What is Cardio?

As the name suggests, cardio is a short form for cardiovascular which is an exercise for the heart. It increases your heart rate and keeps steady blood flow. It is for better functioning of the body. You know you’re doing cardio when your resting heart rate is 50% more than the normal rate. It is for all age groups.

Types Of Cardio:

Cardio can be done in any form- cycling, skipping, swimming, running. The intensity of the workout varies from individual to individual. Our bodies need to burn more calories than we eat to lose weight. If you want to focus on only fat and weight loss, Low Intensity Steady State (LISS) is a good option, because walking burns more fat as compared to running.

On the other hand, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a way to boost the body’s fat burning capacity. Even a 15 minute HIIT can be more productive when compared to a 30 minute walk on the treadmill.

But how?

HIIT workouts increase your heart rate faster and burn fat in lesser time because of the high intensity. You perform intense bursts of exercise followed by short recovery periods.

MYTH: CARDIO CAUSES MUSCLE LOSS

While performing cardio, your body burns calories. Now where do these come from? You burn carbs, fats, muscle, water. But when do you burn muscle? You burn muscle only when you have a poor diet with low protein. If you want to prevent muscle loss, have adequate protein meals.

IS CARDIO MORE EFFECTIVE BEFORE OR AFTER WEIGHT TRAINING?

Its not harmful if you do either of them, but you lose the energy which could be spent in lifting heavier weights if you perform cardio before weight training. So try doing 15 minutes of cardio after your weight training session.

SHOULD YOU WORKOUT ON AN EMPTY STOMACH?

Again it totally depends from person to person. Don’t be pressured to workout on an empty stomach for better results. If training on an empty stomach makes you ill and you lack energy, then eat something light (eg. apple, black coffee, biscuits, almonds, walnuts) beforehand so you can put in more effort.

HOW CAN YOU MAKE YOUR WORKOUT MORE EFFECTIVE?

Cardio can get a bit boring sometimes, hence you can always mix up cardio with resistance training and abs workout. Or probably you can just have a change of location and have an outdoor workout once in a while. Sometimes a change in the location can make a difference. Try and keep a track of the workout you’re doing. Sometimes just listening to songs that motivate you make your workout effective.

You can check out my video on instagram for beginners: gyaanfitness

If weight loss is your goal, then cardio can be a great stepping stone to increase your fitness levels and burn calories quickly. However, in order to achieve a toned look, adding resistance training to your routine is important.

GET FIT IN THE GYM, LOSE WEIGHT IN THE KITCHEN.

Exercise is just a part of the routine when it comes to fat loss. Eating habits and lifestyle factors also contribute to your weight-loss goals. Everyone is different so it’s important to find something that works for you.