The man on the left is a famous sprinter and the man on the right in a marathon-runner. IF you want to get your cardio and still keep your muscle, short intense bouts of cardio are the way to go! Now for the lengthy explanation... Let me start here... IT HAS BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN THAT YOU BURN FAT when YOU ARE OUT BREATH AND working up a sweat. You need to work and work hard. If you are reading a magazine or book or talking on your cell phone you are not getting your work done. No matter what... you need to be sweaty and out of breath when you are doing that cardio (or any FAT-melting exercise for that matter) or you are not accomplishing your goal of burning 'fat'. Period. Sprinters don't pace themselves the way long-distance runners do... they push themselves, their speed pays as much of a role in their workout and conditioning as does their strength.
I'm not saying you need to go become a sprinter to get the same kind of results for your body but you do need to get to that sweaty, out of breath, heart-pumping 'place'. Different variables help us to get to that sweaty/out of breath place faster, namely upping the intensity of something (adding hills or intervals or even changing the temperature in the room can be a good 'cheat'). It's the 'challenge' that will take your body to that yummy fat-burning place. This why so may people who continually do steady-state cardio (elliptical trainer on 'manual' for 45 minutes) loose weight initially but then can not see changes happening in their body after 6-8 weeks. Their body has adapted... yes they are burning calories but your body (as I have said previously) is a glorious machine that adapts quite quickly to your workouts and eating habits! YOUR BODY MUST BE CHALLENGED! YOU MUST BE SWEATY AND WORK-ING IT TO BURN FAT! Now that we have gotten that little tidbit out of the way here are a couple other key points to add to your cardio knowledge:
1.) Don't go longer then 45 minutes if you are doing steady state unless you are a) training for distance specifically (not fat-burning obviously because we have already covered that.) b) properly fueled. If you are going longer then 45 minutes doing anything that makes you sweaty and breathless make sure you are doing intervals. This is the only way you are making that time count for something (Spin class/Boxing/Sprints although if you can do hardcore sprints for 45 minute straight I'd like to steal some your DNA for my future bionic baby).
2) Boxing/Sprinting (uphill or otherwise)/HIIT (high intensity interval training) are the absolute best ways to get that heart rate up in a short amount of time to burn fat/calories AND improve your cardiovascular strength/endurance.
3) When on a machine DO NOT "CHECK" OUT! Avoid pressing /manual' if you can! DO intervals! Sweat your bippy off and while we are on the topic...
Machine etiquette - Don't hold onto the handlebars on the treadmill unless you are checking your heart rate! You literally are getting half the workout! See that little number where you are watching those calories add up? Divide it in half if you are holding onto those handlebars! I'm serious! Yes, EVEN if you are going up hill! Those calorie counters are already unreliable as it is and I recommend when entering your 'weight' you enter in at least 5 lbs less then what you are! Most machines are made for men and don't even take into consideration height, body-fat percentage, or BMI... don't you think these things matter??? Wouldn't a 5'7"/ bodybuilding/230 lb man burn more calories (or calories differently) then a 5'1"/obese/230 lb woman? Exactly! This is where you use that head of yours to "calculate" how hard you are working and if you are working as hard as you can for that time spent on the machine!
When on the stair-stepper/stepmill you obviously need to hold onto the handlebars but do not lean on them... otherwise just like before, divide that little calorie # in half! Most people do this machine because it is challenging and it works your legs and gluts the same time as your heart BUT NOT IF YOU ARE LEANING OVER LIKE THAT, HOLDING ON FOR DEAR LIFE, KEEPING YOURSELF PROPPED UP WITH YOUR ELBOWS LOCKED OUT! Wow, what an awesome upper body workout that is! Good job! Oh, wait... why are you on that machine again? Aww-huh!! This is obviously my biggest pet peeve at the gym, Ugh. It is so much better to take down that intensity a few notches, maintain proper form, get a solid workout in and then as you get stronger you can up that intensity to a number you like. Start at a level 3, not at a level 10 and work your way up. Believe me it's not going anywhere! You will get there, you just need to work up to it! Your body will thank you!
Always taking intelligent questions so please ask away & message me!
I believe in you,
xoxox T
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