Is cardio necessary for the fastest weight loss?
Even the experts can’t seem to agree on this one. And if they can’t agree, how are you supposed to come to a solid conclusion on the issue?
Well, if you look at the research there is no doubt that cardiovascular work can increase fat loss. Here are five ways that cardiovascular work can help you lose more fat:
1. More heart volume. The more cardiovascular work you do, the more your heart will actually grow. And a bigger heart will allow you to do more exercise with less exertion. More exercise will translate into more weight loss.
2. Increased quantity of blood. More blood translates into more nutrients getting to your tired muscles. Because of this effect, you’ll burn more calories and lose more weight.
3. Higher capillary density. Capillaries transport blood to your muscle tissues. Think of this as having more trucks to get your cargo (blood) to where it needs to go. Again, more blood will increase flow and help burn fat at a faster rate than normal.
4. Increased mitochondrial density. Mitochondria are the actual factories in your cells where energy is produced. The more factories you have, the more energy you can make on demand. And remember that more energy will help you shed the weight faster.
5. More energy enzymes. The process of energy production in your mitochondria doesn’t happen by itself. Your body needs enzymes to get the necessary reactions started. Think of enzymes as workers in a factory that push along products on the conveyor belts.
The research seems to indicate that cardiovascular exercise is a good way to lose weight at a faster rate. So it’s probably in your best interest to start including it in your program.
The tricky part is figuring out how much cardio is optimal. After all, if you do too little you won’t see any difference and if you do too much, you will not be able to recover from your workouts. I propose that you should do as much as you can while still retaining the ability to recover.
Writer Katherine Crawford, an exercise physiologist and former arm fat sufferer, teaches how to get slim arms. Unearth how to get sexy and toned arms by exploring her blog with shake weight reviews now!