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Are you dedicated to your cardio routine….and not seeing results? Stuck in a metabolic rut or on a weight plateau? At any level of fitness, your body will eventually adapt to a consistent level of exercise and stop improving because it doesn’t have to.
Ramp up your program by varying the length, intensity and frequency of what you’re doing. No matter what your starting level, you can improve your results – lose weight, grow stronger, build heart health – by creating a mix of workouts.
The U.S. Surgeon General’s 30-minute recommendation of moderate cardiovascular activity most days of the week is the minimum to reduce an inactive person’s risk of heart disease, diabetes and other serious conditions. If you are just beginning to get with the program, this is a good way to build a base.
To see improvement, vary your routine by creating a cycle of 3 workouts of different length and intensity. Do each of the workouts twice a week using any cardio activity. Be sure to include at least 5 minutes easy pace for both the warm up and cool-down. Use the “talk test” to gauge the intensity. During the warm-up and cool-down, you should be able to converse comfortably.
- High Gear: 30 minutes total, sustaining the fastest pace you can for 20 minutes during which conversation requires quite a bit of effort. Starting off too fast may leave you breathless, so find a pace that you can maintain.
- Intervals: 45 minutes total, alternating between high intensity and recovery periods. Allow 10 minutes for the warm up and 5 for the cool-down. For thirty minutes, do 5 intervals of 2 minutes each at high intensity (conversation requires a lot of effort) alternating with 4 minutes of recovery (converse with little effort).
- Long, slow distance: Sixty minutes total. Use a steady moderate pace for the entire time, able to converse with some effort. If you can’t do it all at once, break it up into ten or fifteen minute segments throughout the day – you’ll still get the same benefits.
Always remember to check with your doctor before becoming much more physically active.
Tomorrow, I’ll introduce strength training – the new star of anti-aging strategies- and explain how to structure a full-body routine.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for presenting this series of articles. We all read that exercise is very important, but this routine in print makes me realize that I have to take my walks and runs more seriously.
I have attributed my periodic forgetfulness (and increasing inability to muli-task) to menopause. I have read that there is a relationship between exercise and depression. Is there also an association between being cardio fit, regularly doing cardio-exercise, and forgetfulness?
Hi Susanna~
Thank you for your comment and your question. There is good news re: cardio exercise and brain power. According to a study that was reported in JAMA this year, walking at least 50 minutes three times a week improved cognitive function. Another recent study demonstrated that a six-month walking program improved memory, decision-making ability and attention. Regular physical activity may improve brain function by increasing blood flow to the brain and stimulating the birth of new nerve cells (neurogenesis). So keep on trucking, Susanna!
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