Monday, January 30, 2012

Long Cardio Sessions Aren't the Most Effective Way to Lose Body fat

By Andrew Lee


If you would like to burn fat effectively and in a healthy way, then you might want to think twice before jumping on the treadmill for a long jog. There are actually a great deal more successful types of exercise in terms of fat loss and muscle building. You do not have to invest hours on the treadmill to get the benefits you are interested in. Actually somewhere between 30 minutes and an hour and half of exercising a week is enough to get excellent results. In the case of exercise, more is not always better.

Why Long Cardio Isn't Effective

To begin with I am characterizing long cardio as aerobic activity that is performed at a high intensity for greater than 30 minutes. For instance, running on the treadmill for an hour would be considered long cardio. I am not talking about briskly walking or hiking for long time periods. Now why are long cardio sessions one of the most ineffective methods to shed extra pounds and build muscle? Long cardio basically makes it harder for the body to get rid of fat. It encourages the body to burn sugar rather than fat and this in turn can lead to blood sugar troubles. The blood sugar issues lead to insulin difficulties. The insulin troubles then lead to systemic inflammation in the body and fat gain! Also long cardio causes a huge amount of oxidative stress on the human body. This increases the free radical activity in the human body. Every one of these points are unhealthy! Additionally the extended hours of aerobic activity commonly leads to joint harm and a decline in lean muscle mass! The point of exercise ought to be to increase health and muscle mass and decrease fat stores. Long cardio does none of these things!

What to Do Instead

Instead of long cardio, it would be a good idea to start walking. The next thing to include is a weight training regimen. Weight training increases lean muscle, fortifies bones, burns calories and helps the body to lose fat. Weight training does wonders for fat loss and body composition. Lastly if you still desire to get some "cardio" work in, then change to cardio intervals every three to six days. Cardio intervals supply the advantages (and many more) of long cardio without having the negative aspects.

*This article is not intended to treat, diagnose or cure any medical condition.




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