Cardio is king for burning calories and losing weight. But are you doing enough of it in your exercise routine? We chatted with a fitness pro and learned how long your cardio workouts should be for weight loss, so tune in.
Doing regular cardio is full of amazing benefits, especially for those looking to lose weight and get in shape. Cardio will get your heart pumping and breathing rates, which help your body burn fat. It is an effective route to weight control and improved metabolic health.
How long should your cardio workouts be for weight loss
Your cardio workouts should be around 30 to 60 minutes long to achieve effective weight loss. However, this range may vary depending on your training intensity and fitness level.
“The length of your cardio is important for two reasons: burning calories and tapping into your body’s fat-burning zone,” explains Ronny Garcia, CPT, Blink Fitness. “The longer you exercise, the more calories you’ll burn, helping to create the calorie deficit you need to lose weight. Longer sessions of low-intensity cardio can also help tap into fat stores for fuel, but this requires longer sessions .”
You should adjust the intensity and duration of your cardio sessions to suit your schedule, personal preferences and fitness level. “Low-intensity cardio, like walking or jogging, primarily uses fat as fuel, but it takes longer to see significant calorie burn,” Garcia says. “Sessions should be longer, around 45 to 60 minutes, to maximize fat burning while burning the right amount of calories to reach your goals.”
If you like shorter workouts, Garcia suggests doing high-intensity cardio, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or sprinting. These training methods increase your heart rate and burn calories faster, making short training sessions more productive for those looking to lose weight. “HIIT training also creates an ‘afterburn’ effect where the body continues to burn calories after the workout,” adds Garcia.
In general, Garcia recommends starting with shorter, less intense workouts three times a week and gradually increasing the duration and/or intensity of your workouts as you progress. If you’re already at an advanced fitness level, you should aim for 45 to 60 minutes of low-intensity cardio or 20 to 30 minutes of high-intensity cardio four to five times a week for weight loss.
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Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is the Mind + Body Deputy Editor of Eat This, Not That!, overseeing the M+B channel and delivering compelling fitness, wellness and self-care topics to readers. Read more about Alexa
