What are The Best Cardio Exercises To Lose Weight and Keep It Off?

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question-icon-newWhich cardio exercises are the best for losing weight and how much weight should I aim to lose per week for the best results?

answer-icon-newThe answer to your first question needs to be centered around the vital role that a proper diet plays in losing weight and keeping it off. The foods you choose to consume are extremely important in order to achieve and maintain any long-term weight loss objective. In fact, maintaining a proper diet is the single most important factor when trying to lose body fat, keep the pounds off and improve your overall health. The key is to remember that a proper diet is even more important and will have a greater impact on fat loss than doing endless hours of cardio and weight training workouts. This is for the simple fact that you can’t out-exercise a bad diet! However, when a proper diet is combined with a consistent cardio and weight training program, that combination has a synergistic effect that exponentially increases the overall effectiveness of your efforts, much more so than either a proper diet or a consistent cardio program could each do independently.

To answer your specific question, the best cardio exercises for losing weight depends on your own individual physical abilities, limitations and your personal preferences. If you like jogging then jog. If you like walking then walk. If you like playing basketball then play basketball! Get the idea? If you like a little bit of everything then try crosstraining workouts and do a little bit of everything! Just try to find something you really enjoy doing on a daily basis and focus on being consistent with that activity. As far as how many pounds you should aim to lose per week, try focusing on 1-2 pounds per week which is a good number to stick with for long-term success. Below is a list of just a few great cardio exercises to consider:

  • Speed Walking (outside, indoor track, treadmill) – Researchers found that overweight women who performed speed-interval walking workouts for 45 minutes per session along with some weight training toning exercises four times a week lost 23 pounds in only 16 weeks. Try walking outside and find new areas around your neighborhood where the terrain and scenery is different in order to keep your walking workouts fun and interesting.
  • Jogging (outside, indoor track, treadmill) – This exercise does not require much explanation. Just be sure to jog at a pace you are comfortable with and make sure you have proper footwear to minimize the potential for blisters or other common issues related to jogging.
  • best-cardio-exercises-joggingStationary Bike – The exercise bike can help you burn calories and tone your legs. When working out on a stationary bike, the trick is to make sure you set the machine with enough resistance to actually burn a significant amount of calories so you can get an effective workout.
  • Elliptical Machine – The elliptical machine is a fantastic exercise to include in your cardio workouts! Set the machine at a level you are comfortable with and continue at your own pace, but make sure you’re working hard enough to burn adequate calories. Short 30-60 seconds high intensity intervals work amazing with this machine and will really make you sweat big time! Make sure to use both your legs and your arms to get the best workout with the elliptical machine. Allow yourself three to five minutes to cool down after your workout is over.
  • Basketball – Find a pickup game in your local area or just shoot some hoops solo. Try to find a full court and be sure to be on the move constantly running to each end of the court using both baskets so you can burn some calories while having fun!

Other Great Cardio Exercises To Consider

  • Racquetball
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Wind Sprints
  • Stair Sprints
  • Jumping Rope
  • Burpees

Regardless of which cardio exercise you choose to do, the most important thing is to always remember to hit your target heart rate zone for at least 30 minutes (see Heart Rate Chart 1.1 below), be consistent with your workouts and keep your diet as clean as possible.

Heart Rate Chart 1.1 (Source: American Heart Association, www.Heart.org)

heart-rate-chart

Heart Rate Chart 1.1 provides a general range of hearts rates based on average data for each respective age range. The average maximum heart rate (100%) is estimated by subtracting your age from 220. For example, if you are 38 years old then your estimated maximum heart rate should be around 182 beats per minute. Therefore, your target heart rate zone (50% to 85% of your maximum heart rate) for cardio training purposes would be 91-155 beats per minute. Always remember to listen to your body and stay safe! If you’re not on your “A-Game” one day – so what! Slow down or even stop and cut your workout short that day. Rome wasn’t built in a day and there’s no need to push yourself like a maniac. Your ego will heal a lot faster than an unnecessary self-induced injury that puts you out for weeks!

Checking your heart rate is a relatively easy thing to do. Simply place two fingers on the inside of your opposite wrist, count your pulse for ten seconds and then multiply that number by six. That total is your heart rate at that given time. When you initially begin your cardio training program, it is recommended to set your training goals at the lower end of your target heart rate range (closer to 50% of your maximum heart rate). As you progress with your cardio training routine and build stamina, gradually increase your training goals upward towards the higher end of the target heart rate range (closer to 85% of your maximum heart rate) so you can really start burning lots of calories and body fat. Now it’s time to get off the computer, put on your running shoes and get after it!

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3 Comments

  1. david taulbee on

    I currently use an elliptical machine and I’m averaging 1 hour a day for about 8 to 10 miles. I have been doing this for about 2 months and have lost 20 pounds, but I feel like I’m at a standstill. What should I do to change up my routine?

    • Hi David – You can add in some crosstraining into your routine to mix things up. Do 20 minutes of elliptical, 20 minutes of treadmill and 20 minutes of bike. This should give your body a little spark since you will be doing different cardio movements.

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