As with anything, the more popular it becomes the more views and opinions are available to inform us exactly what to do and what not to do. Unfortunately, this information is typically very contradictory and in the case of cardio exercises it has become a muddy mess. Cardio exercise is not only being used for fitness but has become a reason to argue how to exercise for fat loss and what is the best approach for fat loss. To complicate all this some of the manufacturers has jumped on this bandwagon and now have this convenient “Fat Burning Zone” that are being followed blindly by the masses. The controversies surrounding cardio exercise for fat loss has become almost endless. Long and easy versus short and intense. Or intervals rather than steady state. Obviously there is a good deal of interest in this topic and sadly this has lead to two very crucial mistakes that I see too often.

Mistake #1: Total Calories Doesn’t Matter

There seems to be so much focus on what is the right way to do cardio that many people doesn’t even remember the reason that they do cardio – to burn calories. Is the stair climber better than the elliptical? Should I exercise for an hour at a moderate pace or should I do intensive exercise for twenty minutes? Cardiovascular exercises are all about the body’s ability to generate energy for working muscles during periods of sustained exercise. The important part of this statement to remember is that there must be working muscles. I understand that walking at a snail’s pace does need some working muscles, but in this case it relates to muscles that work more than what is required to complete normal activities.

So forget about the slow pace that will never result in any cardiovascular benefit. The goal is to make the heart and lungs work to provide energy in the form of oxygen via blood to the working muscles. There is no ideal intensity or perfect resistance. Everyone will have to work out at which point the muscles are working hard enough to start taxing the heart and lungs. This is the only way in which the cardiovascular fitness can improve and become more efficient at generating energy.

The second part of the statement is about sustained exercising. This means that it will take more than just a few minutes to really gain the benefits. There are quite a few people that believe the answer to their fat loss ideals can be achieved by some radically intensive session for a very short duration, even as short as 4 minutes.

NO, the answer to burning calories is a product of INTENSITY and DURATION.

The reality is that the total fat loss over time is very closely related to the total calories burned. It does not help to focus on one aspect of a cardio exercise like intensity and then completely ignore duration or vice versa. No, in order to obtain measurable results in a reasonable amount of time will require a focus on both intensity and duration. I like to increase one of these variables after each successful workout. Sometimes I miss my target so I’ll go back the next time and try to reach the same target. If I’m successful, then I’ll increase either the duration or the intensity the next time. It keeps me focused on increasing my overall effort and helps to always reach for a higher goal with each workout.

Mistake #2: Focusing On Type Of Calories

This is all about that notorious “Fat Burning Zone” that has become so popular. The idea is that if we manage to keep the exercise in this zone then we will burn fat and not carbohydrates. So exercising slower at a low intensity will somehow magically melt away the unwanted fat. Yeah right! If the goal is to burn fat only and no carbohydrates at all then the best solution will be to remain right there on the couch and burn only fat. The problem with that is that sitting on the couch is only burning 37 calories an hour and will take a very long time to get rid of even one pound of fat.

The scientific fact is that a higher intensity workout will burn more carbohydrates while a lower intensity workout will burn more fat. So this whole “fat burning zone” sounds very plausible and has lead to industry experts and fitness specialists that tell us all about the benefit of a slow, low intensity workout. I’m here to tell you to close your ears and just ignore this misinformation. This information is based on the fact that you will burn more fat during the exercise or workout. This is absolutely true. But what happens the rest of the day? If the goal is to maximize fat loss over the course of the day then the only solution is to maximize the total calories burned during a workout.

The Fat Burning Solution

The solution to both these mistakes is to focus on the total amount of calories burned during the workout so that you can have the benefit for the duration of the day. Shift the focus to concentrating on how to maximize the number of calories burned during the workout and the rest of the day. If the goal is to burn more fat then the solution is to burn more calories. And the way to burn more calories is to focus on three very important variables: Intensity, Duration, and Frequency.

If you build a cardio program around this principle then you will be well on your way to shedding the unwelcome fat. Remember that each of these variables play an important role in the equation of how many calories you are burning. If you want to increase the number of calories burned, then increase any of those variables while the other two remain constant.

One Last Variable

What I mentioned above will ensure that your exercise program is effective in burning fat but, unfortunately that is not the whole story. The sad truth is that an exercise program alone cannot compensate for poor nutrition. With an increase in activity there will naturally also be a desire to increase the food intake to compensate for the extra calories burned. If you neglect to take control of your diet then even the best exercise program in the world would not help. The corner stone of losing fat and losing weight is a sound diet. Most diets and dietary supplements urge the user to combine it with an exercise program.

What I’ve provided here is a way to make sure that your cardio exercise program stays on track. Forget the notion that one variable is important. When putting together a cardio program optimize all three variables to suit your personal preferences and lifestyle. There are many ways in which to burn fat and this is surely not the only way. I just wish that you get the maximum benefit and that will only happen if you keep focusing on these important three variables and use them to your advantage.

Eat well, train hard, and the results will follow.

Your friend in Fitness and Health,

Kobus