Cardio question...?

Question

how long should i aim to do cardio each day? i'm 20 years old and in pretty good shape..i normally walk anywhere between 35 and 50 minutes every day. it just seems like it isn't doing much for me anymore. i'm not losing weight, and i think the only reason i sweat is because it is hot outside.

should i incorporate running into my workout? like a run 2 min walk 2 min set for 20 minutes (about all i think i could handle) and then do my usual fast paced walking for 25-30 minutes??

any suggestions on a good workout routine that isn't too strenuous, but will give me the results i'm looking for??

also, does it do anything to run for 2-3 minutes and then walk for 10-15 minutes, then do another run for 2-3 minutes? is this even effective, or not a good workout?

uhhh natalie...how is walking not cardio? you're totally wrong.

Answer 1

if you are avoiding anything strenuous you may have reached a plateau

Usually the next step is to increase intensity somehow, either duration, or do hills, or increase speed, or carry weight, etc., but you might find all of those to be strenuous.

Answer 2

How long you do your cardio for depends on your goals - for general health and weight maintenance purposes the heart foundation recommends about 30 mins a day of aerobic activity, however for weight loss, more is recommended.
If you are trying to lose weight you should try to include strength training as well as this will increase your lean muscle mass (which ups your metabolism making weight loss more easy to sustain).
As far as cadio goes, there are so many activities you can do! I really enjoy using an elliptical trainer - great fun - forwards and backwards so different muscles get a workout - and doing interval training on this is great - gets your heart rate right up (which is good to do before doing strength training so that you get a maximum energy burn when you do your strength training). Joggins and running is great - but its something you have to build up to. If at first you can only run for 5 min at a time, run for 5 mins, walk for a bit, run for 5 mins and then walk (etc) - gradually your running periods will get longer and longer. Be careful with your activity though - try to vary your workouts and take about 2 days off a week to rest and let your muscles repair. And try not to put too much stress on the same sets of muscles on consecutive days (trust me - i have an overuse injury which means 4 weeks of no running......and it's a beautiful day - wish i could run!).
GOOOOOD LUCK!
p.s. if you are going to be running - definitely invest in a proper pair of shoes!!!!!! And try (where possible) to avoid hard surfaces as they tend to jar your knees and even your upper body. Also - running downhill too much isn't good for your knees.

Answer 3

breaking up your pace is critical to losing fat. walking is cardio and is better on your joints. the difference in benefit between the two is not worth the stress on your knees. run, walk, sprint, mix it up try longer than your 20 min. you can do it. even if you have to walk for 5 to get to your reg. walking heart rate,

Answer 4

u need to circut train and diet,youll lose a little weight doing cardio but it will come back ,i would lift 4 to 5 days a week maybe walk at a fast pace 4 30min every other day u need to build muscle to burn fat and youll always keep it off

Answer 5

walking is not cardio...
try jogging or running or HIIT - you have to do it 4-6 times a week for average of 45min to see results plus do some light weight training a few times a week.