how much cardio to lose weight?

[gidge78]

how much cardio?

Hi,
I have often thought about that question myself...considering that every women wants to lose at least five pounds. I have read that you have to do anywhere from 50-90 minutes of cardio a day.Someone said 50 and then another said up to 90 so I guess we can beleive who we want.
But I have also read that the workout is only a small percentage.And want you eat is more important.Now make no mistake that the two go hand in hand but you won't see results unless you watch what goes in your mouth.
I also read there that if you eat 5 friuts and 5 veggies a day then you will lose weight.None of these have I tried but I always like to work out for atleast 60 minutes.
Good Luck,.
Lori

 

[Lex411]

Excellent advice

Lydia, you posted really great advice! Over the last year I have lost about 3 sizes, I don't go by weight since muscle weighs more than fat, and I also used cross training as a method of losing fat. I used to have such a set routine but it seemed like that put me at a plateau where I'd work hard but didn't see the results I should have. But when I alternated intervals, strength training, step, hi/lo and even circuit work I saw muscles being revealed from the fat burning away. Of course, nutrition and how and what I was eating were a major factor as well.

I wouldn't worry so much about duration as I would about consistency of training. Most trainers use the general rule of thumb that 3-4 days a week is maintenance, 5-6 days a week is to make changes in your body. As far as how long to exercise each day, that will vary from person to person and will even change as your fitness level changes. The Cathe tapes are certainly long enough in the cardio area to help you speed up your metabolism and burn fat, when coupled with good nutrition and a consistent schedule. But I personally found the most dramatic fat losses from adding strength training regularly. Since muscle requires more fuel to sustain itself than fat, it actually ends up eating fat for fuel. So don't be afraid of building muscle. It supports your bones and burns more calories, even at rest.

Just getting used to working out 5 or 6 days per week can be a task that takes time for most people, so I'd focus on that first. When you're used to that then I'd look at your workout length. Another thing that has helped me tremendously is to completely change your workouts, even if just to vary the order you do them in, every 4-6 weeks. Keeps your body guessing and keeps you from just getting used to a workout instead of progressing. Luckily, Cathe has so many tapes you can address all these things with her workouts if you like.

Just have a lot of fun with your workouts so it's something you'll stick to in the long run.