Cardio Your Weight down to the Perfect Figure

If you have decided to reduce weight and get into shape, you probably wonder how to achieve it effectively and in a shorter time as possible.  Along with some rules on your diet and additional things to have in mind, cardio exercises are the fastest way to reach your goal.

Why cardio exercises, exactly?

Even though all types of exercise burn calories, cardio exercises will make your heart pump faster, your breathing heavier, and you will sweat a lot. The point isn’t to be breathless to gain better results because moderate intensity activity will burn the highest number of calories. Of course, as your fitness improves over time, you should add harder exercise to your schedule. On the other hand, higher intensity cardio workouts will burn more calories than fat; that’s why it’s best to combine moderate and high-intensity exercise throughout the week.

1. Simple bodyweight exercises

Maybe you don’t think of them as cardio exercises, but they actually increase your heart rate. They are great because they also help you build your muscles and shape your body into a fit figure.

Push-ups – Modified push-ups are easier than the traditional ones: You should be in a kneeling position, hands below the shoulders, and knees behind hips. Tighten abdominal muscles and bend elbows to lower upper part of the body towards the floor and lift it back to start position.

On the other hand, push-ups combined with a ball are harder than the traditional ones: start with the plank position, with hands below the shoulders, and feet on the ball. Bend the elbows like in the regular push-up while inhaling, and push back to the start position while exhaling.

Abdominal plank – it’s highly beneficial for the whole body. There are also variations to change the intensity in case you can hold a plank more than two minutes. The first variation: simply lift one leg up – it will be much harder on your core, as the body will try to rotate. The second variation: lift one arm up – your body will try to rotate, so use more strength to prevent it.

Squat exercise with an overhead press – hold light-medium weights while standing on the right foot, while the left one is behind, resting on your toes. Squat and touch the weights all the way to the floor. It’s important to keep your back straight and to contract your muscles. Next, curl the weights up and press the weights over your head while going up to the standing position.

2. Treadmill cardio workout

This is a traditional cardio exercise that should be interchanged with bodyweight exercises throughout the week. With treadmill workout, your body will burn 300-500 calories in less than 50 minutes. It’s up to you to choose between beginner, intermediate and advanced level. The next option is to choose between a high-impact and a low-impact speed walk on the incline. In case you don’t have a treadmill nor a gym nearby, you can do this outside on a flat or hilly terrain, depending on your fitness. It is necessary to have a proper 5-10 minutes stretching to avoid any injuries. Include your legs, glutes, shoulders, and chest in the warm-up.

3. Appropriate diet

Depending on your current weight, you should eat between 1200 and 1800 calories a day. Of course, it’s also important what type of food you eat. Vegetables, especially leafy greens should be on your plate every day. Salmon, tuna and whole eggs are also energizing, but don’t forget beans, legumes, and soups either.  Proteins are crucial for building your muscles, so make sure you eat at least 100 grams of protein every day. It is also highly recommended to take certain supplements to help the body recover and build additional muscle mass. For example, glutamine is a component in our bodies doing just that, but if you want to lose some weight, it’s better to add glutamine powder to your diet, as it was proven that it helps fighting the excess weight.

4. Hydration

Your body won’t be able to get rid of the excess fat and water if you don’t keep it hydrated. It’s important to drink at least 1 liter of water on daily basis. The research shows that most people with the weight problem don’t drink enough water. Drinking water before a meal will also make you eat less, which is an additional benefit.

5. Get enough sleep

Even if you exercise hard and have a healthy diet, you won’t notice much improvement if you often lack sleep. Lack of sleep changes your fat cells, making you even fatter because of the irregular function of insulin. Also, not enough sleep will make you crave food, and it’s hard to resist it every day. And lastly, it will make you far less effective during the workout, making you slower and without strength.

Bottom line

Discipline is what will make you see the results quickly. Keep your eyes on the goal and don’t give up – some days will be harder than others. Push through the pain and there will be a reward.