Cardio for Weight Loss – Easy Exercises to Burn Fat

Are you panting hard only after walking a few steps? Are you feeling tired after climbing the floor? It indicates that your breathing process needs a boost and maybe need to shed some fat, then cardio is the best bet. Patience and perseverance can get you there. Only you have to get up early or find a little time every day which you can devote to your well-being. Start with walking to your office, or riding a bicycle, if possible. Take the stairs instead of elevators. Bring in small changes and see the compound effect it leaves on your body. To top it, you can follow a diet plan.

How Does Cardio Help You Lose Weight?

Calorie deficit in the body can lead to weight loss, which is why burning more calories is essential. Cardio can help you get there. These exercises control your metabolism and spur it for significant impacts. And if you want cardio to work effectively for weight loss, then you should also consider a diet chart.

1. It Helps Burn More Calories

Boosting your heart rate through cardio means that the heart will have to pump more blood. This requires the burning of calories. The more intense the cardio becomes, the more calories you shed. For example, brisk walking for 30 minutes for a 150 lb guy can burn 150 calories.

2. It Improves the Metabolism

A slight change in the intensity can deliver unprecedented results. If you run faster, climb hills, or jump faster, then it will accelerate your metabolism. Doing any activity or exercises with increased resistance need more energy that the body receives from burning fat, the reason behind rising metabolism.

3. It Increases the Calorie Deficit

If you are doing intense cardio exercises, you don’t have to put great efforts into your dietary plans then. Only a few tweaks such as controlling fat and carbohydrate intake would work. Just remember, you don’t have to compensate the burnt calories by eating more after the workout session.

4. It’s Better than Strength Training

Strength training puts pressure on muscles from which muscles need time to recover by relaxing. But cardio can be done often, almost every day. It does not strain your muscles and chances of getting injured are very less.

What Are the Various Types of Cardio Activities That Help in Weight Loss?

Cardio can do wonders if you practise on a regular basis. There are some exercises that are better than the rest. But activities can work more efficiently as they can be a part of the regular routine. Include a few like walking, jogging, and swimming as a starter.

1. Whole Body Activities

Exercises that involve both the upper and lower part of the body can have a comprehensive impact on your well-being. These activities can help you burn more calories by propelling the heartbeat rate.

2. Impact Activities

Impact activities such as walking at a brisk pace can have more influence on your metabolism than swimming or cycling. Higher metabolism means better chances of losing calories.

3. High-impact Activities

Activities like jumping or running can have more impact than walking. These high-impact exercises increase the heart rate and the metabolism rate considerably and influence calorie burning capacities more than impact activities.

Effective Cardio Weight Loss Exercises to Try

There are several exercises that can impact the body by boosting blood circulation. You don’t have to go to a gym to do these exercises. Some of these exercises can be performed at home. So, find some time and start.

1. Walking

The simplest way to burn calories and lose weight is by walking. Walking is low-impact cardio which anyone can do. A moderate pace can work well to maintain a better weight-height ratio for you.

Duration

Walk this for at least an hour.

Calories Burnt

Expect to lose 300-400 calories.

2. Climbing Stairs

One of the best cardio exercises for quick weight loss, climbing stairs can help you lose your weight faster. You can climb stair at your home. Climb stair for half an hour or so.

Duration

Climb stair for at least 10 minutes then gradually increase the time.

Calories Burnt

You would lose around 1000 calories.

3. Kettlebells

A kettlebell is a cannonball-shaped weight using which you can integrate strength to your cardio. It is one of the intense workouts for weight loss which can burn up to 20 calories per minute.

Duration

Do it for 10 minutes every day.

Calories Burnt

Expect to lose around 200 calories per session.

4. Jumping Rope

It is one of the high-impact cardio workouts that improve bone density, strengthens the legs, and ensures a healthy heart. The exercise is also known as a plyometric workout where both the feet stay off the ground. Jumping ropes can help you burn calories real fast.

Duration

Do this workout for an hour.

Calories Burnt

Jumping rope for an hour can help you lose around 600 calories.

5. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

High-intensity workouts involve short bursts of intense exercise alternated with a low-intensity recovery period. You can do High-intensity workout for 20-30 seconds at a stretch with only a 10 seconds break. This will make you sweat fiercely and make you breathe through your mouth.

Duration

Extend the workout to 20 minutes.

Calories Burnt

Expect to lose around 200 calories in one session.

6. Rowing

If you like the gentle breeze around a waterbody, then rowing can be a good exercise for you. This workout is not just for the upper body as many may find. The entire body feels charged up and the heart rate increases. The exercise is paired with strength training and can help you burn fat in very less time.

Duration

Do this for an hour.

Calories Burnt

Expect to burn 500-600 calories in an hour.

7. Cycling

Go back to being a kid when you used to hop on your cycle and roam around carelessly. Cycling is an effective way to lose some calories. The exercise can help improve your heart rate, strengthen your leg muscles, and help you shed calories faster.

Duration

Pedal around for at least 45 minutes regularly.

Calories Burnt

Expect to lose around 400-600 calories.

8. Elliptical

This cardio workout will require a machine. You will have to step on an elliptical machine that facilitates cardiovascular training but reduces the pressure on the knees and hips during an exercise session. The impact on the body is less, still, it is a very good exercise that can burn 500-600 calories in an hour for a person of around 80 kgs. If you increase the intensity, speed, and resistance, then you can expect better results.

Duration

Do it for 30 minutes per day. 5 days a week or a total of 300 minutes is enough.

Calories Burnt

Expect to lose around 300 calories in one session.

You can check out the chart before deciding the exercise you want to start.

How to Start a Cardio Programme – Tips for Beginners

If you have not exercised before and are planning to start a cardio programme, then you should keep a few things in mind.

• Choose one activity to start with, then gradually increase the speed to enter the high-impact cardio zone. Among the high-impact cardiovascular exercises, running and climbing hills are very effective.

• Start with walking thrice a week at a moderate pace. This is one of the easiest cardiovascular exercises that anyone can do anytime. This is one that can be deemed as a good cardio workout to lose weight.

• In the beginning, keep the time limited. Do not exercise for an hour or so. Start by exercising for 10 minutes or 20 minutes, then increase the time.

• Increase the rate to 30 to 45 minutes at a single stretch after a week.

• With your body getting accustomed to the training, try interval exercises to increase endurance and shed more calories in quick time.

• As you get a hang of these exercises, try doing cardio for 5 days a week and try to mix and match to increase output.

FAQs

Cardio workout is effective to put away the kilos you have gained while binge eating and drinking or sitting long hours in your office. These exercises will make you feel rejuvenated and your breathing would become better. Some of the intense cardio workouts for weight loss can tone the entire body as well.

1. What is the Best Cardio to Get a Flat Stomach?

There are some excellent intense cardio workouts for weight loss. Try skipping rope, cycling, jogging, swimming, and circuit training. Most experts consider that the above mentioned cardio workout can help you lose weight and you can have a flat stomach.

2. Is It Okay to Do Cardio Every Day for Weight Loss?

Cardio workouts boost your stamina, muscles, blood circulation, and can help you lose weight. Doing moderate to intense cardio every week with a combination of strengthening activities twice a week should work fine. Whether you should do it every day or not for losing weight really depends on the calories you consume, your exercise intensity, metabolism, age, gender, fitness level, body fat percentage, and exercise schedule.

Cardio can help you lose weight and stay healthy. So, if you want to start with cardio, go ahead. Get up and get going. See the change you can bring to your body and to your life. A few minutes is all you require to get back in the shape that you have always desired.

Also Read:

How to Lose Weight Without Diet or Exercise
Best Fat Burning Foods for a Weight Loss
How to Lose Weight Fast