If anyone has any tips on me losing weight quickly, please let me know.....I would like to add some other type of cardio to help me reach my goal faster.
Generally speaking, the sort of " rapid " weight loss you're talking about isn't the most " optimal " approach. Quick/fast weight loss methods usually involve a loss of weight from fat loss but also a loss of weight due to muscle loss as well - among other things. And, the idea is to lose fat and while maintaining your muscle - not while losing muscle.
That said, the key is calories. This a very simplified expanation, but you lose weight when, over time, you use more calories than you take in. It's what's called a calorie deficit. The general idea is, the bigger the deficit the bigger the weight loss. Diet, weight training and cardio can all contribute both directly and indirectly toward creating that deficit. But let's focus on cardio for now.
Hey everyone.
I'm BrookeLynn and am 5'2 and weigh 132 pounds. I am looking to lose 14 pounds by May 23 or May 31 (some time in between there). First of all, is that a relistic goal? If it is then I was wondering what cardio excersises are great for burning fat. (I don't particuarly like running.) So far, I have been doing 20 minutes on the stairmaster, with one rest day a week and have lost 2 pounds, but
*One area that I would particularry like to trim is my inner thighs.
BrookeLynn
There a 4 basic points you need to consider when thinking about cardio for fat loss.
The TYPE of cardio exercise :
I agree with jpland and sirant. The best cardio to do ...is the cardio you'll keep using.
If it means one form of cardio you enjoy will keep you continually active, do that - first and foremost, do what you enjoy.
That said, some forms of cardio are better - all other things being equal - than others. Generally speaking, the more muscles you use doing cardio the better. Also, you want to use the greatest amount of muscles in proportion to your the overall muscles on your body - if you can. The biggest muscles in you're body are your legs and buttocks. So, for optimal results, you want to pick a cardio exercise that hits those 2 muscles ( if possible ) and requires then to carry your body weight - i.e they're " weight bearing."
For example, excellent cardio choices that recruit both upper an lower body muscles are things like a rower and elliptical trainer ( i.e with the lever arms ) - the latter being weight bearing. Excellent choices that primarily use your lower body ( and are weight bearing ) are things like a stairmaster, eliptical, running outside, treadmill, jumping rope, aerobics classes.
Stationary bike ( not spinning ) is O.K - but it doesn't use a lot of muscles and it isn't weight bearing. Outdoor biking - again O.K - for the same reasons. Swimming is O.K , great for cardio ftiness and muscle, but there is some debate if it is a good for fat loss. ' Stop and go ' sports like tennis , basketball, squash, raquetball, vollyball are O.K. too. - the only distinction being is that they aren't steady uninterrupted exercise as the others I've mentioned and may not be the most optimal approach - at least in your case
Now this is a very gross over simplifiction, but in very general terms, and depending on what type and intensity level of cardio it is, the more often you do it, the better. For example, for some aerobic exercise twice a day is better than once a day. Doing this type of cardio 5X a week is better than say 2X a week.
The DURATION of cardio exercise :
Again, do you do it for 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes or 60 minutes ? And again, it very much depends on the type and intensity of the cardio you do as to which is better. Keeping over simplification in mind, in your case, cardio where you tend not to get very winded and out of breath while you're doing it ( i.e aerobic ) the longer sessions are better than shorter. So, in your case, an easy run of 40 minutes is usually better than one of 15 or 20 minutes. Other cardio, due to the nature of it's higher intensity, may be best kept to within no more than 20-30 minutes.
The INTENSITY of cardio exercise :
You can train harder - i.e out of breath, relatively higher training heart rates. You can train easier - i.e not out of breath, relatively lower heart rates. You can train at a steady state of exertion or you can train with interval steps of exertion. All these approaches will have an impact on the magnitude of the calorie deficit you create and each can have their place as part of a fat loss workout program.
The bottom line is, you have to juggle the 4 - type, frequency, duration and intensity - of any cardio choice you make in order to try and achieve optimal results. There are many knowledable posters on the forum that can speak to each one of these 4 points in a lot more detail in helping you decide what combination of the 4 is best for your needs.
