How much cardio is enough?

[elsie3]

I'm age 41 and want to focus on weights to lean out my midsection, hips, and thighs. I am just starting kettle bell workouts (I only have the Lauren Brooks workout so far). I'm trying to figure out a good rotation that includes weights, cardio, kettlebells, and yoga. How much cardio do I need? And how do you incorporate KB with other weight work?

Thank you for your replies.

Elsie

 

[horseshowmom]

I hate to be the 1st to answer, but I've been doing a lot of reading lately ~Fitness RX, Muscle & Fitness hers, Oxygen ~ (the more *serious magazines) and I've found a theme......they are saying 60 - 90 minutes 6 days a week for weight loss cardio. I'm having a really hard time fitting it all in...3 1/2 hours @ the gym yesterday!
Of course on the flip side you have Bill Phillips and the Body for Life program which claims 20 minutes of high intensity 3x a week is sufficient. I've followed his eating plan and am trying to make it a way of life, but never his workout regimen. Although he has great before and after photos and success stories. I just can't convince myself that I can lose with 60 minutes of cardio every week.
So, there you go, 2 totally different points of view. I hope I didn't just confuse you more. I'm looking forward to seeing what others have to say!

Becky

 

[LauraMax]

90 minutes? Whoa! I heard stop at 60 or you start burning muscle mass.

This is something that's always baffled me. I hear one thing--cut down cardio, build muscle mass to boost metabolism--I hear another thing--an hour 6 days a week--I just don't know what's right? I mean, everyone is different & has to find what works best for them........but it would be nice to have general, more concrete guidelines.........

Anyway, I'm kind of a cardio junkie. I love weights but I usually feel guilty if I don't get my cardio in (which I suppose is an issue all its own). So I just do what feels right.

Sorry, not very helpful huh?

 

[hottiescientist]

Frankly, I think its different for everyone and that's why we get such conflicting information from our pop news sources. I really started losing weights when I started doing circuit workouts through one plateau and then I started HIIT and broke through another one ... the only way my husband loses weight is if he goes serious on the cardio. Also, I'm not sure what the magazines are saying, but are they indicating how intense the 60-90m are? I've definitely done 60-90m of really high intensity stuff but then I *rest* the next day and do something totally not intense but it may still fall under 60-90m (say, walking). Since I think these things vary from person to person, I'm a bigger fan of saying, what do you think will shock your body this time and create rotations around that, your schedule, and your motivation. I say this trying to shock the system a little too right now...

 

[Lynn M.]

For me 20 min/3x week is no where near enough, even it is HIIT.

I have to do cardio 5-6 days/ week, but I vary it.. some days its moderate other days more intense. Usually it averages to be around 40 min/day. Strength training is much more my thing to do, but I just don't feel worked out if I don't get some type of sweating in too.

I also like my food, so I'd rather burn some calories doing cardio than to not eat something I really want that might not be so good for me!

Take care, Lynn M.

 

[RapidBreath]

this may sound crazy

Do as much cardio as it takes. Not the answer you were looking for maybe? Track it your body weight, measurements, and take a before and after picture over a month's time using more cardio and then the next month do less cardio and compare. I realize this may take some time and that diet will be key. You must be diligent about weighing/measuring your caloric intake, getting enough protein, and avoiding white stuff (flour/sugar/potatos.) Don't eat too little. This can be a major problem too. Add your bmr (basal metabolic rate) to your activity rate (its easiest if you use a heart rate monitor I'm assuming you have one.) and then subtract about 500 calories to create that deficit while you are concentrating on the cardio rotation. I have never really focused on gaining muscle. It just sort of happens for me (its a hormonal issue) so as for nutrition on the rotation I really don't know what to tell you, maybe some of the other gals can give you better advice for that.

I noticed a major fat shift on my thigh area when I added intervalic running.
one idea:
M Cardio 45 min. Interval style (step, cycle, or wog) use 15 min. of yoga to cool down. HIIT seemed to improve endurance but just a variation seemed to improve my behind more.
T weights (do you want to do a ckt or full body? or splits?)
W off or cardio (up to you) or yoga (longer routine, maybe off yoga today, its free and different episodes are posted often.)
T weights
F Cardio about 60 min. (steady state) Yoga to cool down.
Sa KB (seems like a full body wo to me, I guess that depends on your point of view.)

It just seems to me that yoga/cardio go hand in hand.

If you know all this stuff, please forgive the mild well meant rant.

 

[meowracer]

Much of it depends on your body type. And your goals. And your eating. That is the trouble with this whole thing! You just sort of have to do trial and error, and really listen to you body. It will usually tell you what it needs, or does not need. As for KBs, that also depends on what you are currently doing, IMO. If you are doing full body w/o's, then do KB on one of those days. If you are doing 2 day splits, then do KBs as a full body instead of two more split days. Same if it is a 3 day split - may even be able to squeeze in if a 4 day split. You should take a rest day...maybe yoga on that day? I guess that would be considered rest enough... I don't do yoga so I really don't know that one. I have a DVD to try and plan on doing that on my rest day, or at the end of a day when I get to work out in the AM.

 

[tneah]

I have to do a shee-ot load of cardio to maintain my bodyfat where I like it to be. Seriously, its tough. I do 6 days a week, at least an hour. Sometimes I split it up and do some in the evening as well. This is me though, my metabolism is whacky right now and I am trying to get it back to "normal" . Everyone is different, you have to just try and see what works for you. I never lose muscle mass doing this either by the way.

 

[morningstar]

As I have mentioned so many times before, I hate cardio! So for me, my walk to work and home again (100 min total) five days a week is enough. I think I hate it because of my boobs, honestly. I wear 34H (I used to wear 42JJ!) and I just don't like body parts not in my control - flopping around, going in the opposite direction as the rest of me, etc. I just haven't found a really great cardio sports bra in my size. I don't have implants, I just collect fat in my boobs.

 

[icumom]

With good diet, the 3x week cardio under 30 minutes and the weight training works fine...No WAY would I EVER go back to longer than that!