Learn more ‘What Are The Cardio Workout Plans For Losing Weight?’ It might be challenging to set up an efficient fitness program for weight loss. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends 20 minutes of strenuous cardiac activity three days a week or 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five days a week in order to get the health advantages. The ACSM advises engaging in 60 to 90 minutes of activity on a few days a week in order to reduce weight.
How to put up a regimen that includes a range of training intensities, activities, and durations is not covered in detail in the recommendations.
If you simply work out slowly, you run the danger of becoming bored and maybe losing less weight. Working harder encourages your body to adapt by increasing stamina and calorie expenditure.
However, engaging in too many intense workouts can result in injuries, overtraining, and burnout. A well-rounded cardio program must incorporate exercises at all intensities so that your workouts don’t get boring and your body isn’t constantly doing the same thing.
Benefits Of Cardio
Including cardio exercises in your exercise routine can have a number of advantages and improve your health and wellbeing.
Lowers Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease
As the name implies, cardio activity helps your cardiovascular system. Increased levels of exercise have been shown in studies to be good for your heart and reduce your risk of cardiovascular illnesses. Even greater advantages of physical activity for cardiovascular health were discovered in a 2021 study. According to the study’s authors, physical activity benefits the heart at all levels.
Enhances Sleep
Exercise and sleep have a complex relationship. Regular exercise encourages better sleep, and healthy sleep supports activity. A 2021 study discovered that a 60-minute cardio session can speed up the process of falling asleep and enhance the overall quality of sleep.
Boosts Mood
According to a 2019 scientific study, increasing physical activity by 15 minutes of vigorous activity (like running) or 60 minutes of low-impact activity (like walking) can lower the risk of depression.
Improves Brain Health
Cardiovascular exercise has been shown in studies to provide mental health advantages in addition to physical ones. According to a research published in 2020, cardiorespiratory exercises like walking, jogging, and bicycling might delay the normal decline in brain gray matter volume that occurs as we age. Researchers found that study participants’ brain aging was slowed down by increasing their cardiac exercise.
Set Up A Weekly Cardio Program
You should include three distinct intensity zones when planning your weekly cardio exercises so that you may train all of your energy systems without going too far or spending too much time at an unpleasant level (which may turn you off of exercise). Low-moderate-intensity, moderate-intensity, and high-intensity exercises are what you need.
Low To Moderate Intensity Workouts
This corresponds to levels 4 or 5 on the scale of perceived exertion, or between 60% and 70% of your maximum heart rate. You ought to be able to speak clearly. This kind of exercise could be:
- A slow bike ride
- A leisurely walk
- A leisurely swim
- Light strength training
Exercises of low intensity should be performed at a relaxed or leisurely pace. Due to the fact that they often do not place as much stress on your joints as high-intensity workouts, these exercises might be excellent for people with joint problems.
Moderate Intensity Workouts
This corresponds to levels 5 to 7 on the scale of perceived effort, or 70% to 80% of your maximal heart rate. With some effort, you should still be able to speak. Examples of this kind of exercise:
- Brisk walking
- Step aerobics, Zumba, or other types of aerobics
- Light jogging
You may increase the intensity by quickening the speed. You need to perspire when engaging in workouts of modest intensity. Sports can also include workouts of moderate intensity. For instance, tennis can be a moderately intense exercise that necessitates brief bursts of rapid movement or sprinting.
High Intensity Or Vigorous Workouts
This corresponds to levels 8 or 9 on the chart of perceived exertion and is between 80% and 90% of your maximum heart rate. You ought to have trouble speaking. Examples:
- Jumping rope
- Running or sprinting
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
- High-intensity circuit training
- Tabata workouts
Fast movement is crammed into rapid bursts during high-intensity exercises, which are typically followed by fast rest intervals. HIIT exercises are more intense, but they often involve shorter bursts of activity that are more powerful. After a vigorous workout, your breathing should be labored.
Make careful you track your target heart rate or use a perceived exertion chart to track your intensity.
Build A Cardio Routine For Weight Loss
The cardio workout schedule for a person who works out six days per week is shown in the chart below. This is only an illustration of how to fit several cardio routines into a regular week. Change the workouts to suit your preferences, time constraints, and level of fitness.
Day | Intensity | Length | Sample Workouts |
Mon | High intensity | 20-30 min | Sprint interval HIIT workout |
Tues | Moderate intensity | 45-60 min | Brisk walking or jogging |
Wed | Low to moderate intensity | All day | Use a pedometer and try to get 10,000 steps |
Thurs | Moderate to high intensity | 30-60 min | Treadmill workout |
Fri | Moderate intensity | 30-45 min | Cardio endurance intervals |
Sat | Low to moderate intensity | 30-60 min | Walking or a long bike ride |
Sun | Rest | All day | None |
If you’re a novice, start out slowly and build up to this degree of activity. Your degree of fitness, age, gender, and aspirations, among other things, all influence how much you require. Before and after every workout, make sure to warm up. Continue to drink water, and stretch after working out.