"cardio for weight loss explained"
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6 WWW.MAXMUSCLE.COM APRIL 2009
cardioforweightlossexplained
FitFocus
Love it or hate it, most everyone is aware o the need to engage
in cardiovascular activity as part o an optimal health and
ftness plan. But over the years cardio has been stereotyped
into two groupings, both extreme. On one hand, you have die-
hard proponents who proess their love and credit their tight
abs and thighs to logging hours on the elliptical, treadmill
and arc trainer. On the other hand, you have death-beore-
cardio liting addicts who consider a fve-minute warm-up an
adequate cardio session, and claim their super-intense weight
routine is the sole tribute to their rippling six-pack. So, whos
right? Believe it or not, theyre both right.
The popularity o cardio is built on the premise that aerobic
activity burns at. And, there is good reason to believe that
statement. Its true! However, true weight loss comes not
only rom at burning, but rom a total caloric defcit that all
comes down to a tried and true clich nearly everyones heard:
calories in versus calories out. That little phrase cant be
closer to the truth, and its the best kept secret in weight loss.
While the solution is simple, its ar rom easy to identiy an
individuals metabolic rate and daily caloric output. Without
extensive, expensive metabolic testing, the best solution is a
very controlled and closely monitored trial and error period.
By Alissa Carpio, NASM-CPT
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8/6/2019 "CARDIO FOR WEIGHT LOSS EXPLAINED"
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Beore drating the cardio component o a program,
consider your current routine and how much available time
you have to dedicate to a program. Also, unless youre
training or a specifc event such as a bodybuilding or ftness
competition, consider that you will not be able to maintain an
extremely rigorous and time-consuming program or the rest
o your lie. It should be livable and enjoyable, above all.
NutritionNutrition and supplementation need to be addressed, also.
All the training in the world wont help you lose weight iyoure consuming too many calories, not enough calories,
or the wrong types and amounts o ood. Get into the habit
o eating 6-8 small meals daily. I its difcult, start with 3
meals and 2-3 snacks. The key is to get your body used to
receiving ood and burning it or uel, instead o hoarding it
or energy and survival. Meals should be balanced, consisting
o lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, fbrous vegetables
and ruits and healthy ats. Portion control is important.
By logging your ood in a journal or diary, its easy to see
exactly what areas need improvement. Without tracking, its
impossible to monitor, evaluate and make necessary changes.
Recommended caloric intake is a complex subject in its own
right. Try to give yoursel as much ood as possible to get theresults you want. Cut slowly and consistently. When it comes
to dietary restriction, less is more.
Supplements that boost energy and help with appetite
control and at burning are useul during times o strict dieting.
However, in regards to maintaining a liestyle, they should not
be used on a constant basis.
Weight TrainingNever consider a at loss program without a weight training
component. There are ar too many benefts o weight training
to miss out on this awesome activity. Plus, weight loss will be
more difcult as it will become harder to burn calories through
other means o action. Metabolic shutdown is a risk, too.
Weight training will burn up to 500 calories per workout. It willhelp build lean muscle, which will in turn burn more calories
at rest. Finally, resistance training will shape and tighten your
body, something that is impossible with cardio alone.
At a minimum, engage in 2-3 weight training sessions every
week. Be sure to work every major muscle group at least
once weekly. For more o a cardio eect, keep rest periods
between sets under 60 seconds. Other options include super
setting (perorming 2 or more exercises back to back without
rest) or circuit training. (See the sidebar or more tips.)
Aerobic vs. AnaerobicCardio is typically reerred to as aerobics. But what does
that really mean? Aerobic means with oxygen. While yourbody never truly relies on a single energy source, most o the
energy during aerobic exercise comes rom oxygen. Oxygen
is quickly replenished and this is why you can perorm cardio
or such a long duration without having to rest.
Anaerobic exercise (meaning without oxygen) takes
the body into the training zone where sugars are recruited
or energy. Typically, this style o exercise is weight training.
Stored carbohydrates in the muscles are quickly depleted
and take longer to replenish. This is why you have to rest ater
a very short time when weight training, but can then resume
and continue the workout ater several minutes.
Why should you care about all this? Through anaerobic
training the metabolism is elevated or up to 38 hours post-
exercise. Studies have shown that high-intensity interval
27APRIL 2009WWW.MAXMUSCLE.COM
Weight Training Rule #1Eat carbs and protein beore you train. This is vital! I you
dont have enough available and stored carbohydrate
(glycogen) to uel you through a workout, your body will
break down its own protein and convert it to glucose or
energy. This means you will be breaking down your hard-
earned muscle in an attempt to build new muscle verycounterproductive! Good pre-workout snack ideas: a
banana with all-natural peanut butter, a protein bar that
includes carbs, yogurt or any Max Muscle Protein shake
with some Carbo Max or ruit added to it.
Weight Training Rule #2Feed your passion. Do you realize that it takes your body
about 5,000 calories to grow one pound o muscle? Now,
Im not advising you go out and eat 5,000 calories right
now; rather Im suggesting that you make sure your diet
is structured to include some calories to support your
strength training (300 to 700 per day depending on the
individual). Dont worry, i youre training hard and oten,
the extra calories will not be stored as at but instead willbe used to build new muscle, which in turn helps you burn
at. This is a tough one or people to swallow because it
goes against so much o what theyve been told, but its
true. You may fnd that the right balance is adding calories
in the orm o a pre-workout snack and a post-workout
recovery snack. Then continue with eating small requent
meals loaded with quality protein, complex carbs, and
healthy ats the rest o the day. I highly suggest talking to
a Max Muscle Certifed Fitness Nutrition Coach to make
sure you understand the importance o this rule.
Weight Training Rule #3Keep your body guessing. Results come quickly when you
start weight training, but i you dont change your routineonce in a while you will defnitely hit a plateau and become
rustrated. I youre a novice to weight training, talk to an
experienced trainer or help. I you decide to go it alone,
then buy a good book about training or your ftness level
and take the time to design your workouts beore you hit
the gym. I youve been weight training or a while, mix it
up a little by incorporating supersets, circuit training and
pyramid workouts to keep your body making positive
changes.
Weight Training Rule #4Dont sleep walk through your workout. Intensity intensity
intensity! Intensity translates into a higher metabolism
both during and ater your workout.
THE RULESBy Jennifer Lee, CN
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8 WWW.MAXMUSCLE.COM APRIL 2009
Day Cardio Type Cardio Time Ideal HR Range
1 Interval Training on Treadmill:
2 min. sprinting at 8 mph
alternating with 3 min. jogging
at 5mph
30 minutes* 80% Max HR on
60% Max HR o
2 LSD Incline Walking on
Treadmill
45 minutes* 65-70% Max HR
3 3 on, 2 o, Intervals on Elliptical 30 minutes* 80% Max HR on
60% Max HR o
4 LSD Arc Trainer 45 minutes* 65-70% Max HR
*Does not include 3-5 minute warm-up and 3-5 minute cool-down.
training helps burn more at than aerobic
exercise. So i youre trying to lose
weight, anaerobic training is a must!
While people typically assume that
being on a cardio machine is aerobic
and liting weights is anaerobic, its the
way you train that dictates the energy
source used and type o training being
perormed. That being said, you canalter both your cardio sessions and your
weight training sessions to be more
anaerobic or more aerobic, respectively.
Cardio that is more aerobic in nature
is called long slow distance or steady
state. Cardio that is more anaerobic is
typically reerred to as interval training
or high-intensity interval training.
While the benefts o anaerobic
training would seem superior, its
important to include aerobic exercise
as well. Aerobic cardio helps the body
recover rom intense training, preventsovertraining, and continues to improve
heart health and endurance.
Cardio VariablesWith any type o cardio, the key to
continual at loss lies in progressively
overloading the body as it continually
adapts to the challenges placed beore
it. This can be done by altering one or
more o these our variables: requency,
intensity, time, type.
Frequency the number o times cardio
is perormed in a given amount o time
(usually one week)/Intensity the level o difculty o a
cardio session. Generally related to time
(higher intensity coincides with shorter
length o time). Measured by heart rate
or Rate o Perceived Exertion (RPE).
Time the length o a cardio session.
Type the style o cardio, determined
by length and intensity. Two main
categories are high intensity and long
slow distance/steady state.
Remember, the body will efciently
adapt to the challenges placed upon it,
so they have to continually increase indifculty to orce the body to continue
to burn calories, which o course will aid
in at loss. Its extremely important to
track training heart rate during cardio.
Most gym cardio machines have this
eature built in, but i its not available to
you, invest wisely in your own personal
heart rate monitor. This will take out the
guesswork in fguring out which training
range youre in. It also serves as a saetyeature to prevent your heart rate rom
getting too high. Ideal training heart rate
ranges are outlined in the above chart.
Program Design A great way to approach your cardio
program is to keep it varied. This
keeps things un, but more importantly,
allows you to reap the benefts o
dierent types o cardio. Other actors
to consider are requency o weight
training, and allowing adequate time or
rest and recovery. The chart above is
an example or a ft person working outwith weights 3 times weekly and taking
one complete day o rest every week.
This person would ollow a 2-on, 1-o,
2-on, 2-o cardio routine.
Find Your Heart Rate Zones
Subtract your age rom the number 220.
This is your max HR. You should never
train at this level o intensity. Multiply
that number by .8 or 80 percent o your
max HR. Multiply your number rom
step one by .6 or 60 percent o your
max HR. A 29 year old would yield the
ollowing results:
220 29 = 191 max HR
191 x .8 = 153 (80 percent max HR)
191 x .6 = 115 (60 percent max HR)
As part o a well-rounded nutrition
and ftness plan, cardio can assist you
in reaching your health and at loss
goals. Like all components o ftness,
cardio should be part o a complete plan
coupled with weight training, proper
nutrition and rest. Take your at loss to
the next level by addressing your cardio
program. Love it or hate it, the resultswill speak or themselves! MS&F
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