Which Cardio Exercises Are Good For Weight Loss?

Cardiovascular exercise improves the strength of your lungs and blood vessels while burning calories. The most effective cardiovascular exercises to lose weight are those that require you to move all the muscles of your body. A well-balanced fitness program should include strength training as well as cardiovascular exercise to achieve your weight-loss goals. In addition to exercise, be sure to eat lean meats, vegetables, fruits, and complex carbohydrates.

Jumping Rope

Jumping rope for 10 to 20 minutes is a great full-body workout. You'll burn a large number of calories and achieve your weight-loss goals. If you're new to jumping rope, begin with short intervals and increase your workout time as your fitness level improves. To burn additional calories, jump rope in between sets of strength training exercise. You'll not only boost your metabolism by increasing muscle mass, but you'll make your workout more intense with jump rope intervals.

Running

Running is also a great cardio exercise for weight loss. Running involves all the major muscle groups of the body, therefore burning a large number of calories. Varying the speed of your run makes the workout more intense, as does running uphill. If you're unable to run outside, running on a treadmill is a great alternative. Treadmills come equipped with weight loss and other programs to help you achieve your fitness goals. If you're new to running, start slow and increase your speed over time. Perform at least 20 minutes of running at a moderate speed to burn calories and move closer to your weight-loss goals.

Walking

Walking is cardio exercise that's great for losing weight but also adaptable for a variety of fitness levels. It involves all the major muscle groups of the body, and the intensity of the walk is easily varied. Swinging the arms, walking uphill and adding light weights to your workout are ways to increase workout intensity. Perform intervals by alternating periods of fast walking with periods of slow walking or alternate hill intervals with walks on a flat surface. To lose weight, walk for at least 20 minutes and build up to 45 minutes.