interval training (HIIT) because, “It gives you a hormonal response that’s conducive to muscle growth, and it’s more anabolic — where you’re developing tissue, muscles, collagen, cartilage, things of that nature,” he said. HIIT also “produces precursors to things like testosterone and growth hormone and things that will potentially help you increase your lean muscle mass,” he explained.
Strength training is also imperative in order to lose body fat and build muscle. According to genhealthtips, your strength sessions should incorporate compound exercises because they require more energy to perform and burn more calories and fat. Your workouts should also focus on muscle hypertrophy (maximal muscle growth) where you perform three to five sets of 12 to 15 reps per exercise Cardio Burn Fat. On average, genhealthtips said you should strength train a minimum of two to three times a week. If you aren’t sure where to begin when it comes to strength training, start with this four-week program.
Some people may notice a change in their physique from steady-state cardio and some will not. At the end of the day, Rondel said, “There’s a lot of variability, we’re all different, and our bodies will respond differently to these hormonal responses.”
If you’re trying to lose weight, you know the deal. You have to exercise and watch your diet. Specifically, you have to do both cardio and strength training to get the most out of your workout time. Figuring out how much cardio you need, how hard you should work, and the best cardio exercises for your goals and fitness level can be confusing.
The good news is that you have a wide range of options from which to choose, and you can vary both the type and intensity of your workouts on a daily basis. In fact, you get better results from mixing up your workouts. Doing a variety of exercises prevents your body from adapting to a specific routine, which gradually lowers the rate at which you burn calories. Switching things up also keeps you from getting bored and losing motivation.
How Cardio Helps You Lose Weight
Weight loss occurs when you create a calorie deficit, burning more calories than you eat. While some people prefer to slash calories strictly through dieting, the most efficient and healthiest way is to combine cardio, strength training, and a healthy low-calorie diet.
Cardio is a key component because:
- You burn more calories at one time – When you boost your heart rate into your target heart rate zone, your blood is pumping faster, you’re breathing harder, you’re sweating –and your body is burning more calories. The harder and longer you work, the more calories you burn. For example, a 150-lb person can burn approximately 150 calories during a brisk 30-minute walk.
- You can easily increase intensity to boost your calorie burn – Even minor changes in intensity–running faster, jumping higher, climbing hills, or trying new activities–will accelerate your metabolism.
- It adds to your overall calorie deficit – Burning calories through exercise means you don’t have to cut as many calories from your diet–that is, as long as you don’t compensate by eating more after your workout.
- You can do cardio more frequently than strength training – After you lift weights, your muscles require rest to recover and grow stronger. You can do a prudent cardio routine most days of the week without worrying about injury or over-training.
The Best Cardio Exercises
Which exercises are best and how much of each do you need for weight loss?
The truth is, there is no universal best cardio exercise. The best activity is the one you’ll do on a regular basis. Finding something you like is critical to achieving your weight loss goals. You shouldn’t do anything that makes you feel miserable.
With that said, some exercises offer more intensity than others.
- Impact activities: Exercises that involve some impact, like walking, will usually boost your heart rate faster than none-impact activities like swimming or cycling.
- High impact activities: High impact–exercises that involve running or jumping–will often burn more calories than lower impact activities such as walking. Your workout doesn’t even need to consist entirely of high impact moves. You can add a few to your current workout and you’ll burn more calories.
- Whole body activities: Cardio Burn Fat routines that engage both the upper and lower body, such as cross-country skiing, can boost your heart rate and burn more calories. You can also do this with compound strength exercises, which provide the benefits of cardio while building strength and endurance.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bother with low impact exercise. You’ll want both for a well-rounded program.
In fact, it’s beneficial to combine more arduous workouts with others that allow you to recover while still exercising. You should spend most of your time just a bit beyond your comfort zone, with the remainder at a higher intensity. You can accomplish that by trying interval training, in which you alternate short bursts of high intensity exercise with periods for recovery. That’s a great way to burn more calories while building your endurance.
To get an idea of just how much cardio can do for you, check out the following list of common exercises. Below is the average number of calories burned by a 150-pound person in 30 minutes:
- Step aerobics: 325
- Stationary bike: 300
- Swimming: 200
- Walking 4 mph: 150
- Running 5 mph: 270
- Mowing the lawn with a push mower: 200
How Much Cardio Do You Need?
There’s no black and white answer. However, there are guidelines to help you start, after which you’ll gradually get a better idea of what your body can handle.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity activity per week, with muscle-strengthening activities on two days during the week to stay healthy. But the truth is that how much cardio you need varies from person to person and depends on factors such as:
- How many calories you eat
- How hard you exercise
- Your metabolism, age, and gender
- Your fitness level
- Your body fat percentage and weight
- Your exercise schedule
That said, there are some tips for setting up an effective cardio program.
