Here’s what to know about cardio & fat loss!
I’ve been a trainer for almost 20 years (!) and the biggest pattern I see with women is that their exercise is not balanced.
- Too much cardio
- Not enough cardio or working in the right heart rate zones
- Not doing any/enough strength training
In order to achieve a fit, lean, healthy physique (to look AND function well) we need to have it all: a balance of strength training, cardio, (plus mobility, general movement & rest).
PS: If you’re new here – then hi, I’m Allison!
I help women Look, Feel and Function at THEIR personal best using a whole body, functional medicine approach to health. Without using extremes or cookie cutter approaches, I provide the framework AND the support needed to create optimal energy, balanced hormones, and a body that you feel comfortable and confident in! CLICK HERE for details on how to work with me.
NEWS FLASH: Spending your time obsessing over cardio or your calorie burn is not the best use of your time.
Instead of just focusing on numbers, shift the priority to hormone & metabolic health.
Let’s start with some cardio & fat loss MYTHS:
1. You actually don’t have to kill yourself during exercise to burn more fat.
Yes you need to train at a higher intensity to burn calories & create a calorie deficit, but not EVERY workout needs to be crazy hard.
This means you can train at a moderate intensity & build endurance, without adding a ton of stress to your body & nervous system. Balance is key!!
2. The “fat-burning zone” doesn’t actually burn fat.
So the “fat burning zone” is not burning BODY FAT rather the DIETARY fat you eat, for fuel.
This happens in lower intensity workouts & in a zone 2 heart rate, i.e a steady paced walk.
3. The treadmill & your smart watch aren’t the end all – be all best measurements.
Those generic heart-rate zones on your treadmill or smartwatch are purely estimates.
Two women can be the exact same age, exercising at the exact same heart rate…and their bodies can be responding VERY differently.
Then enter breath analysis metabolic testing: we can actually measure how you burn calories & your individual heart training zones, so you’re nit under or over training (no more guessing!)
How to do Cardio to Improve Fat Loss:
1. Build your aerobic base.
Strategic moderately intense cardio (zone 2 heart rate) can help improve:
• Your ability to use fat for fuel
• Mitochondrial function (cellular energy)
• Overall cardiovascular fitness
• Recovery between strength workouts
• Blood sugar regulation and insulin sensitivity
• Your ability to do MORE (in life and in workouts) without feeling exhausted
Think brisk walking, incline walking, cycling or another activity that keeps you in the appropriate aerobic zone 3-4x a week.
2. Utilize intervals & HIIT
Intense cardio has huge benefits too: improving Vo2max, energy efficiency, performance & cellular health. It even helps activate stem cell regneration!
Appropriately programmed higher-intensity work (i.e. zone 4-5 heart rate, 1-2x week) can help improve metabolic functioning & boosting calorie burn past the workout itself too!
3. PLEASE keep strength training.
If fat loss and body composition are the goal, I don’t want you replacing your strength workouts with cardio.
We want to keep/build muscle AND improve your cardiovascular fitness; you need BOTH!
The goal is to work smarter, not just “do more”! Less guessing. Less wasted effort. Better results.
With metabolic testing, we can create the plan for you based on YOUR physiology: we measure your personal heart-rate zones, VO₂ max, fat vs. carbohydrate utilization, metabolic efficiency & more. You’ll have personalized data & recommendations on how to do cardio (and make it effective!!)
CLICK BELOW for more information on metabolic testing:
WHAT TO DO NEXT:
If you’re tired of guessing and want to finally get into a consistent exercise routine (without spending hours in a gym), take my complimentary wellness quiz.
I’ll review it & give you some specific starting points to stop the “freeze” mode & get better results (faster!)
