How to Design a Weight Loss Cardio Program

Lets face it, not everybody enjoys exercising especially when doing a given body movement for an extended period of time. If you are on a personal crusade to shed unwanted fat and develop muscular definition on your body then cardiovascular (Cardio) training is an absolute must. To sizzle away 1 pound of pure body fat per week you should have a target caloric expenditure of 3500 calories through exercise and dietary modification.

Although 3500 calories seems like a lot , over 7 days this equates to 500 calories per day. You should focus on at least 300 calories coming from your workout.

Frequency of cardio should be 4 days per week for 45 minutes to 1 hour. I highly recommend buying and I-Pod and listen to music, or books. Good music or books downloads will fire you and peak your interest. This helps lessen the boredom of cardio.

Your cardiovascular conditioning program (cardio) should be done on a relatively empty stomach. You should be food free for at least 3 hours prior to the event. Dilute energy drinks with a 3: 1 ratio ( 3 parts water to 1 part energy drink) are acceptable for hydration. Remember 1 quart of full strength Gatorade is 450 calories, so why bother to exercise if it forces you to insert more calories into your body than you are expending during the exercise. You will get fat!

It should be noted that energy drinks like Exceed, Power Aide, Gatorade or Cytomax where designed for competitive athletes who are engaging in events lasting greater than 1 hour! By the way most athletes are slim and usually don't have to worry about weight loss, unless they are competitive wrestlers trying to stay in their weight division.

Intensity of your cardio should be done in interval fashion. Intervals are intensity levels which fluctuate from high to low and usually have a warm-up and cool-down phase. Fore example: Lets say you are doing 45 minutes on a Precor Elliptical Trainer., Start with a low intensity/speed and low elevation for 5 minutes to warm up the body when you hit the 6 minute mark increase your intensity 20% high and elevation 20% high. Your intensity level is now increased and your body should begin to heat up and feel somewhat uncomfortable. Your goal is to stay in this interval for 3 minutes, then back down on the intensity and allow your self to relax and slow down your heart rate for another 3 minute interval. Once the heart rate has come down sufficiently and your feeling somewhat comfortable it is time to amp up the interval resistance and elevation for another 3 minutes.This time try to increase it a notch or two high than your previous highest level. This more intense interval should be more difficult and sufficiently increase your heart rate. Continue to follow this pattern until your 45 minutes is expired. Remember you gauge the intensity so be smart. If your legs are barely moving then lighten the load. If you are so out of breath then lighten the load. Anyway, by your 45 minute mark, you should be good and sweaty and have a good adrenaline rush going. Remember to always to stretch your hamstrings and quadriceps muscle after your cardio to prevent a lower back problem. ( cardio always tightens leg muscles which can create an acute lower back problems)

I suggest that everybody purchase a decent reliable heart rate monitor to track heart rate zones and caloric expenditure. In my opinion this is a must have for accountability, heart safety, documenting your all your training days and last but not least will estimate calories burned during exercise. I have been wearing one since 1984 when the first one was developed. My Personal Running Coach Ron Pate Ex Olympic Marathoner wouldn't let me train without it!

Some final thought regarding cardio that should be considered.

1. Steady state cardio without interval leads to a weight loss plateaus, so ALWAYS DO INTERVALS Correctly!
2. Cardiovascular conditioning programs are designed to oxidize fat and produce lypolytic enzymes, but can DECREASE your metabolism. SO DON'T FORGET TO WEIGHT TRAIN, to offset these effects!
3. If you are unsure how to design a cardiovascular conditioning program consult an expert certified personal trainer at Business Phone 760-271-3064 or http://www.somagenesis.com
4. If you have a medical history of diabetes, high blood pressure or any heart related problems, consult your physician before engaging in ANY exercise program. They generally want you to exercise, but within the scope of the medical wellness.