How much cardio do I need to do to lose weight?
Though it’s never easy, losing weight comes down to a simple formula: burning more calories than you consume. Reducing calories alone through dieting can leave you feeling hungry and unmotivated. When you add cardio to a diet, you benefit from the extra burn allowing you to eat more satisfying meals.
The amount of cardio you should do depends on how many calories you need to burn in order to eat at a comfortable level and reach your weight loss goals.
What kind of cardio should I do?
For fat loss, the best kind of cardio is the kind you enjoy. If you feed off the energy in fitness classes, attend them regularly. If you love being outside, by all means do your cardio in the yard, a park, or on a trail. The most important thing is to stick to it, which is most likely when you choose activities you like.
If you want to be sure to retain muscle while dieting, avoid using the same body part for cardio and lifting. This will ensure you keep your lifting performance high. If you want to do cardio and lift in the same day, do cardio on one part of the body and lift with another. For example, if you are lifting with your legs, do an upper body/total body cardio routine such as battle ropes or sledgehammer slams.
