Our workouts focus on all types of exercise, since you need all types of fitness. I’ve often been asked why cardio is so good for weight loss. If you’ve read other blogs, you’ll notice that the focus is often on strength building, since it builds muscle tissue as it burns calories, but that doesn’t mean cardio doesn’t isn’t good. In fact, it is. Studies show that cardio torches calories and some cardio does it more than others do. For instance, HIIT cardio workouts, where you modify the intensity, going from high intensity to recovery and back, burns huge amounts.
Cardio has the ability to raise your metabolic rate.
When you walk, run or do any type of exercise, it can increase your output of energy, which burns calories immediately. It also increases the body’s demand for oxygen, which increases the mitochondrial enzymes and lets the body get more energy from fat oxidation, so it burns more fat. However, it can also burn muscle tissue to get those calories and the more muscle tissue you have, the higher your metabolism. That’s why you need more than just cardio to boost weight loss.
Some types of cardio continue to burn calories long after the exercise ends.
HIIT workouts cause increased EPOC, excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. It means then continuing to oxidize fat and increase the growth hormone levels of the body, which also adds to fat loss. This type of cardio, compared to steady-state cardio where you continue at the same pace, is superior when it comes to calorie burning. Also, exercises that do double duty, like strength building and cardio, can boost the overall energy you burn as they build muscle tissue. Kettle bell workouts fall into this type of exercise category.
You don’t need special equipment for some cardio workouts.
You don’t have to have special equipment to do cardio. It’s especially important if you’re just starting a weight loss plan. You can walk, run or do jumping jacks to get in your cardio workout and boost your weight loss. You can even modify walking into a HIIT workout by alternating between walking fast and a recovery pace. If calorie burning is your ultimate goal, focus on jumping rope. It’s a compound workout that involves several muscle groups and joints.
- No matter what type of exercise you add, it can increase the number of calories you burn. Even mild workouts like Tai chi can help you burn calories and have been linked to benefitting people with Type 2 diabetes and osteoarthritis.
- You can increase the number of calories you burn as an additional aid in weight loss, by increasing your activity level. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Climbing stairs is a cardio activity.
- The Department of Health and Human Services suggests that all adults have between 150 and 300 minutes of moderate exercise every week or 75 to 150 minutes of moderate activity.
- The singing method is one way to measure intensity. If you can carry on a conversation, but can’t sing, it’s moderate intensity. If you’re breathing rapidly after a few minutes but can only gasp a few words and have to stop for breath, it’s high intensity.
For more information, contact us today at Rising Fitness Gym