Why Cardio Could Be Impeding Your Fat Loss Goals

Is it possible that cardio could actually be impeding your fat loss goals? The answer is YES!

I see it constantly every time I enter the gym; Treadmills, Elliptical Machines, Stair-Climbers, Rowing Machines, and Stationary Bikes are constantly occupied for 20, 40, 60 Minutes at a time. I see the same people on the same machines yet their results never change or even worse they gain weight! It hurts me to see these people day after day struggling and working hard with either very small and limited results or none at all. Granted, many of these people may have horrible diets which are the cause of their impeded results, but many of them are very strict with their diets and religious with their workouts! So why are they not seeing the results they want?

The Answer is Simple! Too much cardio, not the right kind of cardio, lack of resistance training, or a combination of these factors are what result in impeded results.

I want you to do something real quick. Pick up any Runner's magazine or check out any Article Online on Marathon Runners. A simple search on google for Marathon Runner should yield many articles. Try and find an image of a Marathon Runner. I then want you to do the same thing and find an image of a Sprinter. Find as many different images of both types of runners as you can. I want you to compare these images of Marathon Runners vs. Sprinters. What you will notice is that their body compositions are much different. There is a reason for this. You will see that the Marathon Runners tend to be "flabby", while the Sprinters tend to be ripped with a good amount of muscle definition.

The reason for this is simple. Long durations of cardio exercise such as marathon running causes you to not only burn fat but you are also burning MUSCLE! Once your Carbohydrate surplus is burnt during a cardio session your body then looks elsewhere for energy sources. The next sources available are Fat and Protein. Where is your protein located? In your MUSCLES! Your body will actually break down muscle along with fat.

You may be thinking, "Gee that's not so bad as long as I'm burning fat also", WRONG! When you lose muscle your metabolism also slows down. Muscle is like the wood that keeps a fire burning, the fire being your metabolism.

How can you can take this Marathon Runners vs. Sprinters Idea and Implement it into your cardio sessions:

You now can see why long cardio sessions can be bad for your weight loss goals. So should you eliminate cardio from your workouts? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Without cardio you will not see good results. Cardio is paramount for your success.

You need to be doing the right kind of cardio. Move your mindset from Marathon Runner to Sprinter. How does a sprinter train? Short bursts of intense sprints. You can burn the same amount of, if not more, calories by doing 10 - 30 Second Bursts (or Sprints) at 8-10 MPH followed by 30 Second Rest Intervals at 5 MPH then running at 5-6 MPH for 20 Minutes. If you think about it you are burning the same amount of calories in half the time. The key is the higher intensity during the shorter period of time.

This kind of Cardio Training is known as HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training).

Unfortunately for us, the body is a very smart and adaptable machine.

When starting a workout regimen such as cardio fitness you may see quick and positive results. However, over time the body will adapt to these changes and eventually your results will diminish and eventually come to a screeching halt. This is known as a "plateau".

Because of this, you must increase the intensity of your workouts.

There are several ways in which you can increase the intensity of your workout:

1. Intensity - How fast you run, the tension on stationary bike, etc.
2. Incline - Add incline on a treadmill.
3. Rest - Shorten your rest interval.
4. Duration - Increase the duration of your burst interval.
5. # of Intervals - Increase the # of intervals during your session.
6. # of Workouts - Increase the # of workouts
   

Sample Cardio Session.

Here is a sample of a Cardio Workout Using a Treadmill over a 1 Month Period. Notice how each week the intensity has been increased.

Week 1: 3 Days. Mon/Wed/Fri

• 5 Minute Warmup - Walking @ 3 MPH
• 30 Seconds @ 8 MPH
• Followed by 30 Seconds @ 5 MPH
• Repeat for a total of 10 Intervals
• 5 Minute Cooldown - Walking @ 3 MPH
• Total Time = 20 Minutes
  

Week 2: 3 Days. Mon/Wed/Fri

• 5 Minute Warmup - Walking @ 3 MPH
• 30 Seconds @ 8.5 MPH (Duration Increased from 8 MPH to 8.5 MPH)
  
• Followed by 30 Seconds @ 5 MPH
• Repeat for a total of 10 Intervals
• 5 Minute Cooldown - Walking @ 3 MPH
• Total Time = 20 Minutes
  

Week 3: 3 Days. Mon/Wed/Fri

• 5 Minute Warmup - Walking @ 3 MPH
• 30 Seconds @ 8.5 MPH
• Followed by 30 Seconds @ 5 MPH
• Repeat for a total of 12 Intervals (# of Intervals Increased from 10 Intervals to 12)
  
• 5 Minute Cooldown - Walking @ 3 MPH
• Total Time = 22 Minutes
  

Week 4: 3 Days. Mon/Wed/Fri

• 5 Minute Warmup - Walking @ 3 MPH
• 40 Seconds @ 8.5 MPH (Duration increased from 30 Seconds to 40 Seconds)
  
• Followed by 30 Seconds @ 5 MPH
• Repeat for a total of 12 Intervals
• 5 Minute Cooldown - Walking @ 3 MPH
• Total Time = 24 Minutes

Week 5: 4 Days. Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri (# of Sessions Increased from 3 to 4)

• 5 Minute Warmup - Walking @ 3 MPH
• 40 Seconds @ 8.5 MPH (Duration increased from 30 Seconds to 40 Seconds)
  
• Followed by 30 Seconds @ 5 MPH
• Repeat for a total of 12 Intervals
• 5 Minute Cooldown - Walking @ 3 MPH
• Total Time = 24 Minutes

As you can see it is very simple and easy to increase the intensity of each workout. Writing down and creating a schedule is a great idea to keep track of where you are and where you have been. This will also help you to track and see your progress.

Without Resistance Training Your Cardio Sessions Will Be a Waste of Time!

Like is said before, Muscle is the fire that keeps your Fire (Metabolism) burning. As much as you may want to avoid it, Resistance Training is the Chopping Down and Gathering of Wood Necessary to Building your Fire. It is impossible for you to build a fire and make it last without the chopping down and gathering of wood. Likewise, it is impossible for you to build your metabolism without adding resistance training and "gathering" muscle.

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