Nobody likes to spend hours in the gym on the treadmill week after week trying to lose weight. The amount of the cardio performed in a week to lose weight is dependent upon your metabolism, how much weight you have to lose, the type of cardio you are performing, as well as, if you are including strength training into your workout regiment.
Metabolism
Your metabolism and what you eat when you are not in the gym is going play a large role in time spent in the gym doing cardio. Eating five to seven small meals daily consisting of lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables is the first step of elevating your metabolism to accelerate fat loss. Individuals with only a small amount of fat to lose may only need to go to the gym two or three days a week to do cardio; however, if you have a lot of fat to lose you may have to go five to seven days a week.
Moderate-Intensity Cardio
Moderate-intensity physical activity means working hard enough to elevate your heart rate and break a sweat, but still able to carry on a conversation. Basic guidelines for moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is 30 minutes for five days a week, however, to lose weight or maintain weight loss, 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity may be necessary, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
High-Intensity Cardio
High-intensity cardio is a great way to burn a lot of calories in a shorter amount of time than moderate-intensity cardio. High-intensity, or vigorous, cardio occurs when you can only say a few words at a time before taking a breath. High-intensity Interval Training is a common method of losing fat weight quickly. Short, high-intensity cardio bursts are followed by moderate-intensity recovery bursts. A HIIT workout usually lasts 20 to 30 minutes and can replace two or three moderate-intensity workouts a week.
Strength-Training
Building muscle mass through regular strength-training at least two to three days a week can help to speed up fat loss. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue does, thus increasing your metabolism. A combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training is best for optimal fat burning and metabolism boosting, according to Laurie Hedlund, L.P.N. of Consumer Affairs.
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