Cardio for Weight Loss

The Facts about Weight Loss and Cardio

If you're trying to lose weight, cardio exercise is just one of the things you need in your weight loss toolbox. The trouble is figuring out how much you need, how hard to work and the best cardio exercises. Your first step in setting up an effective cardio program is to learn just what it can do for your body.
How Cardio Helps You Lose Weight You already know that you lose weight when you burn more calories than you eat. The best way to do that is with a combination of cardio, strength training and a healthy diet. Cardio is a key component because:

• You burn more calories at one time - Getting your heart rate into your target heart rate zone means your blood is pumping, you're breathing hard, you're sweating and burning calories.
• You can easily add intensity to increase your calorie burn - With cardio exercise, it's easy to increase your calorie burn with small changes: Going faster, jumping higher, climbing hills or trying new activities that your body isn't used to. .
• It adds to your overall calorie deficit - Burning calories with exercise means you don't have to cut as many calories from your diet.
• You can do cardio most days of the week - With strength training, your muscles require rest to recover and grow stronger. Cardio can be done most days of the week without worrying about injury or overtraining.

The Best Cardio Exercises
You know cardio is important for weight loss, but which exercises are best and how much do you really need for weight loss?
The truth is, there really is no best cardio exercise. The best activity is the one you'll do on a regular basis. So, finding something you like is critical to reaching your weight loss goals. That said, some exercises offer more intensity than others.

• Impact activities: Exercises that involve some impact, like walking, will usually boost your heart rate quicker than no-impact activities like swimming or cycling.
• High impact activities: High impact, or exercises that involve running or jumping, will often burn more calories than lower impact things like walking.
• Whole body activities: When you involve both the upper and lower body, as in cross-country skiing, it's often easier to get the heart rate up and burn more calories.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't bother with low impact exercise. Both types of activities offer opportunities to burn calories and doing both gives you a well-rounded program. To get an idea of just how much cardio can do for you, check out the following list of common exercises. Below is the number of calories burned for a 150-pound person in 30 minutes:

• Step aerobics: 340 calories
• Stationary bike: 238 calories
• Swimming: 270 calories
• Walking 4 mph: 170 calories
• Running 5 mph: 270 calories
• Mowing the lawn with a push mower: 200 calories

As you can see, everything from walking to cutting the grass can burn a significant number of calories, which is one reason cardio is so important for losing weight.

How Much Cardio Do You Need?

It's tough to know exactly how much cardio we need for weight loss. The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recommend about 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week. But, the truth is, how much cardio you need varies from person to person and depends factors such as:

• How many calories you eat
• How hard you exercise
• Your metabolism, age and gender
• Your fitness level
• Your body fat percentage and weight
• Your exercise schedule

That said, there are some tips for setting up an effective cardio program:

• If you're a beginner, start with 3 to 4 days of the cardio exercise of your choice, working at a level you can handle.
• Add time each week to work your way up to 30 to 45 minutes of continuous exercise.
• As you get stronger, try interval training once a week to help boost endurance and burn more calories.
• Work your way up to 5 to 6 days of cardio and try to vary what you do and how hard you work.

You can learn more about different levels of intensity in Burn More Fat with Cardio Exercise. These sample cardio schedules will help you set up your own program.
Bottom line, cardio will help you lose weight. But it is most effective when combined with strength training and a healthy, low-calorie diet.
How much cardio do I need if I want to build muscle?
Not everyone wants to lose weight and gaining weight or muscle can be just as tough as trying to lose it. You may think you shouldn't do cardio exercise if you're trying to gain muscle. But, cardio isn't just for weight loss. It also helps condition the heart and lungs and promotes health and well-being.
If your goal is to gain muscle, you won't need tons of cardio. But, doing at least three 20-minute sessions a week won't hurt your goals and will help you reap the benefits of cardio without burning too many calories.

By Paige Waehner, About.com Guide

Updated June 07, 2011

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Successful Weight Loss

More on Getting Your Mind and Body on Track

You already know how to lose weight. At it's simplest, you need to burn more calories than you eat, right? And exercising and eating healthy is the healthiest way to do that, right? But, successful weight loss doesn't start with your body--it starts with your mind.

As we've all discovered, the mind is a powerful thing--it can take you to success or failure, depending on your attitude. What you think about yourself can make the difference between reaching your goals and quitting before you even get started. So how do you get your mind right to make exercise and healthy eating a part of your life? Below are some key ingredients you can rely on to reach your goals.

Commitment
You already know you have to commit to being healthy, but what does that actually involve? Being committed means you have to wake up every day and decide you're going to make healthy choices. Being committed is a choice and something you have to reinforce each day. So how do you do that? Use these tips to help you commit to your goals:

• Plan and Prepare. The night before, plan your workout for the next day and get all your stuff (gym bag, clothes, etc.) ready to go. Decide what and when you'll eat and get your meals ready. Make it as easy as possible to follow through with your plans.
• Motivate Yourself. Remind yourself throughout the day of your workout plans--send yourself a reminder or have a friend call and ask about your workout, so it's always in the front of your mind.
• Hold Yourself Accountable. What will happen if you skip that workout? You need to have consequences so that missing your workout isn't an option--maybe you can't watch your favorite TV show until you exercise. On the other side, you can also reward yourself for working out--just make sure you don't reward yourself with food.
• Remember Your Goals. As you're getting ready for the day, remember what your goals are. Weight loss? More energy? Whatever it is, that workout is an important step in reaching it. Remind yourself of the big picture--what you do today counts.

Discipline
Such an ugly word, I know, but discipline is part of successful weight loss and just another way of saying self-control. Think of how you practice self-control in the other parts of your life. Each day you fulfill your obligations to work and family, even when you'd rather just lie in bed and sleep late. That takes discipline. The same can be true of exercise. Of course, it's easy to make yourself go to work because there are consequences if you don't--you won't make as much money or you could lose your job. But if you don't workout, the consequences aren't as immediate, are they? Try these ideas to get more disciplined with exercise:

• Make Exercise a Habit. Part of being disciplined is creating a habit. You may not want to brush your teeth every night, but you do it anyway because you always do it right before bed--it's a habit. You can do the same thing with exercise by keeping your workouts on specific days and times each week (if you can). Knowing that every Monday at 6 a.m. will find you at the gym will make it that much easier to show up for your workouts.
• Know the Consequences. You already know what happens if you don't brush your teeth--cavities, gum disease, painful dental experiences, etc. But what are the consequences of not exercising? Make a list of all the things that could happen to your body and mind without exercise such as weight gain, increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, to name a few.
• Get Some Help. One sure way to show up for your workout is to have someone waiting for you. One option is a personal trainer--someone who will hold you accountable for your workouts while educating you all at the same time. Another option is to get a workout buddy and have consquences if you don't show up. Having that support will make exercise more enjoyable AND keep you on track.
• Make a Deal With Yourself. Don't feel like working out? Promise yourself you'll just do a warm up. If after 10 minutes you still don't want to workout, you can quit and go home. The majority of the time, you'll keep going. If you're still struggling, take some time to ask yourself these questions before you skip your workout. You may just change your mind.
• Think of the Benefits. There are some amazing health benefits of exercise such as protection from cancer, a better sex life and more energy, just to name a few. Reminding yourself of what you're getting out of your workout may motivate you to get started. 
• Honesty
  Being honest with yourself about what you'll really do is a tough one. Many people fail at weight loss because they set their sights too high, planning so many workouts and diet changes, it's impossible to follow. This is where a little self-awareness comes in and what that means is figuring out what you'll really do to reach your goals. Take some time to ask yourself some crucial questions before embarking on another failed journey. Ask yourself:
• How much time will you really spend exercising? Forget the guidelines and decide what you'll actually do, then plan your workouts accordingly. If you know you won't spend an hour at the gym, plan a 30-minute workout you can finish and feel good about.
• Are you willing to do what it takes to reach your goals? If you want to lose weight, are you willing to change your eating habits? What if that means spending more time cooking and shopping? Preparing your meals in advance? Saying no those daily lunches out with co-workers? What if it means you have to keep track of what you're eating and work on your bad habits? Decide if you're really willing to commit to doing that every day or, at least, most of the time.
• Can you accept failure? A big part of weight loss is failing at it and it will happen. It happens to all of us at one time or another. What happens if you flub up one day and give into those pizza cravings? What if you eat that extra piece of pie or skip your workout? Are you willing to accept your slip-up and get back on track or will you quit at the first mistake? Be honest with yourself about this one because willingness to persevere in these circumstances can mean the difference between success and failure.

Flexibility
Maybe this has happened to you: You start an exercise program--you're working out, eating healthy and feeling great. Then, Something Happens--an injury, an illness, a mean boss heaping more work on you. Whatever it is, it throws you off and before you know it, you've completely stopped working out.
It's important to realize that these kinds of things will happen on a regular basis. Your job is to be prepared and, to do that, you have to be more flexible. You need to be willing to...:

• Change your workouts when necessary. If you suddenly have to work late, decide you're still going to exercise, just in a different way. This might mean squeezing in some stair walking, quick office exercises or short, brisk walks whenever you can. Decide you'll do something, no matter how small.
• Do shorter workouts. Many people quit exercise when they don't have time to do a full workout. Remember this: Something is always better than nothing. If you only have 10 minutes, use it. It might mean getting up early and lifting weights for 10 minutes before work. Stay committed, but give yourself permission to do what you have time for until things calm down. Try these 10-minute cardio ideas and don't forget strength training too.
• Be creative. Yes, there are guidelines for exercise, but when time is short, stop worrying about the rules and do what you can. This might mean combining cardio and strength workouts, spreading out your workouts throughout the day or making your household chores a workout, if that's all you have time for. I have one client who runs around the field while she watches her son play baseball--now that's creative.

Consistency
Consistency is what comes from all that discipline, commitment, honesty and flexibility we've been talking about. Why? Because being consistent with your eating and exercise is the only way to reach your goals. Exercising heavily for 3 weeks and then quitting for a month isn't going to work. To make it work for you:

1. Find a program that you can live with for the long-term. Do something you enjoy, that fits your personality and that fits into your daily schedule.
2. Create, through trial and error, a workout routine that fits with your life, your goals and your needs.
3. Find a way of healthy eating that you can live with for the rest of your life. You already know that diets often don't work--at least for the long-term.
4. Give yourself a little leeway to make mistakes and, above all, don't expect perfection. Be ready to screw up from time to time, acknowledge it and then use it to do better.
5. Don't be afraid to experiment. Try different workout activities and times. Try different ways of eating and preparing your food. Find what works for you.

In the end, losing weight requires you to draw on all of your strengths while acknowledging your weaknesses--not an easy thing to do. The good news is, you have many resources to rely on, most of them readily available right there in your own mind. And it helps to have some outside motivation as well. Don't forget to reward yourself for your successes and don't be afraid to trust that you know what to do.

By Paige Waehner, About.com Guide

Updated March 29, 2010

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Natural Weight Loss News

Slim Fast Recall Good For Consumers Who Want Healthy Diet Drinks

For many, the recent Slim Fast recall may be an opportunity to start fresh with natural weight loss strategies. The Food and Drug Administration announced a nationwide Slim Fast recall due to potential contamination in the diet drinks. These products run the risk of being contaminated with a micro-organism called Bacillus cereus that causes flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. For those who use these diet drinks instead of natural weight loss products, the Slim Fast recall should be taken seriously, and the cupboards should be cleared of any 11 ounce (325 ml) cans of Slim Fast.

For those who have not found the answers to natural weight loss, clearing out the old and bringing in the new may be just the change needed. By consuming natural diet drinks, it is possible not only to lose weight, but also to increase energy and reduce illness.

Natural weight loss products actually have numerous advantages over the processed diet drinks offered under labels like Slim Fast. One of the most important factors is that they are often made from natural whole foods and are therefore much more easily digested by the human body. This means that more of the vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients are being put to their proper use. Instead of just "curbing" hunger, natural diet drinks nourish and feed the body on a cellular level.
The variety of natural weight loss products is also a bonus for many consumers. Because there are so many ingredients to choose from in nature, the combinations are nearly limitless. This means a wide range of flavors, as well as different strategies for losing weight. One healthy diet drink may include blueberries for their natural anti-oxidants, for example, while another will utilize carrots to take
advantage of the lycopene they contain. There's certainly something to be said for a diet drink that not only helps with natural weight loss but also has potential cancer-preventing qualities.

Of course, the canned diet drinks do come in several flavors such as vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate. The Slim Fast recall extends to all flavors of the canned diet drink. No matter the lot code or UPC number, consumers are requested to discard the cans immediately. Full refunds are available by calling 1-800-896-9479 from Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
The recall does not extend to any other products offered by Slim Fast, such as powdered shakes or snack bars. Still, if it's time to get rid of the ready-to-drink canned beverages in order to make way for natural diet drinks, it is probably also time to consider ways to replace other unhealthy foods and drinks with more natural weight loss products, as well. Eating healthy natural foods should always be considered before consuming laboratory-produced "meal replacement" products, for example. For those who need quick, on-the-go foods, there are pre-packaged options that still utilize the concept of whole, natural foods that actually nourish the body, in addition to promoting natural weight loss.

Cliff Smith offers more free diet tips at his online health food store. See Cliff's natural weight loss plan. Discover concentrated health drinks and natural foods that people use for weight loss and more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cliff_Smith

 

Natural Weight Loss Foods You Should Add To Your Grocery Shopping List

Changing your diet is one of the key components when you want to live a healthier life, lose weight and get more energy for the fun things in life. If you're changing the diet for yourself you should include your family as well so the also can reap the benefits of a healthier lifestyle.

For some people it is hard to know what to include in their diets, there's a lot of information available and too much information is overwhelming. The list of what not to buy can be made very long and the focus for this article is instead on what you should buy.

These are the foods you should always have at home; and you can eat as much as you like of these foods. They are nutritious and help you on your way to fitness and health. Get them on your grocery list today!


Beans
Apart from some unwanted effects in your stomach area beans are excellent food, high in fiber and antioxidants. Beans contain high levels of protein which is very important for building lean muscles.
When losing weight you have to make sure to get enough protein so that you only lose weight from fat, not from muscle tissue. After all, muscles are what you want to keep. Protein helps you do just that.

Beans digest slowly, and this is a very good thing as it keeps you satisfied much longer and prevents your insulin to spike (causing hunger or cravings). What I usually do is to replace potatoes, white rice or pasta with beans instead such as a bean salads or humus.
Kids love humus with garlic, but if you're cooking for you and your wife you can try to put some red pepper in it to spice it up a little.
 
Eggs
Eggs are another protein rich food source (6 grams per egg or 12% of recommended daily value) that you probably already have in your kitchen if you do any kind of cooking at home.
If you've been to a gym or seen those unnaturally big guys with really big muscles I can tell you they probably eat tons of egg every year. A hardboiled egg is a great snack in the afternoon or as part of your breakfast. Eat them any way you'd like.

Eat scrambled or boiled eggs for breakfast and omelets for lunch. Easy to cook and it keeps you satisfied for a long time. Eggs also are a good source of vitamins such as vitamin B6, B12, A, D and E.

When you're really after the protein and want to cut down on calories you can do an egg white omelet from just the egg whites, salt, pepper and some parsley.

Worried about all the fuzz about cholesterol levels in eggs? Don't be! Research has shown that cholesterol in our body is not directly linked to cholesterol in food but to overconsumption of saturated fat.

What this means is that the cholesterol you're getting from fried eggs or a cheese omelet actually comes from the saturated fats in the butter and not from the eggs.

Stick to natural eggs without any added nutrients. The eggs you eat should come from a happy hen!
Grapefruit

This fruit has been on every weight loss program for the last 30 years or so, and for a good reason. Grapefruit is low in calories (40 kcal for a normal sized grapefruit), high in nutrients and has a unique compound that aids weight loss.

Why grapefruit aids weight loss is not completely understood but research has shown that consuming grapefruit or grapefruit juice clearly helps when you want to lose weight. Juice does the trick but the real fruit is always better to eat.

Lemon
Lemon contains citric acid, pectin and a lot of vitamin C. It is the citric acid that helps break down fats, carbs and protein into carbon dioxide and water. Some weight loss methods suggest that you should drink a glass of water with squeezed lemon first thing in the morning for an extra weight loss effect.

Actually drinking water in general is a good habit when you want to lose weight and if you drink it first thing in the morning you'll also get an extra weight loss effect. So combine the two every morning - a few glasses of water with fresh lemon in it.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon's got a group of compounds which help increasing the efficiency of insulin. Insulin transports glucose (one of the compounds our bodies break down food into and use as energy) from the blood to each individual cell (so that we can use the energy).

Use cinnamon on your Greek Natural Yoghurt that you eat for breakfast along with some grated apple.

Sorry, cinnamon rolls do not count.

Chili Pepper
 Chili is a great fruit that is used endlessly in cooking, especially in asian food. Use it as much as you can because it will get your metabolism going. Chili is well-known for its ability to speed up metabolism. In fact, this goes for many spices and herbs so make sure you eat them often to help you lose your belly fat naturally.

Be a bit careful though, I always remove the seeds and pulp as this is the hottest part of the chili.

Vinegar
Along with lemon, using vinegar is an old weight loss trick. It has actually been used for thousands of years to promote weight loss. The major benefit is that it makes you feel full longer. Just use it in your salad dressing. You're eating salad every day, right?

In conclusion there are many more foods you should include in your diet than listed here. But it's a great start! As a rule of thumb, stick to natural food and stay away from highly processed foods.
If the food has been processed in any way it is better to stay away from them, if you can. Sometimes its hard to exclude processed foods altogether but strive towards keeping them to a minimum in your diet.

If it's good for you it's probably good for your family as well, so stay informed and stick to what's natural.

Max J Miller is the father of 2 kids and a health and fitness enthusiast. Just an ordinary guy trying to stay in shape and teach my kids what's healthy and the things to eat to make your body feel good.
Are you a dad wanting the same things? Come over to GetDadFit now and find more information about fitness and natural weight loss for dads.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Max_J_Miller

11 Tips to Weight Loss Success

Weight loss, specifically fat loss, is a process that requires patience, perseverance, self-efficacy, and determination. It's more than exercise and nutrition programming; it's also behavioral and mental.

Sometimes there are other changes outside of the gym that you have to make. It could be your attitudes and perceptions of exercise and nutrition or of your ability to lose weight. It could be triggers in your environment that is causing you to veer off course too often. Maybe it's that you don't know the quality of the calories or ingredients that you're consuming and how it is affecting your weight loss goals. The following tips are tools to help you reach your weight loss destination.

1. Keep track of your calories; not only how many calories you're consuming, but also the quality of the calories that you're consuming. A candy bar that's 250 calories is not as nutritious as a 250 calorie chicken wrap.

2. Keep a food journal. Record what foods you eat, calories consumed, time the meal was eaten, and how you felt before and after eating. This gives you a visual about what you're consuming day-to-day. Also, record your exercise activities and caloric expenditure. Weight loss occurs when calories expended are greater than calories consumed per day so this helps you to see if you're doing just that. Record how you felt or what you were thinking before and after exercise as well. Seeing this helps you to realize if you perceive exercise and nutrition in a negative or positive light. If you view them as negative, it may help to check why or talk to a personal trainer who is skilled in lifestyle management counseling.

3. Make exercise a priority. We are all busy, but yet we make time for things that we really want to do. You have to do the same thing for exercise sessions. Plan to exercise by making time for it in your schedule. If you still feel you don't have enough time, check your daily activities. Are there times when you're sitting on the couch for an hour watching television? Do you have at least 3-10 minute breaks throughout the day? These are both opportunities to get in thirty minutes of exercise!

4. Set short-term and long-term goals. You have to have a road map to success. You have to have a purpose of going to the gym or participating in boot camps. You can't just say, "I want to lose weight." How many pounds do you want to lose? By what month and day? How much body fat do you want to lose in a year? You must be specific and realistic. Write your goals down, repeat them every day, sign your name to them and put them in a place you frequent the most (i.e., your cubicle at work, refrigerator door).

5. Control sugar cravings by consuming 5-6 meals consisting of low-glycemic foods per day. When you skip meals, your body thinks it's starving and calls for immediate energy. This triggers cravings for candies, cookies, energy bars, pretzels, and other high-sugar foods. These foods are high in calories and low on nutritional value, and they trigger you to eat more of those unhealthy foods. If you must have dessert, eat it after you eat your meal so that you'll be less likely to over-indulge. Another option would be to find recipes that use fruit, nuts, and other healthier, low-calorie foods to make dessert.

6. Develop patience. It takes time to lose weight. Sometimes you may not drop to your goal weight, but you may drop body fat and gain muscle. Your weight may not change because of this, but you're healthier. When you reach your weight loss goals, you'll appreciate it that much more.

7. Don't be so hard on yourself. You will get off track sometimes. You still have a life to live that's full of ups and downs. It helps in many cases to have a relapse plan. When you get off track, how are you going to get back to exercising 5 days per week or eating 5-6 meals per day? What if you have a candy bar or indulged in a healthy serving of potato chips? That's okay. Consider it a slip-up and move on. It's perfectly fine to have one treat per week to keep yourself sane and to reward yourself. Smile and enjoy this weight loss journey.

8. Educate and empower yourself. The more you know about yourself, the better you can help yourself become a healthier person. If you have hypertension, research how to lessen the risk of it, besides taking medication (and those medications don't always work). Learn about the underlying causes of hypertension and what you can do to control it more effectively. Also, you must understand how severe the condition may become in the long-term. Sometimes these facts are motivators to want to lead a healthier lifestyle.

9. Develop a fitness vision. Think about the person you are now-how you perceive yourself and how healthy you feel. Then think about the person you want to become, the body you want to have, the clothes you want to wear, how healthy you feel and how you feel about yourself. Go to a quiet place to close your eyes and visualize these situations. Remember how you feel when envisioning both situations. Write these things down and review them periodically. When you reach your fitness vision, reward yourself with a vacation, spa day, or outfit and create a new one. Think about how you would feel if you gained all the weight you lost back or how much energy you have when you're playing with your children or grandchildren.

10. Sleep!!!! You need at least 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Lack of sleep creates an imbalance between the hormones leptin and ghrelin which controls your appetite. Your body suppresses leptin, the hormone that tells you to stop eating, and increases ghrelin, which tells you you're hungry and triggers you to eat more. Growth hormone levels are also highest during sleep. Growth hormone is a powerful fat-burning hormone and plays a major role in weight loss. So, beauty sleep is important in the weight loss process!

11. Last, but not least, love yourself regardless. Yes, you may want to change the number on the scales or the size of the clothes you want to wear. But, if you don't love yourself unconditionally, you'll never be happy with anything that you do. Make yourself happy and love yourself first, and you will attract positive people and situations. If you have any negativity around you, let it go. That's a stressor that no one needs.

Weight loss success is a journey that requires perseverance, determination, discipline, and hard-work. It's possible to do, however. Restructuring how you think, what you think about, and how you handle stress and emotions play a huge part in this process. Evaluate your attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs about exercise and nutrition, restructure the negative and keep the positive. One day, you will make it to destination: beach body.

Pamela Brown
http://peak2successfitness.com
Personal Trainer and Fitness Consultant

Pamela Brown, owner of Peak 2 Success Fitness, specializes in weight loss with a focus on individuals who are recovering from surgery, injury, or pregnancy. She works in both one-on-one and group settings educating and training people who want the lean, toned body that they desire, as well as those who are recovering from orthopedic injuries or surgeries after release from medical care. She has a Master's degree in Human Performance Studies from the University of Alabama as well as three personal training certifications. If you want to learn updated, current, and effective training and nutrition methods and tools that will help you achieve your goals, please visit
http://peak2successfitness.com and subscribe!

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