It seems that it is now in fashion to say that cardiovascular workouts are not the way to lose weight. More and more trainers are saying that strength training or interval training is the best way to burn body fat and lose weight.
This may be true but cardiovascular workouts definitely work for weight loss. As long as you do them right, they can be very effective. I know this from my personal experience. When I first started losing weight, cardio played a big role in my success.
But how do you lose weight with cardiovascular exercises and why do some people seem against it?
To answer the latter part of the question first, I believe that a lot of trainers believe that cardio is simply not the best or most time efficient way to lose weight. This has some merit. Other forms of exercise can be more calorie expensive than the traditional form of cardio which calls for a protracted workout at a medium pace.
This is the main thing which people do wrong: they choose length of workout over the quality of it The truth is that you need to make a real effort in your workouts to make them effective. The harder you work, the more calories you are likely burning and the easier it gets to lose weight.
To lose weight with cardiovascular workouts you need to do hard workouts and they should also be fun. When people ask me what is the best form of cardio to do, I just tell them to do what they like. This is the best thing for them. I believe that running, cycling, and rowing are among the most intense and effective cardio workouts there are. However, if what you like is swimming or using the elliptical machine then go for it. You need to do these workouts for a long time so choose what you like.
One way in which I like to use cardio in my workouts is to combine it with strength exercises. For instance, if, in the middle of your run, you stop and do some squats or push-ups or lunges, you get a completely different experience than with just a cardio workout.
The bottom line is that cardio needs to be fun and it needs to be intense. If it's not the former then you won't stick to it. If it's not the latter it will not give you results. Combine the two for the best effect.
For the best workouts visit Top 10 Cardiovascular Exercises. For a program to help you lose weight with cardio visit Weight Loss Cardio Review. Jonathan Dunsky is a health and fitness writer.
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