Cardio For Fat Loss

Cardio. It's usually a Love - Hate Relationship.

I think one of my client's said it best. "Whenever I see people at the gym running on the treadmill, I just want to tell them that cardio, although it has its purpose, is probably not what they are wanting to do."

How many times have you done hours and hours of cardio to lose weight? And it didn't make any difference. Cardio has a purpose. There is no doubt about it.

But is Cardio best for Fat Loss, or Does it burn all your muscle? And how do you know what cardio you should be doing?

There is a myth that cardio actually burns all your muscle.

It really depends on the amount of effort and the activity that you are using to perform cardio. When we perform cardio, exercise intensity above a certain level (over 65% of your VO2 max) uses the muscle. But if we perform under that intensity level, cardio doesn't burn your muscle.

Typically, cardio at higher intensity levels is HIIT, Sprints, Running, Stairmaster at High Speeds. So any type of cardio that is getting your heart rate elevated at max level.

So if you are in a fat loss phase, or actively trying to lose weight there are better options to not only help you lose fat, but help retain muscle mass. This is one reason coaches recommend walking throughout the day during a fat loss phase. Just by increasing daily steps, it could help increase fat loss, without burning through the muscle you are trying to create during strength training.

Top Tips for Cardio

• Keep cardio to a moderate intensity (110-130 BPM)

• Choose a cardio that does not accumulate a lot of fatigue

• Walking, Incline Walking, Biking

Cardio definitely has a purpose, just make sure you are maximizing cardio for the best fat loss. Cardio should allow you to maximize fat loss, and minimize fatigue to ensure the best outcome.

And most of all, it should be something you Enjoy!!!