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But I Do Cardio Every Day

Posted By: Kati Salowsky on 04/05/2011

Have you ever walked into the gym and seen almost every single piece of cardio equipment utilized? Better yet, have you ever walked into the gym and seen people waiting in line for a piece of cardio equipment? It is absolutely ridiculous and totally unnecessary. Of course cardiovascular exercise is exercise for the heart. Your heart is a muscle too, and it should be worked out on a regular basis. The point is that too many people these days are relying solely on cardio to lose weight. News flash people…It’s not going to happen.

            Whenever weight loss is a goal, one of the first things most people think of is burning more calories. Yes, it is essential to have a caloric deficit to see the number on the scale go down (a deficit of 3500 calories will lead to a pound lost per week). The misconception is that you have to rely on cardiovascular exercise to do it. Not true. In some cases, doing excess cardio can make you fat (I will get into that later). Don’t get me wrong, I think cardio is great! Whether you enjoy running, biking, using the elliptical, climbing stairs, or walking the benefits are huge. Cardio helps to lower hypertension, decrease emotional stress, increase blood flow throughout the body which delivers nutrients to your muscles and organs, and, yes, it also burn calories. There are two secrets: change it up and don’t overdo it.

            Why change it up? You see, your body is a machine that will slowly start to recognize the work you have it perform. If the work being performed is the same day after day, then your body will adapt and stop working as hard in order to get the same results. It’s the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. You won’t lose weight if you do the same thing over and over. Instead, your body will cling on to the extra calories and stored fat which can make you gain weight over time. So what should you do? You should change up machines. Use the stair master over using the elliptical. Run sprints instead of a long leisure jog. Do intervals. Use higher inclines. Try not to do the same activity two days in a row. Most of all…challenge your self! Working out would not be called “working out” if it was meant to be easy.

            Stop fearing the weight floor! It’s not that scary, I promise. Lifting weights will help to speed up the weight loss process. You will be converting the stored fat (thanks to all that excessive cardio you have been doing) into lean muscle mass. Isn’t that what you want to do? The best way to go about this is to make sure you have a certified trainer instruct you on how to lift weights properly. You should work on a total body lifting program that involves major muscle groups in both your arms and legs. Aim to do this at least twice per week. After about 4-6 weeks it is a good idea to change up the exercises. This way, as with doing cardio, your body will not adapt and you will continue to see changes.

            Most importantly, you cannot forget a good, quality nutrition plan. If you put crap into your body, you will look and feel like crap. The saying ‘you are what you eat’ stands true. Choose foods that are in their most natural state: fruits, vegetables, whole grains (oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice), good fats (olive oil, nuts, avocado), and protein sources (fish, lean meats, eggs). And don’t forget to drink lots of water (it airs in fat metabolism)! The nutritional concept to your body composition counts 80% in combination with your exercise routine. You don’t want to ruin all that hard work in the gym, do you?

            I challenge you: set yourself a goal this week to try a new activity in your cardio regime. Keep it interesting. Get out on the weight floor. You may find that you actually enjoy it. And get off that treadmill already, will ya?!