Cardio exercise, or cardiovascular exercise, is a physical activity that increases the heart rate, burning more calories and improving endurance. These exercises include activities such as running, cycling, swimming and jumping rope. However, are they essential to lose weight? Carolina Duran, dietician and sports coach, takes stock.
Cardio exercises, beneficial for weight loss
“Cardio exercises help you lose stored energy,” explains Carolina Duran, dietician and sports coach. They enable you to lose calories quickly-I'd say between 200 and 300 per session, depending on duration and intensity."
Easily performed at home (many videos are available online so you can train at home), cardio exercises are beneficial on several levels: they improve cardiovascular health and strengthen the heart, they increase endurance, reduce stress, improve metabolism, and therefore, help you lose weight.
Sometimes brutal, cardio exercises aren't for everyone
While they're advocated for quick results, they can also unfortunately trigger injuries, notes the health professional. “In particular, these exercises are very hard on the knees and ankles.”
Not to mention that these sometimes “brutal” exercises are also difficult to perform for different people: in the case of joint problems, for example, jumping is not recommended. The same applies to back or chest problems: burpees or jumping jacks are mission impossible.
Can you lose weight without cardio exercise? Yes, but with longer sessions
Fortunately, cardio is not the only way to slim down. “Muscular strengthening is also very important,” continues Carolina Duran. Sheathing, for example, helps strengthen the abdominal muscles. If you don't do any Cardio exercises, you'll just have to do longer renfo sessions."
In simple terms, then, 15 minutes on a skipping rope or rowing machine could be equivalent to 45 minutes of muscle strengthening. "Obviously, when you're not doing cardiovascular exercise, it's going to take longer to expend the energy. For example, when exercising with weights, you're going to have to increase the load to get more resistance."
Whatever the case, always opt for a healthy diet
If you don't want to - or can't - do cardiovascular exercise, all you need is more time on your hands and, importantly, a healthy diet. “Just because you do some sport, whether cardio or strength training, doesn't mean you have to double your portions,” notes Carolina Duran.
The key to slimming down is to eat a healthy diet over the long term. The sports coach sums it up: “Avoid processed products and eat everything sparingly.”
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