Cardio workouts are often the first type of exercise beginners resort to when they start a fat loss program, expecially those that have never been involved in a weight lifting or resistance training program.
While there are many benefits to your general health and athletic performance of doing regular cardio workouts, they are NOT the major contributor to fat loss, and this is why:
A cardio workout (for most people) will burn a few hundred calories during a session. Of course, high level athletes will perform aerobic workouts at an intensity of even up to 1500 calories per hour, but if you workout recreationally, you will be doing well to burn approx 600-700 in a session. And this is not a huge amount.
Also, the metabolic effect of cardio workouts is fairly temporary. This means that you will experience a raised metabolism, but only for a period of time.
In contrast, weights and resistance training helps you build muscle mass, and every pound of muscle you carry burns calories, even while you are not exercising.
A statistic from maximumfitness.com tells that between the age of 20 and 70 people lose up to a quarter of their muscle mass. Thats HUGE.
The only way to maintain, and to increase that calorie burning engine of muscle mass, is to use resistance training.
Thats not to say that cardio workouts don't have a place in a healthy workout program, when it comes to improving your aerobic performance.
Cardio workouts, can help your fat loss efforts, especially when you exercise first thing in the morning, and on an empty stomach, as it ensures that you actually burnt body fat, rather than the food you've eaten throughout the day.
To sign up for a free report from THE fat loss guru, Tom Venuto -> fat loss report.
I'll also be reviewing different cardio workouts and their effectiveness over the next few posts.
Technorati tags:fitness,weight loss,exercise,diet,workouts,health
Tuesday 2 January 2007
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