“Commission or revenue may be earned by Hearst Magazines and Yahoo through these links. If you’ve recently embarked on a safe and effective weight loss journey, engaging in cardio for weight loss is crucial. Certain exercises will get your heart rate up and help you achieve your goals.
Meet the Experts: Tim Landicho, a C.S.C.S., N.S.C.A.-certified strength and conditioning specialist, and Tonal fitness coach; Denise Chakoian, a C.P.T., owner, and founder of CORE Cycle.Fitness.Lagree; and Jim White, R.D.N., A.C.S.M. Ex-P, owner of Jim White Fitness and Nutrition Studios.
Cardio works by elevating your heart rate and maintaining it throughout your workout, says Tim Landicho. This is achieved by engaging large muscle groups in repetitive movements, which increases your heart rate and breathing.
Cardio is an essential component of any weight loss plan, along with strength training. While cardio focuses on cardiovascular health and fat burning, strength training is about building or preserving muscle and converting fat into muscle, explains Jim White. Too much cardio without strength training or proper nutrition can lead to muscle loss alongside fat loss.
The key to weight loss is burning more calories than you consume, says Landicho. Cardio helps with this by burning calories even after your workout ends through a process called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). This is characterized by increased oxygen intake and metabolism during the body’s recovery from exercise.
The CDC recommends that adults do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio per week, but there is no one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss. However, our experts provide some starting points to make your workouts effective and enjoyable.
Denise Chakoian suggests aiming for 30 to 45 minutes of cardio per session, as it typically takes 20 minutes for the body to enter fat-burning mode. Below are some recommended cardio exercises for weight loss from our experts.
Running: Both Chakoian and Landicho recommend running for cardio. Running is considered a vigorous form of aerobic exercise by the CDC and can help meet your weekly exercise requirements.
Cycling: Whether it’s a spin class or biking to work, cycling is a great way to achieve your cardio goals. Depending on the intensity, it can be moderate or vigorous exercise.
Kickboxing: White recommends kickboxing for its calorie-burning and full-body workout benefits. It is a high-intensity exercise that elevates your heart rate and has lasting calorie-burning effects due to EPOC. An average kickboxing session can burn 500-800 calories.”
Calories are burned effectively through various workouts, such as jump squats, jump rope, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). High-intensity exercises like jump squats provide a fat-burning workout while also enhancing athletic performance. Jumping jacks are a quick way to boost your heart rate, and rowing offers a combination of cardiovascular and strength training in a short time frame. Walking for 30 minutes a day is recommended for maintaining a healthy weight and overall well-being. HIIT workouts involve circuits of intense moves like jump squats and burpees, with short rest periods in between. Jump rope is a full-body cardio workout that can be done at different speeds for maximum benefit. Other cardio options include the suitcase march, dancing, and swimming, which provide heart-pumping benefits with less impact on the joints.
***The Power of Cardio: Unlocking the Benefits for Your Health and Well-being***
In the world of fitness and wellness, the importance of cardio exercise cannot be overstated. According to experts at the Cleveland Clinic, engaging in a regular routine of cardio workouts can bring about a myriad of positive effects on both the body and mind.
Let’s dive into the specifics of how cardio can transform your health:
**Calorie Burn with Swimming:**
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights that a 154-pound individual can torch approximately 255 calories by swimming slow freestyle laps for just 30 minutes. This calorie-burning activity showcases the efficiency of swimming as a workout option.
**Cardiovascular Health Enhancement:**
One of the foremost benefits of cardio exercise is its profound impact on cardiovascular health. As noted by experts such as White and Landicho, maintaining a consistent cardio regimen can lead to improvements in heart and lung function. Strengthening the heart muscle, regulating blood pressure, reducing cholesterol levels, and mitigating the risk of heart disease are all outcomes associated with regular cardio workouts.
**Elevated Mood and Endurance:**
Beyond physical health, cardio exercise has been found to have significant mental health benefits. Noted as a mood booster and stress reliever, engaging in cardio activities can flood the body with endorphins, thereby contributing to an overall sense of well-being. Furthermore, building endurance, improving lung capacity, and enhancing breathing efficiency are additional perks that come with incorporating cardio into your routine.
**Immune System Support:**
In the realm of immune health, cardio exercise plays a pivotal role. Research indicates that engaging in regular physical activity, including cardio workouts, can have a positive impact on immune function. By promoting an anti-inflammatory environment and bolstering white blood cell count, cardio exercise sets the stage for enhanced immune defense and metabolic well-being.
**Fat Loss and Metabolism Boost:**
For individuals aiming to shed excess fat and enhance metabolic function, cardio exercise emerges as a potent ally. By revving up the metabolism and incinerating calories, cardio workouts target fat deposits, particularly around vital internal organs. This targeted fat-burning effect not only aids in weight loss but also serves as a formidable strategy for disease prevention.
In conclusion, the evidence is clear: Cardio exercise is a cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle, offering a multitude of benefits that extend beyond physical appearance. From torching calories and enhancing cardiovascular health to uplifting mood and boosting immune resilience, the power of cardio is truly transformative.
Stay tuned for more insights on how you can harness the full potential of cardio exercise to optimize your health and well-being.
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