Cardiovascular exercise, also known as cardio, is a time-honored way to help you lose weight by burning extra calories and strengthening your overall health. Experts agree that the healthiest weight-loss plan involves a combination of diet and exercise to reduce 1 to 2 lbs. a week. Whether your goal is to lose 5 lbs. or 50 lbs., cardio can help you keep your weight-loss plan on track.
Weight Loss
Regardless of your activity level, your body needs a certain number of calories to maintain itself, also called your resting metabolic rate, or RMR. The calories you burn during daily activities add to your RMR, creating a total daily caloric needs. You lose weight when you consume fewer calories than you burn, and to lose 1 lb. of fat you have to create a deficit of approximately 3,500 calories. In general, the more intense the activity, the greater number of calories you burn while doing it.
Function
Let's say you weigh 150 lbs. and have an RMR of 1,500 calories a day. If you go to work in an office then come home and watch TV, your body may only burn 2,000 calories that day. However, your RMR of 1,500 is the lowest amount you can eat during the day and stay healthy. If you eat 1,500, you create a deficit of 500 calories, or 1 lb. of weight loss a week. Now let's say you add a five-mile run to your day that burns an extra 500 calories, making your daily total 2,500. As long as you're still eating 1,500, you now create a deficit of 1,000 calories. So by adding the cardiovascular exercise, you lose weight twice as fast.
Calorie Comparison
Some exercises give you more calorie-burning bang for your buck than others. For example, in one hour, a 160-lb. person uses approximately 511 calories doing high-impact aerobics, but only 292 participating in water aerobics. According to MayoClinic.com, the highest calorie-burning exercises are running and rollerblading, both coming in at over 900 calories an hour for a 160-lb. person. Walking at 2 mph rates the lowest with 183.
Considerations
However, don't choose an exercise solely based on how many calories it burns. If you hate running but love to swim, don't force yourself to run just because it burns more calories; the best exercise is the one you can stick with over the long term. In addition, take into consideration any limitations you may have. For example, if you have reoccurring pain in the arches of your feet, opt for low-impact exercise. Always talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise program.
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