Cardio is an essential part of anyone’s quest for weight loss. A cardiovascular exercise is any type of exercise that gets your heart rate high enough to strengthen your heart and tap into your fat reserves. There are many other benefits to fitting a good cardio workout into your day. They include more energy, mental clarity, stronger lungs, better sleep, and of course, the biggie: weight loss.

So how should you go about your cardio workout? It depends on what type of person you are. There are basically two different classes of cardio: slow generic propecia effective and steady, and high intensity interval training. Both can help you reach your weight loss goals but they each have their own pros and cons.

Slow and Steady

It is definitely easier to take the slow and steady route. It is easier on your body, your joints, your lungs, and your heart. It is not easier, however, on your schedule. In order to get enough benefits from a low intensity cardio workout, you would have to complete a 45 minute workout at least three times a week. If you cut it down to any less than that, you would end up seeing little to no results. You would still be doing something good for yourself and for your health, but for those who are trying to lose weight fast, this isn’t the right route for you since this requires a lot of patience.

There are other benefits to low intensity cardio. This type of exercise has been proven to aid in mental health as well. “I’m not crazy!” you say. Well, I don’t mean to offend but we all have some sort of chemical imbalance in the brain. It comes from the environment that we live in – the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the products that we use. A long, steady cardio workout releases endorphins to the brain that help us feel better. These endorphins have sort of a stimulating effect on us – giving us more energy and a more positive outlook. It also helps relieve stress.

Good examples of a slow and steady cardio would be jogging, hiking, biking, treadmill, elliptical, dancing, or skating. The important thing is that you have endurance throughout the exercise routine to keep a steady pace. This type of exercise would be good for anyone who has heart problems, joint problems, anyone suffering from moderate depression, and anyone who just simply enjoys the simplicity.

High Intensity Interval Training

This type of exercise involves a shorter workout with bouts of high energy intervals where you give it your all. These types of exercise usually take less than half an hour to complete but definitely give a worthwhile workout. It is challenging and isn’t for amateurs or those who are just starting to exercise. It is, however, great for weight loss. High intensity interval training is proven to burn more fat in 20 minutes than regular cardio. It has also been proven to target abdominal fat, which is the most dangerous and unsightly fat to have.

To do this type of exercise you would just choose your favorite cardio, for example, jogging, and turn it into a quick, effective workout by doing intervals of full throttle sprinting and walking. Here is an example of this jogging workout using the tabata protocol HIIT:

Warm Up- 5 minutes of jogging

20 seconds of sprinting

10 seconds of walking

Repeat for 4 minutes x 3 with 3 minutes of jogging between circuits

This type of exercise is only for those who are somewhat advanced in their aerobic capacity. It can definitely be something to aspire for and is great for weight loss.

No matter which type of cardio workout you prefer, both will help you get fit and skinnier.