How Much Cardio Should I Do?
How Much Cardio Should I Do?
Exercise is essential for your well-being and overall health, and cardio is among the most effective and popular exercises. It has numerous benefits for your cardiovascular health and cognitive function. However,if weight loss is your main goal, nutrition is more important. For people who are just beginning their fitness journey, I always recommend they take care of their nutrition first before they start worrying about tons of cardio.
Weight loss
In order to lose weight, you need a calorie deficit. This means that you should reduce your daily calorie intake, i.e., the number of calories you eat should be less than the amount of calories you burn. The amount of calories you burn is determined by many things, including exercise. Cardio is a great way to burn more calories, but even in the most intense cardio portions of your fitness training, you will only burn a few hundred calories in 30 minutes. It is extremely easy to EAT a few hundred calories in 1 minute.
Through my experience as a fitness trainer, I have learned that some people need more calories than others and that there are different body types. However, weight loss requires a reduction in your calorie intake in all instances. Although it might be a little challenging, you can use a calorie tracking app to calculate your calorie and macronutrient intake.
Weight maintenance
If you are happy with your weight and you just want to remain physically fit, personal training is still important. You may feel like there’s no need to hit the gym if you have already achieved your body goals, but exercise is important for weight maintenance too. You will want to focus more on strength training (resistance training) and high intensity workouts instead of long bouts of cardio. These exercises will help to build muscles and still improve your cardiovascular health and cognitive function.
My Opinion
Every good personal trainer will tell you cardio is a great weight loss tool, but it’s easier to just do it moderately with activities like walking the dog, swimming, or household chores. This is because steady-state cardio on a treadmill in the gym can get very boring. If you can find a way to work it into your daily life, consistency will be much easier.
It’s important to know your body. Be aware of your daily calorie quota so that you can make the right choices when it comes to overall fitness, nutrition, and types of exercise.
If you are unaware of what is best for you and your body, consulting with a fitness professional may be a great option. You can reach us at OTG by heading over to the “Contact Us” Page. If you are in the South Houston area, you may want to schedule a time to come by our gym. If not, we can still take care of you completely online!
