WEEK TWENTY :: What Is The Best Type Of Cardio For Fat Loss?

**admin** · 03-28-2005, 02:00 PM

TOPIC: What Is The Best Type Of Cardio For Fat Loss?

For the week of: March 28th - April 4th.

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If you are looking to lose fat, you know you have to have a great weight training, nutrition, and supplement program to get the fastest results. You also know you will have to do cardio. Yes, I know... it sucks. So what type of cardio program should you follow to get the most from the time and energy you put into it?

Should you follow a high, medium, or low intensity cardio program? Should you do cardio everyday? If not, how often? How long should your cardio session be? Should you try to hit a certain heart rate? What kind of cardio should you do to prevent muscle loss?

Tell us about the perfect cardio program for fast fat loss. Summer (bathing suit season) is coming quick! Help!

BONUS QUESTION: How can you make cardio more fun? What type of programs can you follow to keep it interesting while getting great results?

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Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

The best response will get $50 in credit to use in our online store! The other good responses will be used in an article on the main Bodybuilding.com site, with the poster's forum name listed by it. Become famous!

Thanks,
Bodybuilding.com

**mivi320** · 03-28-2005, 07:30 PM

What is the best type of cardio for fat loss?

Getting started

The best cardio for fat loss depends soley on the individual and their ability to perform various cardiovascular activities. Chose an activity that you enjoy. Cardio does not have to be boring, and you'll stay more commited to your cardio plans if you enjoy it, right? Right. Start off with a pace that you're comfortable with, and gradually work up to where you can work at a much harder pace.

What are some forms of cardio that I can perform to maximize my fat loss?

There's a wide array of various forms of cardio to perform, and each one has its own advantage. Below, I will list the multitude of forms of cardio and their benefits.

1. HIIT(High Intensity Interval Training)
Tired of doing low intensity cardio at an extremely slow pace? Well then, listen up because HIIT is the program for you! HIIT is an aerobic training program that is based around alternating intervals of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise with periods of near-maximum effort in a short duration of time. HIIT kicks your metabolism into high gear, and keeps it cranked up for quite some time after your workout. HIIT can be utilized in a plethora of activities where the alternation of periods of high intensity are combined with periods of low intensity. Yep, this means that you can do HIIT by playing full court basketball or even soccer, since basketball and soccer are stop-and-go games where levels of high intensity and low intensity are alternated. HIIT is not productive if your nutrition,supplement,and weight training programs are not in check, but did I really have to tell you that?

2. Low Intensity Cardio in a Fasted State
Low intensity cardio is usually performed in a fasted state, first thing upon rising. What are the benefits of doing so? When you rise in the morning after an overnight fast of 8-12 hours, your body�s stores of glycogen are somewhat depleted. Performing cardio in this state at this time frame causes your body to mobilize more fat because glycogen is absent. At this time, there is also less glucose or carbohydrate available in the bloodstream when you arise following an overnight fast. You will burn more fat with less glycogen present. Another advantage of low intensity cardio performed first thing in the morning is that there is little insulin present in the body at this period. We know that insulin is a hormone that impedes with the mobilization of body fat, and eating secretes insulin. So if you do cardio in a fasted state, with little insulin present in your body, more bodyfat is targeted and burned. As always, your nutrition,supplement, and weight training regimens have to be in check as well.

3.High Intensity Cardio
High Intensity cardio is great for your aerobic capacity, and is usually done on a stationary bike, cross-trainer, treadmill, stair-master, or even the outdoors or a track. The benefits of a high level of intensity cardio program are that you can burn more calories in 15 minutes of bicycling at a high intensity level than you can in 45 minutes of easy walking. Its pretty simple- you move at a higher intensity level, you burn more calories. Metabolism increases are larger and last longer when you perform high intensity cardio workouts. This is also know as the "after burn" and it is vital to any cardio method. High intensity cardio can also keep you more focused, as low intensity cardio tends to be boring. High intensity cardio is useless if you're eating plan is not controlled and your supplement and weight training programs are not in check.

4.Sports-based cardio
Cardio does not have to be on a treadmill or some other bulky machine, it can be done through activities such as sports. Basketball, football, tennis, swimming, dancing, etc. are all great methods of incorporating cardiovascular activity into your program! Not only are these great for burning calories, but they take your mind off the idea that you're actually doing cardio, and sports are fun, right? Thats what I thought.

Heart Rates
Just as there are a multitude of forms of cardio, there are also different heart rates, and each one has it's advantages. Below are the the various heart rates and their benefits.

1.Maximum Output
This type of training is 90-100% of your maximum heart rate: This zone burns the majority of calories compared to the other zones, but it is very intense and taxing on the body. Just about most people can only remain in this zone for extremely short periods.

2.Anaerobic Zone
This zone is basically a zone in which one is mainly training for perfomance. Its usually performed at 80-90% of maximum heart rate. What are the benefits of training in this zone? An improved cardiorespiratory system, and a higher lactate tolerance aptitude which translates into an improvement in endurance.

3.Aerobic Zone
This zone is primarily 70-80% of your maximum heart rate, and is based upon endurance training.This aerobic zone will better your cardiovascular and respiratory system. Not only will this zone do that, but it will also advance the strength and size of your heart.

4.Condition Zone
This zone is ideal for anyone looking to become more fit. Its about 60- 70% of your maximum heart rate. This zone offers great advantages and health benefits, and burns way more calories than a warm up or a light jog.

5.Heart-Healthy Zone
This is by far the less demanding of the zones, and is usually performed at around 50-60% of your maximum heart rate. This zone, being the easiest, is ideal for those just starting a cardio program.

How do I prevent muscle loss when performing cardio?
Muscle loss; a bodybuilder's worst nightmare. How can it be prevented when performing cardiovascular activity? Eating a solid meal containing carbohydrates, lean proteins, and a trivial amount of fat before performing cardio will generally create an anti-catbolic atmosphere and fuel you for your cardio session. A shake consisting of carbohydrates and protein is up to you during your cardio session, if you feel as if you need one. Immediately after your cardio session, you should have a recovery shake with carbohydrate and quick acting protein (such as whey protein) to prevent catabolism. If you cannot stomach a shake at this time, try a solid food meal after your cardio consisting of carbohydrates and protein. Basically, your workouts should be sandwiched with food or shakes. For low intensity cardio in the morning, a meal before the cardio is not consumed, but a meal following the cardio is crucial to preventing muscle loss. An excess amount of cardio and also put you over the line, and cause you to become catabolic as a result of overtraining.

How can you make cardio more fun? What type of programs can you follow to keep it interesting while getting great results?
Cardio can be fun, but its up to you to make it fun! Be creative with your cardio, and use your imagination! Play a game a basketball with your friends, go swimming, running sprints, interval training, and spinning are all creative and fun ways of incorporating some great cardio into your program!

Have fun with your cardio!
Mike

**minicooban** · 03-28-2005, 07:50 PM

yes,we do.
why you need it?
regular cardio training conditions your heart to pump more blood with each contraction,providing your body with extra energy and endurance.
Upping your heart rate also burns calories,wich directly translate to less fat and more visible abs.
And don't worry about losing muscle mass form excessive calorie burn,your body will need to churn through 2,000 grams of glycogen before it dips into your protein stores,wich,if you're running,doesn't happen until about mile 20.

Before you proceed,estimate your maximum heart rate (MHR) by subtracting your age from 220.
IF YOU SCORED....LOWER THAN 60 IN THE STEP TEST: DO 30 TO 60 MINUTES OF LOW-INTENSITY TRAINING FOUR TIMES A WEEK.
(Low intensity is defined as 65% of your MHR.)You can walk,hike,jog,bike,swim-anything as long as it's continuous.Gradually increse your intensity to between 70 and 75% of your MHR over the next 4 to 6 weeks and start incorporating some of the interval workouts i provide below.

THE WORKOUTS

THE TRAFFIC GAME:Start with leisurely running,biking or inline skating.when a car passes,sprint ans see how long you can keep up with the car.continue for a half hour,depending on your pace

THE JAM SESSION
make an MP3 player or ipod mix with misic of different tempos,when the rhythm is fast,increse your pace to keep up with it,when the music slows down,do the same.(The length of the training session depends on the speed of your songs)

HILL-SPRINT INTERVALS.Sprint up a hill and jog back down.i suggests measuring your pulse at the bottom.
You'll know you're getting fitter when you can get your heart rate lower and lower.Continue for 15 minuTES.

NEGATIVE SPLIT.Run or bike at moderate intensity for 15 minutes,then increase your speed and intensity for 15 more.Or,if you're outside,run or bike a half mile and then turn around and sprint back to your starting point.Gradually increase the distance as you improve.

INTERVALS.Jog easily for 10 min to warm up,then sprint hard for 2 min.Walk from 1 min,then sprint for 2 more.Repeat the sequence three times,then jog for 10 min to recover.For variety,try this interval plan on your bike or in the pool.

PLATEAU BUSTER.Push your intensity up a notch by srinting longer or farther.You can also knock off two cardio training sesions in a row and reap more fat loss."The real fun comes after the first hour,you begin to destress and experience flow.You will actually want to excercice longer.
posted by: MINICOOBAN

**ford4life** · 03-28-2005, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by mivi320

What is the best type of cardio for fat loss?

Getting started

The best cardio for fat loss depends soley on the individual and their ability to perform various cardiovascular activities. Chose an activity that you enjoy. Cardio does not have to be boring, and you'll stay more commited to your cardio plans if you enjoy it, right? Right. Start off with a pace that you're comfortable with, and gradually work up to where you can work at a much harder pace.

What are some forms of cardio that I can perform to maximize my fat loss?

There's a wide array of various forms of cardio to perform, and each one has its own advantage. Below, I will list the multitude of forms of cardio and their benefits.

1. HIIT(High Intensity Interval Training)
Tired of doing low intensity cardio at an extremely slow pace? Well then, listen up because HIIT is the program for you! HIIT is an aerobic training program that is based around alternating intervals of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise with periods of near-maximum effort in a short duration of time. HIIT kicks your metabolism into high gear, and keeps it cranked up for quite some time after your workout. HIIT can be utilized in a plethora of activities where the alternation of periods of high intensity are combined with periods of low intensity. Yep, this means that you can do HIIT by playing full court basketball or even soccer, since basketball and soccer are stop-and-go games where levels of high intensity and low intensity are alternated. HIIT is not productive if your nutrition,supplement,and weight training programs are not in check, but did I really have to tell you that?

2. Low Intensity Cardio in a Fasted State
Low intensity cardio is usually performed in a fasted state, first thing upon rising. What are the benefits of doing so? When you rise in the morning after an overnight fast of 8-12 hours, your body�s stores of glycogen are somewhat depleted. Performing cardio in this state at this time frame causes your body to mobilize more fat because glycogen is absent. At this time, there is also less glucose or carbohydrate available in the bloodstream when you arise following an overnight fast. You will burn more fat with less glycogen present. Another advantage of low intensity cardio performed first thing in the morning is that there is little insulin present in the body at this period. We know that insulin is a hormone that impedes with the mobilization of body fat, and eating secretes insulin. So if you do cardio in a fasted state, with little insulin present in your body, more bodyfat is targeted and burned. As always, your nutrition,supplement, and weight training regimens have to be in check as well.

3.High Intensity Cardio
High Intensity cardio is great for your aerobic capacity, and is usually done on a stationary bike, cross-trainer, treadmill, stair-master, or even the outdoors or a track. The benefits of a high level of intensity cardio program are that you can burn more calories in 15 minutes of bicycling at a high intensity level than you can in 45 minutes of easy walking. Its pretty simple- you move at a higher intensity level, you burn more calories. Metabolism increases are larger and last longer when you perform high intensity cardio workouts. This is also know as the "after burn" and it is vital to any cardio method. High intensity cardio can also keep you more focused, as low intensity cardio tends to be boring. High intensity cardio is useless if you're eating plan is not controlled and your supplement and weight training programs are not in check.

4.Sports-based cardio
Cardio does not have to be on a treadmill or some other bulky machine, it can be done through activities such as sports. Basketball, football, tennis, swimming, dancing, etc. are all great methods of incorporating cardiovascular activity into your program! Not only are these great for burning calories, but they take your mind off the idea that you're actually doing cardio, and sports are fun, right? Thats what I thought.

Heart Rates
Just as there are a multitude of forms of cardio, there are also different heart rates, and each one has it's advantages. Below are the the various heart rates and their benefits.

1.Maximum Output
This type of training is 90-100% of your maximum heart rate: This zone burns the majority of calories compared to the other zones, but it is very intense and taxing on the body. Just about most people can only remain in this zone for extremely short periods.

2.Anaerobic Zone
This zone is basically a zone in which one is mainly training for perfomance. Its usually performed at 80-90% of maximum heart rate. What are the benefits of training in this zone? An improved cardiorespiratory system, and a higher lactate tolerance aptitude which translates into an improvement in endurance.

3.Aerobic Zone
This zone is primarily 70-80% of your maximum heart rate, and is based upon endurance training.This aerobic zone will better your cardiovascular and respiratory system. Not only will this zone do that, but it will also advance the strength and size of your heart.

4.Condition Zone
This zone is ideal for anyone looking to become more fit. Its about 60- 70% of your maximum heart rate. This zone offers great advantages and health benefits, and burns way more calories than a warm up or a light jog.

5.Heart-Healthy Zone
This is by far the less demanding of the zones, and is usually performed at around 50-60% of your maximum heart rate. This zone, being the easiest, is ideal for those just starting a cardio program.

How do I prevent muscle loss when performing cardio?
Muscle loss; a bodybuilder's worst nightmare. How can it be prevented when performing cardiovascular activity? Eating a solid meal containing carbohydrates, lean proteins, and a trivial amount of fat before performing cardio will generally create an anti-catbolic atmosphere and fuel you for your cardio session. A shake consisting of carbohydrates and protein is up to you during your cardio session, if you feel as if you need one. Immediately after your cardio session, you should have a recovery shake with carbohydrate and quick acting protein (such as whey protein) to prevent catabolism. If you cannot stomach a shake at this time, try a solid food meal after your cardio consisting of carbohydrates and protein. Basically, your workouts should be sandwiched with food or shakes. For low intensity cardio in the morning, a meal before the cardio is not consumed, but a meal following the cardio is crucial to preventing muscle loss. An excess amount of cardio and also put you over the line, and cause you to become catabolic as a result of overtraining.

How can you make cardio more fun? What type of programs can you follow to keep it interesting while getting great results?
Cardio can be fun, but its up to you to make it fun! Be creative with your cardio, and use your imagination! Play a game a basketball with your friends, go swimming, running sprints, interval training, and spinning are all creative and fun ways of incorporating some great cardio into your program!

Have fun with your cardio!
Mike

^^informative... yes... yet very overanalytical.
What's the best kind of cardio for healthy lifestyles? Any kind of cardio.
What's the best kind of cardo for fat loss? Any kind of cardio done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This burns fat stores and revs the metabolism throughout the ensuing day. Anything from HIIT to low intensity to even Par Deus' Clean Cardio will do the trick.

**bigcalves** · 03-28-2005, 09:24 PM

What Is The Best Type Of Cardio For Fat Loss?

Goal Setting
Before we even start about cardio, you will need to set some goals.

- WHY?
By setting goals, you will not get discouraged and will know what to do. How can you go somewhere without knowing how to get there? Goals are important in sculpting your body.

- TIP
First of, be realistic for what you want. Set a short and long term goal. Form a journal with information and measurements of your body. By setting goals you will be able to see your success every step of the way and that will encourage you to push yourself.

Be Smart About Cardio
No matte how much cardio you do, if your diet is not in check you won't accomplish any fat loss.

- WHY?
You must burn more calories than you take in. That will turn your body in to conservation/fat burnign mode.

- TIP
Avoid sugary foods, as they ofthen spike the insulin and are full of empty calories. Also eat more salads when hungy to fill you up, but not to fill you up on calories.

When to do Cardio

No matter when, cardio is beneficial to you. It would be best if your run on an empty stomach in the morning.

- WHY
Since you have been sleeping all night, your body doesn't have any food stores, its been all used up. By running you will activate your bodies energy stores, fat

- TIP
Always bring water to hydrate yourself. The last thing we need is dehydration, its unhealthy, and it slows down the metabolism, making your fat burning goals a nightmare.

Different Types Of Cardio

All of these types of cardio work. It's beneficial to change up your routine every once in a while, it's not only fun, but your body might respond better to the new one.

- HIT
High Intensity Interval Training, or HIT is a type of cardio where you run from low to high intensity in minutes. It's like this, you go out and run on high intensity for about 5-10 minutes, then you start running with low to moderate intensity for about 5 minutes, and repeat it until you do around 30-
45 minutes of running.

- High Intensity CArdio
High Intensity Cardio focuses on burning alot of calories in a short intense moment. Unlike HIT, you perform an aerobic activity on a hard level for about 10-20 minutes. By doing that you burn alot of calories.

- Low Intensity Cardio
Low Intensity Cardio focuses on perfoming an aerobic activity for a longer time 25-45 minutes, at a comftable level. That way you burn alot of calories, and some people think that this is the best cardio for minimum use of muscle for energy.

Hearth Rate

Your heart rate is very important in burning fat when doing cardio. The percanetage of your max heart rate will determine the fat burn.

-TIPS

- Always run at about 60-80% of your hearth rate.
- Running at 60-80% will prevent muscle used up as enegy.
- That is also called the Aerobic/Conditioning Zone.
- Always carry water with you when performing cardio to avoid dehydration.
- Start off slowly, and gradually increase.

Sample Routine For Beginners

Ok. No more excuses. This is a plan designed for begginers to help them get on the road of success.

-Sample Routine

MON - Low Intensity Cardio (30 minutes on treadmill/ at 70%heart rate)
TUE - 30 minutes walk ( nothing too hard)
WED- Low Intensity Cardio (30 minutes on stationary bike/ at 70%heart rate)
THUR- 30 minute walk
FRI - Low Intensity Cardio (30 minutes on treadmill/ at 70%heart rate)
SAT - 40 minute walk
SUN - OFF

Other Factors to Consider

Cutting body fat is not all about cardio. Here are a couple of things you must have in check to be successful in your goals.

TIPS on diet

-Avoid sugary food.
- Eat oats, fruits, vegies and lots of salads for carbs.
- Eat a good amount of protein to keep lean tissue.
- Do not consume carbohydrates after 7PM ( no need for energy).
- Consume healthy fats (such include are olive oil, nuts and fish oils).
- Drink alot of water for a faster metabolism.
- If you want, take a fatburner and green tea to give you an extra boost on your matabolism.

Other Random Tips

- Do not limit your activity to your daily cardio, walk, take an extra step, park farther away from the parking lot, etc..
- Keep long and short term goals that will make it easier for you not to get discouraged.
- Be consistent, it won't happen in 2 weeks, follow your routine and soon it will pay off.
- Rest. Take about 8 hours of sleep per night. That will help your body, and its excellent for your fat burning goal.

Bonus Question: Making Cardio Fun

Here is some advise on keeping cardio fun. Remember the funner the better the chance of being consistent of your routine. Here's some advise.

TIPS

- Listen to music. It will not only give you something to do, but music also encourages you, pumps you up, and makes time pass by alot faster.

- Change routines often. Mix it up a bit. One day it might be a jog in the park, the next stationary bike in your room, or hit up the stairmaster in the gym. Keep it fun and exciting and soon it won't be a job, but something you look forward to.

- Running buddy. If you enjoy extercise why not share it with someone else? Find a relative or friend that enjoys extercise and invite them with you. Time will pass fast, and you will be able to encourage each other and push yourselfs to the max.

Well this is it. There is nothing like having a goal and then accomplishing it. Follow the advise and this summer you will look great in your bathing suit.

**avaok** · 03-29-2005, 06:52 AM

I hate it, but I've learn to live with it. I run 4 days a week, short run, Farlets, Hills, and then a longer run. I also work out Full body 3 days a week. I do this for 4 weeks , then I back down off the mileage for 4 weeks. I have lose body fat around the middle section which is the hardest to lose.

**bigcalves** · 03-29-2005, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by avaok

I hate it, but I've learn to live with it. I run 4 days a week, short run, Farlets, Hills, and then a longer run. I also work out Full body 3 days a week. I do this for 4 weeks , then I back down off the mileage for 4 weeks. I have lose body fat around the middle section which is the hardest to lose.

True.
I find Low Intensity Cardio in mornings, and lifting in the afternoon/evening to be the best for me. Alot of energy and it takes me 1-3 months to get to 7-9%bf without loosing much musle mass.
Btw i do it naturally exept sometimes i use the E/C/A stack and maybe green tea and other natural matebolism boosters.

**L_Asso** · 03-29-2005, 12:22 PM

Just sent the Article to you by Email, thanks!

**Spinky** · 03-29-2005, 03:57 PM

The word around the best way to lose fat has been discussed to a point, where everyyone contridicts eachother.

"I do high intensity", "I do low intensity"

How many times have you heard these slogans said in and around a gym?

The truth of the matter is that all people are different and all people have different fat burning capacities.

After doing a lot of research in the area of "What the best type of Cardio is for Fat loss" i have come to the conclusion, that there is no exact answer.
But, wait.

Have Hope

Through the miracles of science, there has been great developments on blood lactate tesing. This testing is simple. You do 3 things

1. Run at low intensity for 5 min
2. Run at medium for 5 min
3. Run at high for 5 min

At each point all levels are tested.
Breathing
Heart Rate
Pulse

But, the most important is the Blood test.

Now i know what many of you are thinking. BLOOD TEST? Its not like a pint get pumped out of you. They simply prick ur finger or earlobe, and squeeze less then a droplet out for the blood lactate test.

This test analysiz how your rates during exercise were, and how you can optimize you fat burning.

Tests like this have previously only been allowed for high performance atheletes. But now they are available (inexpensive) for public use. The tests last beetween 30-45 min, and are followed up with a meeting to discuss your goals and how your body will achieve them the fastest.

Peak Centers throughout USA & Canada offer this kind of testing

They will tell you what is best for YOUR BODY, as its been said before, "not 1 person is exactly alike"

Many gyms that are opening offer this kind of testing for free when you sign up, so if you can, get in on it.

Although not everyone will like that this did not give you exact guidlines. It can be stated, that if you follow a strict diet, with cardio at least 3 times a week. The pounds will fall off. All types of fat lose will be within the time of 1 month, depending on if you choose to have hi/lmedium/low intenisty.

RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1. Make sure you never lose more then 1.5 lbs a week (unless in first 3 weeks) due to the fact, that all other weight will be muscle.

BONUS

To keep things fun in the cardio room
1. Join different classes at your gym
2. Find many different training partners
3. "Purchase" 5000 songs, and set those headphones to random
4. Set goals and reward yourself with something healthy and fun, such as a new supplement and/or a new piece of equiptment (weight gloves)

References:

http://www.lactate.com/
http://physiotherapy.curtin.edu.au/r...01/lactate.cfm

Anderson O, (2001)
Peak Performance. July 2001. P 151-160
Weltman A (1995)
The Blood Lactate response to Exercise. AM JnlSp Med (1995) 120-125
Foxdal,P, Sjodin B, Sjodin A, Ostman,B (1994)
The validity &accuracy of Blood Lactate testing. Am Jnl Sp Med 15 (1994) p89-95.
Hagberg, J (1984)
Physiological Implications of the Lactate Threshold. Int Jnl Sp Med p106-109.
HarrisJ & Dudley, G (1989)
Exercise alters the distrributionof Lactate in the blood. Jnl App Phys. 66:313-317.
Mader A (1991)
Evaluation of the endurance performance of mararthonrunners & theoretical analysis of test results. Jnl Sp Med PhysicalFitness (31):1-19
Keskinen,K Komi,P & Rusko H (1989)
Lactic Acid evaluation in energycontribution. Br Jnl Sp Med 10, p197-201.
Myburgh, K, Viljoen A Tereblanche S (2001)
Plasma lactate concentrationsfor self selected maximal tests 33. Medicine & SP Sience p152-156.
Palmer,A Potteiger A, Nau K et Tong R (1999)
A 1 day self maximallactate steady state assessment protocol. Med & SC in SP& Exc 31, 9 , p1336-1341.
Tomlin D & Wenger H (2001)
The relationship between aerobicfitness and recovery from high intensity exercise Sports Med 31(1):1-11.
Thin et al (1999)
Lactate determination in exercise testing using analysers.Eur Jnl Applied Phys 79(2):155-159
Olbrecht J (1998)
Details of lactate testing. Reliabillity. http//www.lactate.
Hilderbrand A Lormes W (2000)
Lactate concentrationin plasma & red blood cells during incremental exercise. Int Jnl SpMed 21(7) Oct
Baldari C et Guidetti l (2000)
A simple method for IAT as predictorof max lactate steady state . Med & SC in Sp & Exc 32(10)1798-1802.
Vuorima T , Vasankari V et Rusko H (2000)
Physiological comparison during2 intermittent running exercise tests at the velocity associated with VO2max. Int Jnl Sp Med 21(2) p96-101
Hill,D (1999)
Energy system contribution in middle distance runningevents, Jnl SP Sc 17(6) p477-83.
McArdle,W Katch F & Katch V (1996)
Exercise Physiology concepts2nd ED 2000.

**realnatty** · 03-29-2005, 06:32 PM

Umm Spinky, why do you have so many references?

**bigcalves** · 03-29-2005, 06:48 PM

haha. those are alot of references...

**Spinky** · 03-29-2005, 07:57 PM

well, i didnt want to infringe on any rules, and from one of the many sites i visited they made generic refrences to those places.

So i felt, i should give credit, where credit is due,

even if its nt due lol.

**bigcalves** · 03-29-2005, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by Spinky

well, i didnt want to infringe on any rules, and from one of the many sites i visited they made generic refrences to those places.

So i felt, i should give credit, where credit is due,

even if its nt due lol.

haha i guess.

**admin** · 03-30-2005, 08:31 AM

THIS ANSWER WAS SUBMITTED BY EMAIL BY L'ASSO:

PART ONE:
------------
The United States is said to be the fattest country, by that they mean that almost half of its population is fat, overweight or obese. Research shows that from 1960 to 2002, the average weight jumped from:

Men: 166.3 Lbs. to 191 Lbs.
Women: 140.2 Lbs. to 164.3 Lbs.
Body mass index for adults (ages 20-74) has increased from 25 to 28.

Although height has increased in Americans the weight still is alarmingly high. Dieting just doesn�t cut it anymore, the solution, Cardiovascular Exercise/Activities or �Cardio�. Sure, it sounds boring sometimes, and some of you work hard for hours just to come home and find out you haven�t done your cardio and all you want to do is rest, but remember that getting in shape requires certain sacrifices. Cardio is not only to help you lose fat, in time you�ll see what I mean, exercise removes excess fat from your body making you not only look good but it will make you healthier and you�ll feel less tired, you�ll have more confidence in yourself and if you lift weights it will help you cut and look more defined.

Aside from making you fit, cardiovascular activity improves your Stamina and endurance. An example of the benefits can be shown in Rope Jumping; it�s effective in trimming your legs, hips and thighs. It greatly improves your balance, agility and coordination. So you see, the purpose of cardio goes beyond making you lose fat.

Getting Started:
First of all make sure you have a routine set up and you have a schedule for your workout routine, if you work you might want to do cardio when you get the chance in your free time or when you get home. Remember that there are literally hundreds of cardiovascular activities, make sure you do the ones you like the most because those are the ones that will make it more at your liking, examples of cardiovascular activities include walking, playing tennis, football, basketball, swimming, running, boxing, hiking, skating, rollerblading, stationary bicycle, paintball, Airsoft, etc. Even walking your dog is a cardiovascular activity! If you exercise on an empty stomach you burn more calories which equal you burning more fat! Remember to set a goal (i.e. 170Lbs for September).

Making Cardio Fun!
Ok, many people find exercise boring; this doesn�t have to be the case with you! There are many ways of keeping cardio fun, here are some ideas:

Have a Training Partner! Have a friend exercise with you.
Walk/Run/Jog with your dog. Not only is it fun, but you get to meet people too.
Play sports such as paintball or Airsoft. Not only does it require many people to play but the thought of having a paintball or a plastic BB hitting you in the head makes you run pretty fast when being shot at! Best of all you can play for hours and you won�t notice how much you�ve run! And believe me you run a lot!
Exercise with your favorite music! Any type of music will work, it will keep your mind away from being tired and you�ll feel more energetic.
Watch TV while doing stationary exercises like stationary bike if you�re doing it at home.
And why just do the same exercise without adding a spark to it? Invent a game with a cardio workout! Not only will it be fun, but someone else will be there with you, your only limit is your imagination!
Playing games such as basketball, paintball, football, tennis, racquetball, water polo, etc. Are great fun, not only for you but to your friends also, you won�t feel like you�re doing exercise because your mind is set on it being a game when you�re actually burning hundreds of calories!
Sing a song in your head while exercising, if you have a nice voice why not sing? In a low voice of course.

Dos & Don�ts of Cardio:

 Relax before and after every Cardio session.
 When jumping rope, don�t jump as high as you can just jump high enough for the rope to pass under your feet.
 When running, take short brakes every few meters, if you feel your heart is way too jumpy and have troubles breathing stop and rest for a few minutes, relax, have a drink of water and if you feel fine continue.
 Don�t wear formal shoes, heels or similar shoes. Always wear tennis shoes, sneakers or similar type of shoes.
 Don�t skip on a hard surface. You might hurt your tendons and ligaments.
 If you feel dehydrated drink water until you�re satisfied, but not too much. When jogging, walking or other similar activity always take water with you.
 Don�t over train this is sort of bad for you, just do as much as your body can take not over.
 Clothes are important; they depend on whatever Cardio activity you�re doing. For example, don�t wear jeans when running; wear a t-shirt not a dress shirt for Gods sake! And remember that the clothes you wear shouldn�t be tight or you�ll feel uncomfortable.
 Equipment is also important; make sure you have the right equipment. Don�t take a soccer ball to a basketball game!
 Try working out in the shade out of the sun, trust me you�ll feel much more comfortable and you�ll be away from the harmful UV rays.
 Wear sunglasses if doing an outdoor exercise, for some reason you�ll feel less hot with them on.
 The most important thing, have motivation! Let it be a special someone, a boyfriend or a girlfriend, the way you look, etc. Doesn�t matter, make sure you have one and you�ll see that you�ll work harder for your goal!

Cardio Benefits:
Ok, Cardio has more purposes than just burning fat:

� It Increases your lung capacity, it will make you breath much better.
� It helps you sleep better than before.
� It helps you feel good about yourself.
� It helps you burn fat and Calories fast; and even faster with a proper diet.*
� It will help you reduce any stress you have.
� Cardio will reduce the risk of you having a heart attack, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc.
� Your heart will be able to work better because cardio will make it strong so it doesn�t have to pump blood as hard as it had to before. Remember your heart is a muscle too.
� If you lift weights, then Cardio is a must, it will �cut� your muscles, make you more defined and will increase your stamina and endurance. The heart will be able to pump more blood into your muscles and you�ll recover faster from each workout.

*Remember that in order to lose fat by cardio you must follow a proper diet; otherwise the fat you just lose with your cardio activity will be regained.

Proper Diet:
In order to succeed losing fat with your cardio program you must follow a proper diet, which means that if you are not following a proper diet you�ll have to change your eating habits. It�s not as hard as it sounds; the key element here is choosing the right foods and the proper portions. People are sometimes scared when they hear the word �diet�; they think it means starvation when it isn�t. A proper diet means eating healthy, eating lots of vegetables which are rich in essential vitamins and minerals, grains, fruits, meats, etc. Deciding what�s right, for example, fast food is a no-no here, mainly by the fact that fast foods contain �empty calories�, empty calories are those foods that contain little, if any nutritional value to your diet. These empty calories turn into fast quite fast, and not only that, if you eat empty calories chances are you�ll feel hungry even if you were full a minute ago from eating a whole Burger King Combo, just like soda, it will not quench your thirst, therefore you�ll be eating/drinking more.

Diets doesn�t have to be strict, you can have almost anything as long as the portions aren�t gigantic and that they�re not high in fats, for example fried foods, specially deep fried foods are considered empty calories, so avoid fried foods, instead why not try baked, Saut�ed or Grilled? You�ll be surprised at how grilled chicken is a hundred times better than fried chicken, and you won�t feel guilty for eating foods with high caloric intake!

Sugar and Carbohydrates are not your enemies IF they�re taken with moderation. You might want to avoid sugar because sugar triggers the bodies fat storage mode. Try �Splenda�, �Equal� or any other of those sugar substitutes. Avoid white bread; instead eat whole grain bread, its way better for you and it even tastes better! Avoid sweets and candy, chocolate may be good once in a while but with moderation. Be smart on what you eat, if you want something sweet go for fruit, if you want something like ice cream go for frozen yogurt or freeze some fruits like strawberries and eat them frozen for a sweet cold treat. Avoid fatty foods such as pork rinds or Spanish �churritos� which are fried in pork fat.

PART TWO BELOW.

**admin** · 03-30-2005, 08:32 AM

THIS ANSWER WAS SUBMITTED BY EMAIL BY L'ASSO:

PART TWO:

Bodybuilding.com has a database that you can use to see what caloric intake foods have as well as fats, carbs (Carbohydrates), sugar, etc. Measure your caloric intake, remember that in order to lose fat you must burn more calories than the ones you�ve consumed.

Remember to take your vitamins! Your mom told you ages ago, now I�m telling you again, vitamins and minerals are essential to the body to perform the activities you want it to do and reach its full potential. You can find them in this section of the Bodybuilding.com Store. Multivitamins are a great way on getting every essential vitamin needed, one or two pills and you�ve just taken the recommended daily intake of vitamins you need!

Remember not all fats are bad, Saturated fats are the bad ones, they come from mostly meats, unsaturated fats are good for you, they come from fruits and vegetables as well as other plants and nuts. Avocados are a great way to get your unsaturated fats from; they�re tasty, and easy to digest. Saturated fats are replaced by unsaturated fats by the body, so it�s a good idea to eat foods that contain it.

Let�s not forget about the Omega-3 fatty acids! They�re extremely important for your cardio activities! Omega-3 can be found in fishes such as Salmon or Trout, but if you don�t like fish (which I doubt you do) you can find it in pill form (Soft Gels) and they contain the recommended daily amount. Benefits of Omega-3 Include: Enhanced nervous system function, helps to maintain cholesterol levels controlled, it makes skin and joints healthy, it helps you absorb your vitamins better, benefits your heart, and most important, they help you support your cardiovascular health.

If you�re always on a hurry try a Protein Bar, they�re tasty, have low calories (most) and they�re healthy, just don�t replace every meal with one of them, replace one or two meals at most! You can find them here. Make sure they have low calories and if possible, low carb.

Last but not least, the keyword for a diet is Moderation! Eat six small meals instead of three big ones, make sure you�re eating at least 6 portions of fruits and vegetables (just be careful with potatoes, they�re high in starch). If you�re going to eat bread make sure it�s whole grain not white because white bread is actually glucose (bite a piece and chew it for a moment in your mouth and you�ll feel it sweet), and drink water whenever you feel thirsty it will not only quench your thirst but give it will give you more energy and it will make your metabolism a bit faster.

The Science behind weight loss and Cardio:

Ok I�m going to make this short and easy for all of you to understand. The body not only takes fat as energy, it also takes sugar and water, the little guy that does all of this is called a Mitochondria, the Mitochondria turns fat, sugar and water into energy that�s why it�s important to take water regularly or you�ll feel tired. When you eat your food it�s usually absorbed and used directly by the Mitochondria, but if you eat more than you should�ve then the extra fat/sugar/water is stored. When you exercise mitosis (when an organism such as a bacteria divides itself into two, then each one divides forming four, then the four divide to make eight, and so on) occurs to the Mitochondria because you�re burning twice the amount of fat/sugar/water, and if you keep exercising they will keep dividing so that they can keep up with the fat/sugar/water �burning�. First a Mitochondria uses water as energy, then the sugar and finally the fat, that�s why the Atkins diet makes sense in restraining Carbs and Sugars (Carbs = Sugar), but don�t do the Atkins diet unless you�re given an O.K. by your doctor because as helpful as it can be it can damage you too, so it�s somehow dangerous, consult your doctor first.

Mitochondria�s WILL �die� if you don�t keep exercising because the body will notice you aren�t burning calories as you used to, so try to exercise often.

Types/Forms of Cardio:

~Cardio workouts come in seven forms:

1.) Low Intensity, Long Duration Cardio: This type of Cardio requires 40-60% of your maximum heart rate and it involves sort of low activity cardio such as walking, jogging, going for a ride in a bicycle, etc. They�re relatively easy exercises; the catch is that it has to be continuous and long which means you must keep going at it almost non-stop for about 30-45 minutes. If you�re just starting cardio or exercising this is the exercise activity you�re looking for because its easy to follow, and if you have a treadmill or a stationary bike you�re all set to do it all in the comfort of your own home! This type of cardio is also good for burning fat; it isn�t as vigorous or demanding as other exercises yet it helps you burn fat as a steady yet slower pace but it works! This is good for obese people to loose fat because it isn�t hard, and basically they�re just starting exercising.

2.) Medium Intensity, Medium Duration: This Cardio requires almost 70% of your maximum heart rate capacity; it usually requires you to do aerobic exercises and it can be used for losing fat (well, actually all can be used for that too). It is harder which means it isn�t long because you use twice as much energy, but its well worth it (Remember, no pain, no gain!), it will usually take you 20-40 Minutes a day and you can do this Cardio form after you�ve succeeded in the Low Intensity Cardio, if you start from here you�ll find it a bit difficult if you haven�t exercised before. This sort of Cardio form can be basketball, football, or other sport such as those, running, swimming, etc. You will breathe heavily which is this forms characteristic, heavy breathing because of a harder workout.

3.) High Intensity, Short Duration: This type of Cardio as said is Intensive, it requires about 80-85% of your Maximum Heart rate, it is short though, 5-20 Minutes is enough but it is vigorous, the performance you will use depends on your fitness level and sometimes genetics. Remember that the time you spend on this type of cardio form depends on your fitness level and endurance. This type of exercises can be running at a continuous rate, stationary bike is preferred for this form of cardio because you can adjust the resistance to a hard level.

4.) Aerobic Interval Training: This form of Cardio requires you do a routine of Medium and High intensity Cardio at first alternating with a small �rest� of low intensity cardio. A good thing to keep in mind is that with this form of cardio you can alternate the intensity of your workout so you can keep up with yourself. Just remember to work hard enough to get a good workout but not too hard so that you don�t have to stop.

5.) Anaerobic Interval Training: This form of cardio is simple, and will take place with High-Medium Intensity cardio, the catch is that the time you do your High Intensive workout will be the time to rest and then start again until you�ve completed the number of sets (i.e. 10 Minutes workout, 10 minutes rest, 10 minutes workout, 10 minute rest, etc).

6.) Fartlek Training: This means Play in Swedish, it is not a game or play, but it is sort of fun because you mix Low, Medium and High intensity workouts, for example you can walk for 10-20 minutes, jog for 10-5 minutes and then sprint/run for 3-2 minutes then start walking again. It�s fairly simple right? And it�s fun to top it all. And don�t worry; people won�t look at you funny when doing it outside.

7.) Circuit Training: As you might have guessed already this is sort of aerobic weight training. For this you must use a variation of exercises using a fairly small weight, but you must do each exercise for a period of time without failing to do the reps which you have put as your goal for a period of time and you will do each exercise continuously with a set time interval. This type of cardio is a good form of mixing weight training and cardio at the same time, and it�s perfect if you don�t have time to do both, and to top it off it works your entire body instead of just a certain place!

*Remember, all of these forms of cardio can be done using a machine (i.e. Treadmill, stationary bike, etc.) as well as without them, uses whatever is more comfortable to you, and remember not to over train. Beginners start with Low Intensity Cardio, you will be surprised at how well it works.

Heart Rate:
To calculate your Maximum heart rate, apply this formula: Heart.R max = 208 - 0.7 x age
Although this formula is an estimate of your real Max Heart Rate (might be 10-20 beats per second more or less) it�s very close with only a small margin of error. Your heart rate is actually a measure of your exercise intensity, and not only that, your maximum heart rate differs in different activities.

There are many factors which affect your heart rate: Your body position on a bike will influence Heart Rate, Temperature (This will greatly influence your heart rate), humidity, and also the time of day (day or night) might influence your heart Rate.

I�d recommend you to hit a heart rate of 60-70% of your maximum heart rate, this may sound a lot but in reality this will help you burn more calories and is of medium intensity by the type of vigorous activities you must do in order to keep your heart at that rate. Remember that as your heart rate begins to go up, oxygen consumption of the blood goes up so you�ll need to breathe quickly and heavily, although it isn�t too uncomfortable no one likes to breathe heavy.

PART THREE BELOW

**admin** · 03-30-2005, 08:32 AM

THIS ANSWER WAS SUBMITTED BY EMAIL BY L'ASSO:

PART THREE:

Cardio and Muscle:
It is said that Cardio makes you lose muscle, sad as it is it is true and scientifically proven, what happens is that muscle proteins are broken down and used for energy during aerobic exercise, but the thing is that you are constantly breaking down and re-building muscle tissue as you do your cardio workout, this process is called "protein turnover" what�s going on is that your body is constantly alternating back and forth among anabolic (building) and catabolic (breaking down) cycles. Reducing the catabolic side just enough so that you stay on the anabolic side will gain you muscle or at least will help you maintain muscle.

But if you�d like to do cardio but you�d also like to keep your muscles or maintain them at least as they are I recommend Circuit Training, because this is sort of aerobic weight training. And since you use weights, although small weights, muscle is not lost, sometimes some muscle is gained. So remember if you�d like to do cardio but not loose muscle or gain a bit of muscle, do some Circuit training.

Beginners Routine:
I know some of you need guidance, this is an example of what you can do for a routine, and it doesn�t necessarily have to be like this, remember to do what you like for cardio exercises, so here it is for week one, change the routine as you please:

Monday: Low Intensity, Long Duration Cardio (walking, stationary bicycle, etc). 20 Min.
Tuesday: Low Intensity, Long Duration Cardio. 30 Min.
Wednesday: Medium Intensity, Medium Duration (running, swimming, etc.) 10 Min.
Thursday: Day off. (You can do crunches, 20-50 to start getting your abs in shape).
Friday: Low Intensity, Long Duration Cardio. 30 Min.
Saturday: Day off.
Sunday: High Intensity, Short Duration (Stationary bike, sprinting, etc), 5 Minutes.
How much time should you perform Cardio:
Cardio, depending on what type of intensity you�re doing should be done different everyday; normally you need 45 Minutes of cardio in Low-Medium intensity.

The perfect cardio program for fast fat loss:
Fat loss is always a problem because there are so many restrictions in the diet you decide to take and so many exercises to do that it makes it impossible right? Wrong! Fat loss isn�t easy but it isn�t hard either, there are several factors that you must have in order to make your fat loss goal possible:

A Goal: Well of course you must have a goal! If not how would you know you�ve reached your actual weight loss goal? But remember, make it a real goal, don�t expect to lose 50Lbs in a month.
Supplements (A.k.a. Diet Pills): Supplements are not going to make you lose fat by themselves, you must exercise in order for them to work and make you lose fat faster, for example take Xenadrine, great for losing fat but they won�t work if you don�t accompany them with a proper diet and exercise.
Time of Exercise: The time you do your Cardio has a big influence in the way you�ll lose fat, the best time is when you wake up and you haven�t eaten anything, the body will lose much more fat if you do it at this time because it will have to take from the fat reservoir since you haven�t eaten anything to take energy (Fat) from directly. Cardio can also be done when recovering from a weight lifting session, since the body is still burning calories you can take advantage and start your cardio there and burn twice as much.
Cheating on your diet: Ok, cheating isn�t recommended for many reasons, many include recovering fat, but there are smart ways to cheat, for example, I know you want to eat something sweet once in a while, try frozen fruit pieces, trust me they will taste great, for some reason freezing them enhances their flavor. If you want chocolate buy unsweetened chocolate, add equal or other sugar substitute to the mix, then add water until you have a gooey paste, put it in a bowl and freeze it, take it out frozen and cut it (or smash it) to take out chunks out of the mix, they�ll taste just like chocolate bars, add nuts to the mix (just not too many). They also sell no-carb, no-sugar chocolate, mainly dark chocolate.
Sodas, Caffeine, etc.: Sodas are a no-no in your diet, they contain large amounts of caffeine (unless you want decaf diet coke, which I don�t know if it�s available), sugar, and carbs, sodas will not quench your thirst for a large amount of time, one because of the sodium and two, because of the caffeine. Try everything decaf, specially at night or you will not get a good sleep essential for muscle growth and recovery from your exercises.
Caloric Intake: Caloric Intake has to be moderated in order for you to lose fat, it�s quite easy, and the key in losing fat is to burn more calories than you consume, the recommended caloric intake for a day is 2,000 but this can vary depending on your weight. But for losing fat you�ll need to consume a range of 1,000-1,500 calories per day.
Cardio: In order for you to lose fat fast you must do cardio almost everyday, it doesn�t have to be high intensive cardio everyday (5-6 days is enough), normally you would do low intensity, medium and high all in the same week but not the same everyday, there are many forms of cardio you can do, all of which can be found in this article, make a good weekly program and follow it, when you feel you can do more, change it according to your fitness level.
Fried Foods: Ok, as you know fry foods are one of the worst foods you can have, but if at all you must have at least ONE fried meal a month, fry it in extra virgin olive oil, not only does it add to the taste but it�s really healthy and rich in vitamins and minerals. Another choice would be �Olestra� oil, it tastes just like a fatty oil, the catch is that body won�t absorb it, no matter what you put in it, just like chewing gum, weird as it is, a few years ago it said that it caused �anal leakage�, I know, awful, but then they removed the warning, that�s because the percentage of people with anal leakage was way below 1%, so you will be safe on this one, but there�s another side effect, if you eat lots of this olestra (which I doubt you will) it will cause an awful diarrhea (because remember the oil can�t be absorbed, and then it mixes with whatever you have in your small intestine, and well� you get the picture).
**For more info. On dieting go to the �Proper Diet� page in this article.

Ok, summer (Bathing Suit season) is coming, and I know some of you are just a little bit out of shape; it isn�t hard to go back in shape, ladies, don�t go crazy starving yourselves, that�s NOT the answer! Guys, a truck is not a dumbbell put it down.

Ok, there isn�t a lot of science in losing enough fat to look good and healthy, first thing you must do is lower your caloric intake, 1000-1500 calories a day is more than enough, don�t starve yourself, EAT, of course, eat healthy low-caloric foods like vegetables (just stay away from yams, potatoes, and starchy vegetables), eat lean meats, steak is fine, cook it in olive oil or Olestra, if you eat fast foods (empty calories) when you�re trying to lose weight I�ll personally hunt you down and kick you where it hurts you the most (ok, no, I wont�), point is don�t eat fast foods, they�re not good for your diet.

Another thing to have in mind is to work out whenever you have a chance, but remember, if you lift weights do that first, then do your cardio, that way you�ll lose even more calories as explained before. If you want to take supplements go ahead, just remember to stay with the recommended dose and that in order for them to work you must follow a proper diet and exercise. For fat loss supplements I recommend Xenadrine and Hydroxycut, both are Ephedrine free and work FAST. If you already have lots of muscle and abs showing but you need to take away the little fat left and look defined try Cutting Gel, it will remove some extra fat and will make you look more defined.

Remember, losing fat is not only for looking good, it�s also for being healthier, feeling more active and less tired, it will be a relief for you and your body, and hey! You�ll look better! What�s better than feeling better about yourself? Knowing that you look good, that�s better! You�ll feel much more free with yourself and you will do things you were afraid to do before (believe me, I was there!), and you�ll feel a lot more confident about yourself. Take Cardio as a way of life, it doesn�t have to be a load to carry, learn to have fun with it, enjoy it, and get in your mind that cardio is great for you, there are hundreds of cardio exercises, and seven forms of cardio which you can vary activities with, you�ll see that in a few weeks you�ll notice the difference in your body, take a picture of yourself before starting your diet and cardio/exercise if you�re a beginner, then 3-4 weeks later take another picture, at 8 weeks compare yourself and you�ll notice a great change. Remember eat right, exercise daily and have fun!

**hepennypacker52** · 03-30-2005, 02:51 PM

Wow...

**clean_bulker** · 03-30-2005, 08:11 PM

High intensity is the _best_ cardio for weight loss - period. You can also spend less time doing it (not like boring hour long walks/jogs!), and we all know how important that is in our fast paced world. Its also more fun, since high intensity excercise releases endorphins - in exponentially greater quantities than when your not pushing the limit.

If your obese/overweight then start SLOW. Your joints, tendons & body needs adjusting! Maybe just going for a 15-30 minute walk 3 times a week for a couple a weeks to start with. But eventually you want to be doing HIGH INTENSITY cardio for 15 minutes continously. Thats all you need - as long as its intense!!

The best cardio method is a stationary bike. Its far less stressfull on the joints - and if you start jogging/running & are overweight you will likely injure yourself.

You should do it 3-4 times weekly - but at first not every day - you will risk quiting quickly and getting bored. Better to start slow than quit quick.

**bigcalves** · 03-30-2005, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by clean_bulker

High intensity is the _best_ cardio for weight loss - period. You can also spend less time doing it (not like boring hour long walks/jogs!), and we all know how important that is in our fast paced world. Its also more fun, since high intensity excercise releases endorphins - in exponentially greater quantities than when your not pushing the limit.

If your obese/overweight then start SLOW. Your joints, tendons & body needs adjusting! Maybe just going for a 15-30 minute walk 3 times a week for a couple a weeks to start with. But eventually you want to be doing HIGH INTENSITY cardio for 15 minutes continously. Thats all you need - as long as its intense!!

The best cardio method is a stationary bike. Its far less stressfull on the joints - and if you start jogging/running & are overweight you will likely injure yourself.

You should do it 3-4 times weekly - but at first not every day - you will risk quiting quickly and getting bored. Better to start slow than quit quick.

for WEIGHT LOSS.
i dont wanna burn my muscle while running. thats why low intensity is good.

**Dusty Soldier** · 03-31-2005, 03:13 AM

Tring to lose weight is never easy but I have found that a good running program works well. Most of us by the time we run for 15 min or more have built up a good sweat. The real problem is staying motivated to stick to a program. One program that works for me is looking at the distance between one point to another and then running it. For Example the distance from Afganistan to Alaska (home) is 5520 miles. My goal is to run that distance in a years time which is the length of my tour. I figured it out and it works out to be about 16 miles a week or a little over 2 miles a day. Mentally as I run I think of where I want to be so I don't think so much about the running. You could use this for anyplace you want to be and watch the results. I suggest not to run everyday because as you put the miles on it can be hard on the joints especially if you are over 30. Good luck from Dusty Soldier!

Originally Posted by admin

TOPIC: What Is The Best Type Of Cardio For Fat Loss?

For the week of: March 28th - April 4th.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you are looking to lose fat, you know you have to have a great weight training, nutrition, and supplement program to get the fastest results. You also know you will have to do cardio. Yes, I know... it sucks. So what type of cardio program should you follow to get the most from the time and energy you put into it?

Should you follow a high, medium, or low intensity cardio program? Should you do cardio everyday? If not, how often? How long should your cardio session be? Should you try to hit a certain heart rate? What kind of cardio should you do to prevent muscle loss?

Tell us about the perfect cardio program for fast fat loss. Summer (bathing suit season) is coming quick! Help!

BONUS QUESTION: How can you make cardio more fun? What type of programs can you follow to keep it interesting while getting great results?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

The best response will get $50 in credit to use in our online store! The other good responses will be used in an article on the main Bodybuilding.com site, with the poster's forum name listed by it. Become famous!

Thanks,
Bodybuilding.com

**cardioking** · 03-31-2005, 04:09 AM

When it comes to losing fat everyone has a theory. Some people say that slow is the way to go while others say fast will put fat in the past. Ask yourself this question. What type of athlete would you rather look like? A marathoner? Or a sprinter? A marathon runner looks sickly thin with little muscle mass while a sprinter is lean and muscular which is much healthier looking then the marathon runner. Although I prefer the sprinters physique I am a full supporter of doing both types of cardio to add variety to a workout and strengthening the heart muscles.

Sprinters do workouts called fartleks which is a Swedish word referring to short bouts of sprints followed by short bouts at a slower pace. In bodybuilding terms that is called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT in my opinion is better then endurance cardio because it makes muscles work harder and in time makes muscles stronger which burns more fat. Also, HIIT burns more calories throughout the day then endurance cardio does. Endurance cardio burns more calories during activity then it does throughout the day while HIIT works just the opposite.

To perform HIIT you can do anything.... biking, running, stairclimber etc. You just have to be able to go from fast to slow over and over again for about 15-20min. Choose what intervals you would like to go at and perform HIIT with whatever exercise you decide to do. I usually go 1 min sprint and 1 min jog but its up to you and what you can do.

To make cardio more fun I enjoy listening to music. I bring a mini disc player with me and it makes time fly by and it also gives me an extra push when I need it. Perform HIIT 3 times a week and do a longer endurance at a lesser intensity cardio workout once or twice a week just to add some variety.

Cardio is important to do not only because of the stored up fat from last winter but its also important to do it because of your heart. Big muscles do not mean anything if you can't walk up a flight of stairs without collapsing. Do cardio long enough to get up a good sweat and increase your heart rate. As long as your not over doing it cardio can be a very healthy and helpful tool in anyones routine.

**Ted McArthur** · 03-31-2005, 10:04 AM

Great responses so far. Here's two cents.

What is the bottom line? ADAPT AND SURVIVE. That is what your body is trying to do. You have to force it to work for you. Staying focused on fooling your body to work for you, here are the only necessary three steps to burn fat:

1. Calories in v. calories out. This is where the rubber meets the road for fat loss. You must force your body to utilize existing fat stores for energy.

Duh.

Any recommendations beyond a reduction in calories are icing on the cake--they can help, but are not in themselves the answer.

2. Weight training. This forces your body to maintain lean tissue while in a (relatively) fasted state. Otherwise, in an attempt to adapt to a famine, your body will rid itself of your muscle tissue. WHY? To survive. By lowering your daily caloric requirements, you are more likely to survive an extended famine.
By lifting, you are forcing your body to hold on to that muscle.

3. Burn calories and raise your metabolic rate with cardio.
Anyone (like me) who has yo-yo dieted in the past knows that your body will start to shut down after about two weeks. Your resting heart rate plummets, your basal temperature (best measured upon rising) falls. To you and me, kids this means fat loss halts. How do we reverse this?

Q. If you were driving a car, and wanted to burn the MOST fuel as INEFFECIENTLY as possible, how would you do it?
A. With multiple stops and starts, i.e.--city driving. The MPG is always higher for highway driving (maintaining a steady speed) than for city driving (stops and starts).

THEREFORE, you will maximize CALORIE EXPENDITURE with some type of interval training. Call it what you like: HIIT, fartleks, whatever. You will burn energy rapidly, and you will raise your metabolism for hours post-training.

Like lifting, interval training can elevate endogenous androgens, creating an anabolic environment. So, supplement your interval workout like you would a weight session--pre and post shakes of protein and carbs, even throw in some aminos, creatine and glutamine for fun.

A quick word about early a.m. fasted, easy pace cardio. Yes, you burn more fat as fuel during your session as this training is aerobic. However, even while exercising aerobically, your body MUST utilize some serum glucose. If it is not present at the beginning of your exercise session, you will manufacture it via gluconeogenesis (turning amino acids to glucose). So you WILL be utilizing some hard-won muscle to fuel your cardio.

Simple, straight forward three point plan. Anything else you add to this can only help, if you follow the three rules:

1. Reduce calories below your maintenance level;
2. Perform strength training to spare muscle mass;
3. Interval training to keep your metabolism revved, and toast some more calories.

Peace.

**bigcalves** · 03-31-2005, 10:52 AM

the last 2 articles are not good, because you guys dont follow the q's being asked, but talk about cardio and ur opinions on it.. my 2 cents`

**UliqMadiq** · 03-31-2005, 12:12 PM

How to Give Your Cardio a Double Edge

Cardio - Who Needs It?

If you look at losing bodyfat from a mathematical point of view, it's easy to see that the bulk of your caloric balance has to come from your diet. Ergo, the bulk of your caloric deficit will rest with your diet. So of course even if you sweated yourself out doing cardio, you'd be hard pressed to lose a good amount of weight if you ate much more than you burned.

Logically, that all works out. On the other hand, I don't think anyone should underestimate the power of cardio in accelerating fatloss, especially when you consider that it can be made to work in more than just one simple way.

A Double-Edged Sword

Cardio has a sort of two-pronged benefit:
One, obviously it increases your caloric deficit, because your burning cals when you run, walk, bike, or what have you.
Two, it regulates your diet. The science isn't conclusive - i.e. no studies pinpoint the exact reason why it may do so, but they do observe the phenonemon just the same - but cardiovascular exercise appears to have a limiting effect on appetite. Without any other changes made at all, that twenty minute sacrifice could affect how you eat the rest of the day, steering you away from those tempting foods that spell 'Junk' in flashing neon.

There is also the all-important mental side: sweating yourself crazy on your cardio trail establishes a sort of "Why waste that hard work by eating crap?" rationale that keeps you eating cleaner and lower on the calories.

Additionally, weight loss without cardio will primarily result in the loss of visceral rather than the bulk of your subcutaneous fat, if you are a woman, and vice versa if you are a man. This means that for a female the fat clumped around your organs will melt, but the fat sitting under your skin, around the buttocks and thighs where you really want to lose the fat, will take a much longer time to get out there. With men, the visceral fat about the abdominals will take longer to lose without cardio. Cardiovascular exercise thus mobilizes that most stubborn layer of all to help get rid you of it quicker.

In short, anybody looking to lose fat cannot afford to ignore cardio but instead needs to committedly do both - watch his or her diet and hit the cardiovascular exercise hard - because one is contingent upon the other.

A Specific Double-Edged Sword

With the idea in mind that the overall armory of cardio can attack fat from two distinct angles, when choosing what specific weapon we use to slay that flab, why not also pick a type of cardio that works in more than one way too?

Before I expand on this personal trump card of cutting, remember that any type of cardio will help in some way for fat loss. All the most popular methods - low intensity, high intensity, high intensity interval training (HIIT), walking on an incline, and everything else you can read in the typical cover story of a Fitness magazine off the shelves - will work, but they won't neccessarily work the best.

There are some obvious problems with each kind, not to mention they each contradict one another in a lot of ways. While low-intensity cardio may be too slow-going to burn enough calories in a reasonable time frame, high-intensity cardio may be very vigorous resulting in catabolism or muscle loss. While HIIT may be too harsh to perform the first thing in the morning when fat loss is optimal and could cause catabolism without pre-workout nourishment, sports cardio may be too arbitrary for a lot of people who would like to know exactly what sort of deficit they are creating.

The solution is to try and glean the benefits of each of these types of cardio, and strip away the minus points.

Therefore, I recommend:
An overall moderate intensity interval training program with small bookending high-intensity spurts done the first thing in the morning, structured as follows.

The graph uses a 1-10 scale for intensity, where 1 is a very light walk, 5 is where you are breaking a sweat and 10 is where you feel you absolutely have to stop that instant or you will throw up. This can be done on any type of cardiovascular exercise machine, so long as you feel you can achieve all the intensity levels from 1-10 on it.

Some of the minutes are marked with comments so that you get a rough idea what each number is supposed to mean.

Minute 1: Intensity Level 2 (warm-up)
Minute 2: Intensity Level 3
Minute 3: Intensity Level 4
Minute 4: Intensity Level 5 (you should start feeling it now)
Minute 5: Intensity Level 6
Minute 6: Intensity Level 7
Minute 7: Intensity Level 8 (you should be pushing extremely hard)
Minute 8: Intensity Level 9 (you should be struggling to keep up)
Minute 9: Intensity Level 5
Minute 10: Intensity Level 5
Minute 11: Intensity Level 6
Minute 12: Intensity Level 6
Minute 13: Intensity Level 7
Minute 14: Intensity Level 7
Minute 15: Intensity Level 8
Minute 16: Intensity Level 8
Minute 17: Intensity Level 5
Minute 18: Intensity Level 5
Minute 19: Intensity Level 6
Minute 20: Intensity Level 6
Minute 21: Intensity Level 7
Minute 22: Intensity Level 7
Minute 23: Intensity Level 8
Minute 24: Intensity Level 8
Minute 25: Intensity Level 5
Minute 26: Intensity Level 6
Minute 27: Intensity Level 7
Minute 28: Intensity Level 8
Minute 29: Intensity Level 9 (you should be struggling again)
Minute 30: Intensity Level 5
Minute 31: Intensity Level 5
Minute 32: Intensity Level 4 (cool-down)
Minute 33: Intensity Level 4
Minute 34: Intensity Level 3
Minute 35: Intensity Level 2

This may be hard to remember at first, but the concept is simple once you get used to it: rise up slowly at first one minute at a time right up to the top of your intensity potential, then run two moderate intensity cycles, then cool down.

Refer to the graphic attached below for an easy to follow layout of the program.

Benefits

1. The high intensity spurts are solely at the beginning and end for a simple reason. Cortisol release is a factor in cardiovascular training, and is directly proportional to the intensity or degree of stress. Thus continuous high intensity training will typically send cortisol levels skyrocketing, which will primarily eat up muscle tissue rather than fat. Ergo the first burst of high intensity training is built up to right at the beginning after the warm-up, and the last one right at the end before the cool-down, with the portion in between including enough moderate intensity work separating the two to prevent excess cortisol release in a steady stream. At the same time, the high-intensity spurts take advantage of the fact that they hold the most fat burning potential as compared to lower intensity training. The set-up is as close as it gets to providing the best of both worlds: optimal fat burning without the usually inevitable muscle loss.

2. The workout is done the first thing in the morning. Studies show that the cardiovascular work done on a fasted stomach as the first thing in the morning can burn upto 300% the amount of calories used by the same span of time of cardiovascular exercise done later in the day, after a few meals have been consumed. Glycogen levels are low in a fasted state, and so the body will burn bodyfat - not carbs that have been eaten - for fuel. Nonetheless, morning cardio is a controversial issue, backed with the argument that cardiovascular exercise in a fasted state is said to release cortisol that will of course target the amino acids in muscle tissue for energy rather than fat. However, this theory really holds water based on high-intensity exercise done at a continuous pace, when glycogen depletion will serve only to repartition nutrients the wrong way around. If high-intensity work is coupled sparingly with mostly moderate exercise, chances of cortisol levels going through the roof are slim. You will usually hear either moderate-intensity morning cardio recommended, or high-intensity interval training recommended later in the day, with the intent of sparing muscle; this program combines the two to give the best gains of both.

3. The training program is thoroughly individualised. Based on personal physical condition, one can decide what intensity level implies what speed or resistance to use during the cardio session.

4. The program allows for variety, since it can be adapted to any type of cardiovascular machine that will allow intensity levels 1-10 to be brought into play. Thus rather than using the same machine day after day, giving way to the often forgettable but all-important mental fatigue that can put a halt to your progress, you can switch it up conveniently while still following the same basic, optimal form of cardio.

5. The high-intensity bursts, in addition to increasing the caloric expenditure of the workout, also provide many of the benefits other high-intensity anaerobic workouts offer in the long run. If performed consistently, the high intensity intervals adapt the musculature to be more efficient at oxidizing triglycerides, which means less fat storage in the long-term. High-intensity anaerobic work (just like your high-intensity weight workouts) is one of the most effective methods of partitioning nutrients towards muscle tissue. Thus this form of cardio is a 'double-edged sword' in that it not only burns fat in the present, but also makes it so that in the future calories that are eaten are directed mainly towards the muscle rather than the fat.

(CONTINUED)

**UliqMadiq** · 03-31-2005, 12:14 PM

(CONTINUED)

Q&A

1. How many times a week should this be done?
Not more than thrice. This is of course just my opinion, but because the program incorporates bursts of high intensity work it stresses the CNS to a higher degree than pure moderate-intensity cardio, and an excessive amount along with an adequate weight-training regimen could lead to overtraining.

2. Is there are any definite way to identify what the 1-10 intensity scales mean to me?
I would say that the moderate intensity training levels (5,6,7,8) would range from 60-80% of your VO2 max, while the high intensity level used (9) would be about 85-90% of VO2 max. These figures are based on the assumed definitions in most published studies.

3. What should I eat after the workout?
After this workout, I'd advise you have a whey protein shake with some low-to-mid-glycemic carbs, such as oats or yams. This would create an overall insulonemic effect (along the same principles of low-glycemic post-workout nutrition) that would put a stop to any cortisol release that might occur past 35 minutes, yet it would not promote lipogenesis due to the nature of the carb source. However, if you are usually comfortable with high-glycemic post-workout nutrition, dextrose is a viable option as well, but in smaller doses, as the program above is mainly of a moderate, not high, intensity.

4. Is there anybody whom the program is not suitable for?
Yes; if you are way out of shape you may not be able to push yourself to the 9th rung of intensity without experiencing some problems. In this case I'd advise you start with low-intensity cardio, building your way up to such a program. Additionally, those with a health problem that could lead to issues from the exertion in a fasted state (for instance, diabetics or those with low blood sugar for other reasons) should consider shifting the workout to later in the day, and of course only do so under the supervision of a qualified physician.

5. How do I make this fun?
It is fun. I look forward to hitting the cardio all week, just like so many bodybuilders (myself included) look forward to the 'pump' of intense workouts. Because high-intensity bursts of exercise are anaerobic, this workout gives you something of a 'pump' as well; although it is not the same feeling you might be used to, you start to love it just as much as you might love the pump during workouts, or that 'sweet' pain you feel after a heavy leg day.
If you still want to spruce it up, what I do is add music (of course); energetic, throbbing music with a jumpy beat that makes me move faster and harder. Overall, keep in mind the fact that you are using a program that guarantees some of the quickest possible fatloss results, each workout bringing you leaps closer to that ripped summer midsection you crave.

Remember - you have to burn it to earn it!

REFERENCES

1. Angus,SD. et. al. Dietary composition and physiological adaptation to energy restriction Am J. Nutri. 71(4) pp901-907 2000

2. Jacks, E.D., Sowash, J., Anning, J., McGloughlin, T., Andres, F. Effect of exercise at three exercise intensities on salivary cortisol. J. Str. Cond. Res. 2002; 16(2) pp 286-289.

3. Jeff S. Volek, William J. Kraemer, Jill A. Bush, Thomas Incledon, and Mark Boetes. Testosterone and cortisol in relationship to dietary nutrients and resistance exercise. J. Appl. Phisol. 82(1) pp 49-54

4. Lewis, JB., et. al Effect of intermittent high intensity exercise on gastric emptying in man. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise v 33 no8 Aug 2001. p. 1270-8

5. Maretta, J., et. al Fuel oxidation during exercise in middle aged men : Role of training and glucose disposal. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise v 34 no3 Mar 2002. p. 423-9

6. McConnel,G.,K., et. al. Effect of carbohydrate ingestion on glucose kinetics and muscle metabolism during intense exercise. J. Appl. Physiol. 2000 ;89(5). Pp1690-1698

7. Tremblay A, Simoneau JA, Bouchard C. Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism. 1994 Jul;43(7):814-8.

(the attached graphic is the graphical format of the above program, for easy viewing)

**UliqMadiq** · 03-31-2005, 12:56 PM

Sidenote:

By the way, I realize my suggestion might be controversial. I'm willing to defend it on a scientific basis to anyone who feels it is inaccurate in any way.

**mivi320** · 03-31-2005, 02:03 PM

Forgot to include my references for my article. Here they are:

http://www.thewalkingsite.com/thr.html
http://www.musclemedia.com/training/hiit.asp
http://www.fitfaq.com/high-intensity-cardio.html
http://www.pubmed.com
http://www.bodybuildingapplied.com/i....asp?newsId=61

**L_Asso** · 04-02-2005, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by bigcalves

the last 2 articles are not good, because you guys dont follow the q's being asked, but talk about cardio and ur opinions on it.. my 2 cents`

??? My article covers all the questions being asked, I did add something extra like the Do's and Don'ts, etc. Have you read it?

**bigcalves** · 04-02-2005, 11:50 PM

I just skimmed through it. Anyways, good job man. Have some rep for that

**L_Asso** · 04-04-2005, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by bigcalves

I just skimmed through it. Anyways, good job man. Have some rep for that

Thx.

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