Burn Fat With Cardio Exercises! Let’s be real for a moment. The average American over 30 will probably gain at least 5 pounds this year – and every year going forward. Current estimates are that 75% of our population is overweight! Think about that for a moment. Of course, the way to avoid becoming obese in the first place is to not eat all those excess junk calories in the first place. But, that’s just not the way it is. Yet there’s no reason to worry, there is a way to keep excess body fat gain in check!

Cardio Exercises!

Of course it begins in the kitchen, but a major key to fat loss are cardio exercises. Which exercise depends on you. You can walk (briskly), jog, run, use a bike, elliptical, stair stepper or treadmill. It’s your choice!

Cardio Defined

Before we go any further, let’s define cardio exercise. It is any type of exercise that increases the work of your heart and lungs. The benefits of cardio exercises include:

• Lower Risk Of Heart Disease

• Improved Heart Health & Function

• Lower Risk Of Osteoporosis

• Improved Levels Of Blood Cholesterol And Triglyceride Levels

• Cardio Exercises Support Recovery By Increasing Nutrient Delivery To Your Muscles

Both the American College of Sports Medicine and the CDC recommend that, for optimal health, “adults should engage in 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week. To improve cardiovascular endurance, they recommend 20 to 60 minutes 3-5 days per week.”

5 Great Cardio Exercises 

Walking

Walking briskly is a great cardio exercise because it can be done by almost anyone. Not everyone can run or even jog, and not everyone can handle a cardio machine. Yet. almost anybody can walk.You can do it inside or outside, or both. 

 

For example, I walk the inside walking track at the Y, but on nice weather days, I’ll walk outside. Your goal should be to walk at a brisk pace for 20-30 minutes 3-5 days per walk. Expect to burn 150 calories per 30 minute session. 

Running

For those who can, running is one of the best cardio exercises you can do. Like walking, you don’t need special equipment (except maybe the right shoes) and you can do it inside or outside. Again as an example, the Y track has a lane for walking, jogging, and running. 

Best of all, you can burn a lot of calories, especially if you add in hills and sprints. A 145 pound person running 5.2 mph can burn 300 calories in 30 minutes. The downside is you need to watch your knees, ankles, and lower back for any discomfort or pain.

Bicycling

Here’s another cardio exercise you can do indoors or outdoors. Bike riding allows you to improve endurance and burn lots of calories, specifically 250-500 in 30 minutes. Of course, this depends on how fast you go and how high the resistance is.

# 4 – Elliptical Trainer

The elliptical trainer provides a good, low impact  way to build endurance and burn calories. You’ll burn even more if you use one with arms. The elliptical trainer is also a good choice for runners or joggers looking for a break from the pavement. Using an elliptical, a 145-lb person can burn about 300 calories in 30 minutes.

# 5 – Swimming

Swimming is a full body exercise. The more body parts you can involve in your cardio workout, the more calories you will burn. If you spend 30 minutes doing the breaststroke, you can expect to burn almost 400 calories. Best of all, swimming is low impact.

What If I Have Mobility Issues, And Can’t Walk?

For those individuals who have trouble walking, you can use a table cycle for your arms, or a small portable cycle that lets you pedal your feet while in a seated position. 

Burn Fat With Cardio Exercises!

In general you should use the progressive overload principle applied to cardio: increase the intensity or the time completed gradually over time. Always keep in mind that health and fitness should be a long-term goal. Your primary concern is to avoid injury and make progress naturally without trying to force it. 

You Don’t Have To Do Cardio Alone

If you don’t want to work out alone, do it with a friend or a group. Burning calories with a friend will help the time seem to pass faster. Another benefit is that if you know that another person is counting on you to show up, you may be less likely to skip a workout. Activities like spinning or jogging within a group class are additional ways to help burn calories while keeping your mind on other things.

Keep An Exercise Journal

You should always keep an exercise journal for both weight workouts and cardio exercises. This ensures that you’re on track and getting the results you want. Plus, it will give you the satisfaction of knowing that, for example, perhaps a year ago you could only spend 10 minutes 2-3 days a week doing cardio and now you can easily spend 45 minutes 4-5 days a week Writing it down in your journal tells your mind you’re serious.

Burn Optimal Calories

Knowing how many calories you can burn performing specific cardio exercises gives you a better idea which ones you may want to use in your workout. Some activities most likely burn more calories than you thought.

	Running 9 mph	501
	Running 7.5 mph	418
	Ski Machine	317
	Bicycling with moderate effort	267
	Running 5 mph	267
	Circuit Training	267
	Stair climber	200
	Swimming	200
	Grocery Shopping	117
	Brisk Walking	150
	Weight Training	100
	Sleeping	30

Burn Fat With These Supplements

For optimal fat loss, you need to focus on three things: cardio exercises, your nutritional plan, and supplements. In terms of nutrition, I advocate cutting sugary carbs first. You should be looking to cut 500 calories per day, and again, start with the junk calories. Keep protein high, at least 1 gram per pound of bodyweight. 

 

Next, add a good thermogenic to your regimen, such as Hard Rock Supplements EPH-100, a stim-based thermogenic fat burner. Don’t want stims? Then I suggest Species Nutrition Lipolyze Evolved, a stim-free fat burner that blocks cortisol and acts as a thermogenic. 

 

Of course, don’t forget your protein powder and pre-workout – I suggest Rule 1 R1 Whey Blend and Alpha Supps Pre, one of the new “Basic” pre-workouts. 

Summary

If fat loss is your priority, cardio exercises are one of the best ways to help reach your goal. Choose among the exercises presented here, follow the suggested tips to get the most out of it, and go conquer that goal!