Should I be doing other exercise as well?
- Thread starter Becca15
- Start date
fromfat2fit
New member
yes. Doing ab workouts works and tones that muscle group, but you're not going to lose any more fat from that area just from working those muscles.
smallerbytheday
New member
Cardio helps to burn fat, that way everyone can see the sculpted abs underneath from all those crunches
i honestly think cardio is cardio - you want your heart rate up to a certain point (I don't know what that should be though_) and it should stay there for x amount of time... Bike riding is gonna be a lot easier on the knees than running will be... (wear a helmet to protect your noggin )
)A well rounded exercise program of strength training for your whole body and cardiovascular exercise will definately help you. You asked how much cardio you should do a day--well, you don't need to do it every day. We all need rest. If you aren't doing any right now you might want to start with 3 30 minute sessions per week, and then add more as you become more fit.
I think the method of cardio should be one that you enjoy. So if you enjoy biking, go for it!
Sarah
I think the method of cardio should be one that you enjoy. So if you enjoy biking, go for it!
Sarah
Becca15
New member
OK thanks for your replies!
To be honest I don't enjoy any cardio, much prefer sit-ups and exercise like that. Anyway I actually feel in the mood to do some exercise (yes, I am a total freak) but seeing as you suggested 3 30 min sessions a week and I did 2 sessions yesterday (30 min bike ride, 25 min jog)I will just have a 10 min jog after tea and going for a 15 min walk now. I can always rest tomorrow. I think I'm in the mood for exercise because I have stuck to my diet today so feel motivated to keep it up!
Thanks for your help.
To be honest I don't enjoy any cardio, much prefer sit-ups and exercise like that. Anyway I actually feel in the mood to do some exercise (yes, I am a total freak) but seeing as you suggested 3 30 min sessions a week and I did 2 sessions yesterday (30 min bike ride, 25 min jog)I will just have a 10 min jog after tea and going for a 15 min walk now. I can always rest tomorrow. I think I'm in the mood for exercise because I have stuck to my diet today so feel motivated to keep it up!
Thanks for your help.
Sit-ups are great! Pease be aware in weight loss, there is no such a thing as spot reduction. However, the good news is that when you burn more calories than you take in, the fat in the belly gets burned first.
Walking, jogging, running, ... are all good aerobics which is great for fat-burning. When I was trying to lose weight, I started out by "walked 'til I dropped". For about every 5 pounds I lost, my waistline shrank about an inch.
Cheers!
Terry
Walking, jogging, running, ... are all good aerobics which is great for fat-burning. When I was trying to lose weight, I started out by "walked 'til I dropped". For about every 5 pounds I lost, my waistline shrank about an inch.
Cheers!
Terry
Few things here:
1. Belly fat is not necessarily the 1st place fat leaves your body as someone said above. Maybe it was for you, but that may not be the case for the next person. The order that we store and lose fat is predetermined completely by our genetics.
2. I agree that cardio should be in the form of an activity that you enjoy. I also believe that you should switch things up as you get used to them. Maybe you jog this month, and next month you cycle, and next month you use the elliptical, and next month you swim, etc. etc. What type of biking are you talking about. I find that most people who ride a real bike on the trails or roadways normally don't hit that aerobic level. There is a lot of coasting and breaks involved. For instance, I went on a 20 mile bike ride last weekend. However, I was with my little cousin and we kept a slow to moderate pace, coasted some of the time which conflicts with the idea of "aerobic" exercise which needs to be consistent, sustained movement with a large muscle group. If you are talking about riding a stationary bike, then by all means, that is a great method of aerobics.
3. Somebody said they horseback ride for a cardio program. I don't see how this can possibly keep your heart rate up and oxygen uptake constant over long periods of time, i.e 20-60 minutes. I have never ridden a horse, but I doubt that it can be considered cardiovascular.
4. To the original poster, how often are you doing crunches. I hope you are not doing crunches in hopes of "toning" your belly. As someone said before, you can't pick a part of your body and focus on it by doing exercises to target the fat on that area. Human physiology does not work like that. The only way to successfully reduce fat permanently is to use aerobic activity to burn calories and fat, as well as proper, clean eating habits. You can do crunhces until you are blue in the face, but if you are eating like crap, and not doing cardiovascular training, your success is going to elude you.
1. Belly fat is not necessarily the 1st place fat leaves your body as someone said above. Maybe it was for you, but that may not be the case for the next person. The order that we store and lose fat is predetermined completely by our genetics.
2. I agree that cardio should be in the form of an activity that you enjoy. I also believe that you should switch things up as you get used to them. Maybe you jog this month, and next month you cycle, and next month you use the elliptical, and next month you swim, etc. etc. What type of biking are you talking about. I find that most people who ride a real bike on the trails or roadways normally don't hit that aerobic level. There is a lot of coasting and breaks involved. For instance, I went on a 20 mile bike ride last weekend. However, I was with my little cousin and we kept a slow to moderate pace, coasted some of the time which conflicts with the idea of "aerobic" exercise which needs to be consistent, sustained movement with a large muscle group. If you are talking about riding a stationary bike, then by all means, that is a great method of aerobics.
3. Somebody said they horseback ride for a cardio program. I don't see how this can possibly keep your heart rate up and oxygen uptake constant over long periods of time, i.e 20-60 minutes. I have never ridden a horse, but I doubt that it can be considered cardiovascular.
4. To the original poster, how often are you doing crunches. I hope you are not doing crunches in hopes of "toning" your belly. As someone said before, you can't pick a part of your body and focus on it by doing exercises to target the fat on that area. Human physiology does not work like that. The only way to successfully reduce fat permanently is to use aerobic activity to burn calories and fat, as well as proper, clean eating habits. You can do crunhces until you are blue in the face, but if you are eating like crap, and not doing cardiovascular training, your success is going to elude you.