How Much Cardio Is Too Much?
Many people wonder how much cardio is enough. Like many other things in fitness and wellness, this question depends on the individual. You can follow some guidelines when developing and planning your cardio strategy.
The first thing to note is that cardio schedules are affected by two factors: the time you spend doing cardio and how many days per week. Let’s start with the first.
How Much Cardio Is Enough?
Most people are on a fitness journey to lose weight and build muscle. Cardio is an important part of staying fit. Your cardio session should last no more than 60 minutes in most cases to achieve the best results.
Your body can begin to feel the effects of cardio sessions that last more than 60 minutes. It is possible to not notice the difference in one session or for a whole month. Your body will feel the effects if you do cardio sessions for more than 60 minutes every day. This can cause fatigue and damage to joints and muscles. It is not recommended.
You can put your body in a catabolic state if you do too many cardio sessions. Your body will use this state to fuel itself with muscle. This is the worst scenario. Keeping and building muscle should be the main goal of any fitness program. Your metabolism will be affected if your muscles burn more calories than your fat. This will reduce your body’s ability to burn fat.
It is important to ensure that your body uses fat as fuel. Cardio is a great time to do cardio in the morning. Your body does not have any food to provide fuel, so it turns to fat for fuel.
The ideal cardio duration is between 30 and 60 minutes for most people. If you live a normal work-life balance, 30 minutes is a good time frame. Variation is always a good thing. You might do HIIT for 15 minutes, while stationary biking can be done for 45 minutes.
Cardio Schedule In Your Weekly Route
Next, you will need to determine how much cardio you are doing. This is the question that is related to your weekly cardio routine. This one is important. It’s best to do consistent cardio five or six days per week. Not every cardio session has to be intense. All types of movement are beneficial. Even a gentle jog for 15-20 minutes can increase your heart rate and provide many health benefits.
Western cultures have alarming statistics. More than 70% of Americans are obese. This can be avoided by practicing consistent cardio five days per week. While nutrition and diet are important factors in this outcome, consistent cardio can also be a pillar for health and fitness.
Variation in your cardio routine is important for many people, as it keeps things interesting and fresh. There are many cardio options that you can choose from, and all of them add value to your fitness routine.
- Jogging
- HIIT
- Biking
- Treadmill
- Swimming
- Brisk Walking
- Jog-Walks (a substitute for walking and jogging)
- Elliptical machines
- Hiking
- StairMaster
- Stationary Bikes
Cardio Before Workout
Cardio is a great cardio activity after resistance training (lifting weights). To lift weights, your body requires its main energy reserves. Cardio is a great way to end your workout, especially for trying to lose weight and get lean.
It is important to eat plenty of protein when on a fitness journey. Protein is your best defense against muscle loss. Make sure you eat plenty of protein, especially during lifting. Click here to find out more about your body’s protein requirements.
Daily Cardio Creates Good Habits
You have to choose three to four cardio days per week. This leaves you open to other reasons to not do it. You are left with “outs.” “Well, I have that meeting tomorrow, so I’ll just double up later in the week.” Or, “it might rain Wednesday, so maybe it’ll be the weekend.”
If you make it a part of your daily routine, such as getting ready for work each morning, you will “cement” it into your routine. You make it a daily part of your life. Even good habits can be hard to break.
However, not all cardio sessions have to be difficult. You can mix and match light and heavy cardio and different types of cardio. You can also mix low-impact cardio, such as swimming or stationary biking. Then, take a 45- to 60-minute walk for a brisk workout on certain days. Then, HIIT for a few minutes every other day.
It’s a time for many to reflect and work towards being better people. It is time to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. This time can be added to your daily routine for other reasons than the cardio benefits.
Last Words
When you think about how much cardio is excessive, there are two ways to approach it. To preserve your body’s health, keep cardio sessions under 60 minutes. Cardio is a great habit that can provide many benefits.
Keep fitness a priority in your daily life. There are many benefits to doing this. If you are truly an overachiever, join the 3 % club.
David Williams wrote this blog.
