How can I start loving cardio? (reps for help)

[msauka]

Purple Wraath helps me to get over cardio. When I don't wanna do any cardio, then I just do walking for 20 min. You just need to get used to it and accept, that no matter what, you need to spend those 20 min on treadmill.

[mrcorgi]

Originally Posted by little0z

I'm trying to lose fat at the moment but I hate cardio....I've tried plenty of different types....including boxing etc...I've tried classes (e.g. spin) and I just don't enjoy it at all....I'm not a huge guy so I'm taking in a fairly low amount of calories at the moment to lose fat....I can't really lower the calories anymore so I need to bump the cardio way up....optimally I'd like to do cardio every day....but I just don't enjoy in the slightest...

Anyone else had this problem? Tips? I want to look forward to doing cardio like I do with weights...then this would be easy...

Your Best bet is to find a partner. On your low days they will push you and on their low days you can push them. My 10 year old does cardio with me 3 days week, which gets me off the couch those days. We change equipment each day (elliptical, bike, and treadmill) I try to get out 2 more days as well on my own. Cardio sucks but it helps to have someone to commiserate with.

[Crypty]

I bring with me a big bag of reeses peanut butter cups and each lap I run I treat myself to one.


But in all seriousness.. I hate cardio too. I do my cardio HIIT style(roughly) where I will sprint a lap around the track then slow jog one and alternate until I run a couple miles, which usually takes me close to 20 mins. This keeps it a little more interesting. Also I usually listen to music.
I also only do cardio a few days a week, and only on my easier lifting days(like shoulder and bicep) which keeps me from dreading it too much.

[Desprettwish]

I see what you're saying, because I hate cardio too, it's boring no how many songs I have on my ipod or movies are on. I started doing spinning and I actually enjoy that. You just need to experiment.

[208-need-175]

i pod+ stair mill

[Nick1971]

So far, I tend to do 15 minutes of cardio, then some weight training, and then 15 minutes more of exercise. That's worked out well, and I've not gotten terribly bored. In fact, I use that time to decompress and work some things out, mentally. Not sure how it'll go when I switch to 30-minute aerobic sessions.

[xx211aaronxx]

i actually hate cardio but what gets me into it is my ex and my ex bestfriend, i hate them both and its like one of those times where u dissapear and come back and your so much better then what u were before yea i know it sounds dumb but thats what gets me going, you just have to find something that gets you going, some girl you like in school, your goals, imagine how you would look if u kept doing cardio, music idk you just have to find that one thing. Never back down has been motivating me alot lately too haha

[Leprechauns1021]

http://www.rosstraining.com/articles.html

Scroll down to Sample Workouts. Its makes cardio challenging, which is why I love it. I hate jogging or running with no purpose, but if you set down a challenge for me to do, it becomes a lot better.

[Hard_As_Steel]

i just think of how i will look after i cut all the fat off me and then i get to bulk back up and do it again..

[rmcgrath]

I had the same problem, then I got my first MP3 player. I sat down for a couple of hours and loaded with some great music and lots of intense music. I listen to it while I lift at like 75% then when it becomes cardio time I turn it up and just go. I also stay motivated by results, the more they come the more I am able to turn it up. I also make sure I get in front of the TV that is on Sports Center is case I get bored with the music I can watch this an stay engaged.

[cschultzy56]

cardio is an evil terrible thing that is completely necessary to losng weight, nobody likes it, even the people that say they like it are just really really good at lying to themselves. i had to sit for 6 weeks because of a surgery and now im realizing all over again how much i hated cardio

[super.gagyi]

Originally Posted by cschultzy56

cardio is an evil terrible thing that is completely necessary to losng weight, nobody likes it, even the people that say they like it are just really really good at lying to themselves. i had to sit for 6 weeks because of a surgery and now im realizing all over again how much i hated cardio

+1

You just have to DO IT don't think about it just DO IT !

[AlexMR]

Music helps, but only if you are doing relatively short sessions. How does it sound to start hitting that BIG "to read" stack while you are melting off that lard?? The best, and second is not close, is AUDIOBOOKS. You should lose any sense of time. It will be wonderful.

I am back at doing cardio and I had been planning for 20 minutes postworkout and I have been doing more than 40minutes easily. Audiobooks is the way to go!

[Totaltraining]

Many people don't understand that weightlifting can be substituded for a majority of your cardio time. If you are currently lifting weights, keeo at it. You may just want to up the intensity. Try shortening your rest times between sets to keep your heart rate up. Drop set are a great way to keep that weight moving and the heart pumping, just as if you were doing the dreaded cardio. Good luck to you! If you need any other advice let me know!

-Get some!

www.totalbodytoning.net

[myslin]

The first time I tried cutting I ran twice a day for 1 hour each time.
What I did to pass the time is a new hourlong album that you think you'd enjoy every time you run.

It also helps if you really really like death metal.

[AcapulcoGold]

You already have a bunch of answers...mine are going to be similar:

1. Find a new activity to keep you motivated and pass the time. Racquetball/basketball/whatever give it a shot.

2. Road bike + traffic does wonders. Fixed gear is better but thats just me

3. I hate the treadmill but it's a necessary evil. I go for sensory overload...ipod + find news channel with the CC turned on. I can get my whole cardio routine done while seeing all the current events and burning through my podcasts all at once. Makes the time go much faster IMO...

[top_5_percent]

I really like spin classes too cos I know even if I feel lazy, I know I won't walk out early where as, I deffinitely will get off the treadmill early if I am left to my own entertaining.

Also, sometimes it helps if you set goals for yourself and each time try and get a faster time if your running or whatever. I find that motivating and it feels great and worthwhile at the end of each session.

And obviously music, except get new music like weekly.

[Bodom X]

This might be me, but sometimes I forget my music or it is dead and I forgot to charge it. Then when I go to the gym and do carido it seems like it goes by much faster than when I have music.

[Colossal Spoons]

I used to love playing racquetball when I was in college. great way to work up a sweat. Now that I've graduated and all my friends are either fat or completely inactive.....cardio pretty much sucks.

[PTN_old]

i used to think i hate running but i figured out i hate treadmills.. go outside for a jog or hop on a bike.

[FullWeekRental]

Originally Posted by little0z

I'm trying to lose fat at the moment but I hate cardio....I've tried plenty of different types....including boxing etc...I've tried classes (e.g. spin) and I just don't enjoy it at all....I'm not a huge guy so I'm taking in a fairly low amount of calories at the moment to lose fat....I can't really lower the calories anymore so I need to bump the cardio way up....optimally I'd like to do cardio every day....but I just don't enjoy in the slightest...

Anyone else had this problem? Tips? I want to look forward to doing cardio like I do with weights...then this would be easy...

First of all,

You should only drop your daily caloric intake to 300-500Kcals below your basil metabolic rate. For instance, if your BMR is 3,000 Kcals, you should consume roughly 2,500KCals a day, any lower then this, you will slow your metabolism down and will make losing weight that much more difficult.

There is a miss conception that if you do lots of cardio that you will burn fat. Yes, when you do cardio your body produces more of a fat burning harmone which triggers your body to burn fat. However, your body adapts quickly to cardio and makes it that much harder to lose weight.

The most effective way to burn fat with cardiovasucal physical activity is through cardiovascular interval training. I absolutely hate doing cardiovascular training but interval training is so much more enjoyable. For instance, most treadmills have an interval 1:2 setting, where it will go for 1 minute at a particular intensity and then switch to another intensity for 2 minutes. Start out slow at say 5.5MPH: 3.0MPH.

[casumak]

Try hiit it helps keep my mind busy keeping track off when to turn up the spped and to turn it dow, and it seems to work.

[djinnx]

S-e-x.

[SocratesTX]

Go out and run one day without any ipod or anything like that. Listen to yourself breathe and think about how fortunate you are that you can do that. There are plenty of people in this world that can't for various reasons.

[LycanR]

I take a mini DVD player and do my cardio on an eliptical player. Just strap down the player and you'll have no worries (I'm using a shoe string). I find that for my 45 minute sessions, TV series DVDs work best - you can get two episodes watched in just about that time plus cooldown. Currently, I'm watching HBO's Rome.

Of course, the movies are best on a moderate cardio session - I've never tried to watch during HIIT....but then - I've never liked HIIT.

I've never caught any hell over the DVD player - but I do my cardio at an old folks home fitness center - f*k 24 Hour fitness in the evenings...place is a zoo, I only lift there, pre-sunrise, to avoid the mob.

[myasin99]

Depending on your gym.

I absolutely hate cardio but i found out a couple of ways to go through them with getting bored;

1- Partner
2- Movies
3-Good music/ ipod
4- playing on Xbox while cycling, you can easily skip 45-60 mins without noticing it, too bad it does not work while i am jogging.

if all fails paint the wall in front of your machine and watch it dry.

[RoAR]

sex

[Nick1971]

Originally Posted by Totaltraining

Many people don't understand that weightlifting can be substituded for a majority of your cardio time. If you are currently lifting weights, keeo at it. You may just want to up the intensity. Try shortening your rest times between sets to keep your heart rate up. Drop set are a great way to keep that weight moving and the heart pumping, just as if you were doing the dreaded cardio.

This is good advice. I know when I do an HIT workout, when I am done my heartrate is up really high, and I use cycling for 15 minutes or so as my way of cooling down and letting my heartrate get lower.