How much cardio?

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I HATE EXERCISE especially the cardio. Like what most are aying...just add a bit more a day. I try for at least 30 m a day, and then hit the weights. But we are all different, so just be HONEST with yourself most of all and do what you can. You can do it..and you will be so surprised at JUST WHAT YOU CAN DO! Go for it!

Cwilliams8676

Invest in a strict personal trainer. It maybe costly, however, trainers have a way of motivating you and pushing you past your comfort zone. Plus they will ensure you are using the proper body form and technique, which is extremely important. You don't won't to injure your knees or other joints. Also, be sure to get a STRICT trainer, you don't want someone too nice that will let you quit to early on - you won't acheive results.

If it is indeed too costly, join a fitness class at the gym. In the beginning you won't be able to keep up, however, you'll notice that aftre 2 weeks you'll improve a lot.

YES this is why Im following JM video She makes me keep going

makkc02

I have severe anxiety too. I CONSTANTLY check my heart rate when working out. My dr told me that if I get my heart pumping for 60 minutes that I won't die. Ha ha. It's all a mind game with me. I am good now when I see my heart rate go up. If it were to drop really fast then I would panic. I am now up to 60 minutes of high intensity walking at a 10.5 incline.

marycmeadows

My trainer recommends at least 2 hours of cardio a week.... I typically do over 5 hours of cardio a week BUT when I started, after 30 minutes I was dying..... Now i can go for hours and I'm good. Just stick with it.... push yourself though. If youre tired at 10 minutes, do 5 more, and then stop... don't just stop when you get tired. Before you know it you'll be doing more than you thought you could.

I'm a gym rat now!

sw 303.4 (1/1/11)
cw 198.4 (down 105lbs)
gw 160
29 y/o 5'6''

Mom_4_More_Muscles

Do what you can...everyone is different...
but each time try and push yourself a little harder and a little further
it will get easier each time...I promise

THIS!! DEFINITELY!! :bigsmile: As long as you make a commitment to keep moving, you'll progress and your body will respond. It's amazing what we can REALLY do when we set out minds and attitudes to do it!!

Set a goal, make a commitment to complete it. Then tomorrow, set another goal, (maybe add some time on your treadmill, or try some planks or lunges (I've read lunges burn more calories :bigsmile: ) Be gentle with yourself. Experiment.... You'll find what works best for you.

Wishing you the best of luck!! Have a great day!! :happy:

dbrightwell1270

Assuming that the weather is getting nicer where you are, walk outside. It's easier on the mind because the scenery changes and you have to pay attention to your surroundings. Walk for 8 minutes then turn around to go home. unless you choose to sleep in the street, you can't give up before you walk all the way back home.

LilRedRooster

You don't have to do anything strenuous in the beginning. Just doing 10-20 minutes of something that gets your heart rate up (like walking), is beneficial, and will help you build your endurance. Plus it's low-impact, and you can do that anywhere.

clickmaster

how much should I do? Like how many minutes,

We can't tell you how many minutes and you've not said what resources you have. However, the conventional wisdom suggests that elevating your heart rate to 80% of max for 20 minutes three times per week is nominal.

and what type of cardio should I do? I walk on my treadmill, but after about 9-10 minutes, Im tired, because I NEVER work out.

Walking is okay but it's not as good as training for strength. It's a myth that steady-state aerobic exercise enhances cardio-vascular fitness and, in fact, what we call "cardio" is a very poor way to a healthy heart. The best way to train for both anaerobics (strength training) and aerobics ("cardio") is to do body-wide strength training slowly working up to high intensity. Aerobics will after time result in bodily wear and tear while the much safer strength training will add muscle which will elevate your BMR, prolong your "afterburn", make it easier to burn fat over glycogen, provide for more robust systemic and organic health, make you more immune to injury, create better bone mineral density and stave off osteoporosis, and much, much more.

Muscle is the best metabolic investment we can make.


Good luck and good health!!

♠

elarvor

I have hired a personal trainer who comes to my house and I raised the same question. He advised me to start with 20 minutes cardio.

I do 10 minute warm up (which you could call cardio to be honest) then followed by 2 10 minute cardio work outs then I go onto core and strength exercises. I've been doing 3 1hr workouts a week for almost 2 weeks and it's getting easier to do so when I see Gordon this week I'll have to ask for more cardio exercises that challenge me.

One handy trick Gordon showed me was to measure my own heart rate and to work out what my fat burning zone was. Its important that the cardio work you do is pushing you enough and you're hitting your fat burning zone to see a difference in terms of weight loss.

Simple calculations:
1. Take 220 and deduct your age (for me that works out at 192). Whatever the figure that is the max your heart rate should ideally be reaching when working out, if it's exceeding that slow down a little.
2. Take that figure you got for step 1 (for me 192) and work out what 70% of that is (for me 135). Whatever figure you get is the heart rate that indicates that you're within your fat burning zone. You can go a little below and above.

Try exercises then measuring your heart rate to see how you're doing.

triplejay1

I put a towel over the time 30 minutes flies by, even when I'm walking on an incline, at a fast pace. BUT if I watch it, 10 minutes seems like an uphill battle!! Just a little tip, it really helps to not watch the time.

YES!! I have to cover the time or focus on something else, if i watch it, it seems like forever LOL!!

elarvor

Thats so true. I have to do the same

m2kh

I found it easiest to start with the bike and I added on every week. I started with 30 minutes 2-3 times a week. Then I progressed to biking 45 min. Then I upped my resistance. Then I moved to doing the elliptical for 10 minutes and then doing the rest of my workout on the bike. The elliptical about killed me. Each week I was determined to add 2 more minutes to my elliptical workout and decrease my time on the bike. It gradually got easier. Now, 6 months later I do 50 minutes on the elliptical plus 20 minutes on the bike three times a week, along with a step and weight lifting classes. Even though I get a good workout and sweat like crazy I'm not even as close to as winded as I was at the beginning after 10 minutes. It does get easier and really helps the weight drop off!

florange323

Omg!! This is me. Thanks for asking.

fatboypup

go till you collapse or puke ....... its not good cardio till someone hurls

chevy88grl

Each time you go, push yourself a little further. If you did 10 mins yesterday, tell yourself you'll do 12 today. If you are focused more on speed and you did 10 mins at 3.0 yesterday, today do 10 mins at 3.1.

Slow and steady. Give your body time.

erickirb

depends on what your goal is. Do you want to be healthier than yes do cardio - I keep hearing that 30 minutes a day is key but you can separate that 30 minutes into 3 10 minute shots if youd like. If your looking to loose weight (fat) cardio is only essential in keeping your net calories at your goal. You should mix cardio with strength training and eating right for optimal gains in all departments.

As for cardio training - do what you can in a week and pick one day to be your push day. Try and keep your heart rate at a manageable pace (i.e. 55%-65% of HRM) - let's just say easy numbers around 120. Then on that push day try and get yourself to go 130 heart rate or increase your time of workout more. Once you succeed that's your new bench mark and move forward from there

Yeah, Im definitely trying to lose weight, so I know I have to do cardio. The 3 10 minute shots sound more doable then just the 30 minutes all at once. Thanks for the advice!

You missed what he said, He said, you don't need cardio to lose weight, you need it to be healthy.

All cardio does for weight loss is allow you to eat more and lose the same amount of weight. If you follow MFP cardio has no benefit, for weight loss, it just allows you to eat more. That being said cardio has many health benefits.

judypriv

when I first started exercising 2 months ago I couldn't do more then 15 minutes on the eliptical and now I can do 40. Zumba works for me. That hour zooms by and is fun to boot. If I do the machines, i bring an ipad and watch a show and when the show is over I can stop. helps makes it not so boring.

taunto

I try to put in atleast an hour a day (Walking) + 30 minutes or so of my stationary bike. But then again, I'm crazy and dont have alot of strength training going on right now (Which I personally would say will benefit you equally and you should employ that in your workout)

Nickysmom126

depends on what your goal is. Do you want to be healthier than yes do cardio - I keep hearing that 30 minutes a day is key but you can separate that 30 minutes into 3 10 minute shots if youd like. If your looking to loose weight (fat) cardio is only essential in keeping your net calories at your goal. You should mix cardio with strength training and eating right for optimal gains in all departments.

As for cardio training - do what you can in a week and pick one day to be your push day. Try and keep your heart rate at a manageable pace (i.e. 55%-65% of HRM) - let's just say easy numbers around 120. Then on that push day try and get yourself to go 130 heart rate or increase your time of workout more. Once you succeed that's your new bench mark and move forward from there

Yeah, Im definitely trying to lose weight, so I know I have to do cardio. The 3 10 minute shots sound more doable then just the 30 minutes all at once. Thanks for the advice!

You missed what he said, He said, you don't need cardio to lose weight, you need it to be healthy.

All cardio does for weight loss is allow you to eat more and lose the same amount of weight. If you follow MFP cardio has no benefit, for weight loss, it just allows you to eat more. That being said cardio has many health benefits.

Ok, yeah you're right, I totally read that wrong, thanks for pointing that out.

k9runner1963

I started out going from NO exercises to a goal of doing 30 minutes of something. Walking, elliptical, or the Wii. Now 7 weeks later my workouts are at a minimum of 30 minutes to an hour plus on the weekends! Like others have posted, do what you can and each time add a little to it. After awhile you'll be amazed at what you CAN do!! Good Luck to you!

SAMIJO67

I agree with everybody some cardio is better than none. I try to to do at least twenty minutes at a moderate pace. It seems
like forever. I normally put a movie on when I want to go longer it really helps.. If you try with nothing a minute seems like foreverrrrrr.. lol....;

Quasita

I was in this same place, but incorporated a stationary mini-bike under my desk at work. At first, I could only go for max 15 minutes but as time went by, I found myself wanting to do more than one session. I got upt to 1.5 hours a day in random increments of time. After about a month of pushing and trying and working I was up to being able to do all 1.5 hours non-stop. Then 2 hours. I maxed at 3. I just wanted to see how much I could do.

Give yourself simple goals. My thing was that I listened to music, and had a friend tell me how many songs I had to go for. When the next song started, I would start pedaling, and I would not stop till that number of songs was done. We started with 3-5 songs. The thing is, songs are not always the same length so you would never know how long you'd actually be working for, but the commitment I made drove me past when the muscles started going "hey, wait a minute!"

Now, I don't even need my friend to tell me. I put on the music and go for an hour or more. It's very doable. They do say, however, that 3 hours should be the max you do a day, as more than that doesn't show any true benefit, and can sometimes be harmful. I say, do your time, don't watch the clock though. Just go until you truly can't anymore. Write down the time. Next session, try to beat that score.

Also, don't be discouraged if/when you can't do as much after having a rest day or two. Taking a break resets the muscles, and it can take time for them to warm back up to the activity.

000WhiteRose000

I started off from doing no cardio and hating exercise. I started a program called TurboFire, where I do cardio for about 45-60 minutes 6 days a week. And I love it now. It's all about a state of mind and commitment and finding something you enjoy. I can't do more than 10 minutes on the crosstrainer, I find it SO boring x

Nickysmom126

I have severe anxiety too. I CONSTANTLY check my heart rate when working out. My dr told me that if I get my heart pumping for 60 minutes that I won't die. Ha ha. It's all a mind game with me. I am good now when I see my heart rate go up. If it were to drop really fast then I would panic. I am now up to 60 minutes of high intensity walking at a 10.5 incline.

You sound JUST like me with the anxiety!! It sucks!! I just know I have to push myself hard than I am, because Im not even breaking a sweat, so I know its just my anxiety playing a part in it.

SassyCalyGirl

That makes sense. Thanks! I guess thats my problem, I don't push myself harder and further because I get discouraged when I feel tired at the same 9-10 minute mark.

Thanks again!

if you not used to working out and get bored or tired-position your treadmill so you can watch TV-turn on your favorite program and the time will fly by. It also helps to cover the treadmill monitor so you are not watching the seconds tic on.

aftergypsies

I started with walking then got a zumba video to do at home. I did zumba for a few months and loved it. I hear actual classes are more fun but I've never been to one. Then once I lost a bit I decided to run and since you have a treadmill it will be good. You'll get your endurance up once you do more. I could hardly run for 30 seconds before getting winded and feeling like I could just die lol. Now I go 40mins twice a week and do Jillian Michaels 30ds 3 times a week for strength/cardio/abs. The thing is, cardio is a great start. You'll definitely wanna get some kind of weights training in down the line.

good2bthaking

initially, just get moving and over time your wind and strength will increase. Try doing a 30 second brisk walk then slow down for a minute and repeat for as long as you can. The slowing down after each brisk session will help you recover better when you are finished. You will still be sore but not as badly as if you just get going fast. also, after your walks do some stretching, it will help. Good luck.

Nickysmom126

Thanks again, for all of the awesome tips and advice! You guys are awesome!


Ashley