Cardiovascular exercise is an essential part of a well-rounded workout routine. Regular sessions improve body function and lower your risk of disease. During a cardio workout, you raise your heart and respiration rates while burning off calories. This will help lower your body weight and burn fat from your body. To see results from your workouts, you need to do adequate amounts of cardio every week; consult your doctor before beginning any new weight-loss regimen.
Exercise to Burn Fat
To lower your total body weight and body fat percentage, you need to create a caloric deficit --- meaning you must burn more calories than you consume on a regular basis. Over time, you will see the number on the scale fall as well as notice less fat on your body. Exercise and diet creates more significant weight loss than dieting alone, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Cardiovascular exercise is the main component of any exercise program to burn fat.
Duration of Cardio
Performing cardio five to seven days each week for 30 to 60 minutes per session will affect your weight significantly. During each session, your body will burn a mix of carbohydrates and fat for energy to fuel your working muscles. So even though you will be burning fat immediately, you will not notice immediate results. You need to burn an extra 3,500 calories to lose 1 lb. of body fat. Aim to burn 250 to 500 calories during each workout while cutting 250 to 500 calories from your diet each day to lose 1 to 2 lbs. per week.
Intensity Matters
Duration is not the only important factor when performing cardiovascular exercise. It also needs to be challenging enough that your body needs to burn that extra energy from fat. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that sessions be moderate- to high-intensity to burn the most calories and lose the most fat. Not only will you see better results from your workouts on the outside but you will also gain more health benefits.
Considerations
If you are new to exercise, start your program slowly. Try a low-impact activity such as walking and do it every other day. Keep your intensity low to moderate and do only 15 to 30 minutes at a time. As you become accustomed to exercise, gradually increase duration, frequency and intensity until you are within the recommended range. The important thing is to listen to your body and choose activities that you enjoy. Don't run if you hate it or it causes you pain. Try cycling, swimming or use an elliptical machine instead.
References
- "ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2010
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2008
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