Cardio Myths

Steady state burns the most calories- High intensity interval training is best. It's cardio performed at a much more intense level, your body will expend a greater number of calories throughout the day in order to repair itself after the hard workout; this results in a greater number of overall calories burned. Wearing weight during cardio, burns more calories no your 2lb ankle weights won't help because 1.) that is not enough weight for your body to even tell the difference and 2.) they will actually probably resist you from a high intensity workout which means less calories burned. Doing the same type of cardio throughout your progress is best- just like weight training, if you do the same exercises/ movements every week, your body will adapt and become used to them. You will then end up burning fewer and fewer calories, and reach the dreaded plateau. You must do 20 minutes minimum for it to be worth it- if you only have time for 10 do 10minutes. 10 is better than nothing and the times add up towards the end of the week. Don't Eat before Cardio- This is a much debated topic, and it basically boils down to the type of cardio you are doing. If it is a steady-state, moderately paced workout, then you don’t need to eat; working out on an empty stomach may even help you access your fat stores faster. If you plan on doing HIIT sprints, however, you must eat beforehand. This type of cardio requires glucose for fuel, so not eating will throw your body into a catabolic state (during which you burn muscle tissue) and you won’t even be able to maintain the intensity this workout requires. You are best off eating a small meal that contains carbohydrates and protein about an hour beforehand.