Cardio You Should Be Doing (Based On Body Fat Percentage)

Summary

This fitness guide emphasizes the importance of combining informal cardio, like increasing daily steps, with formal cardio sessions on a treadmill. Starting with 8,000 steps per day, users progressively increase their daily step count to 15,000 for optimal fat burning. Alongside informal cardio, structured formal cardio sessions are introduced, involving treadmill walking with increasing incline and heart rate targets, aiming for 140-145 beats per minute. The guide provides a structured plan for increasing frequency and duration of cardio over time, ensuring users burn fat efficiently and improve their fitness.

Takeaways

• 😀 Start with 8,000 steps in Week 1 and increase by 500 steps every week until reaching 15,000 steps or more for effective fat burning.
• 😀 The goal is to gradually increase your daily steps to burn more calories compared to your intake, making it easier to lose fat.
• 😀 Tracking steps on your iPhone's Health app is a simple way to monitor your progress and ensure you're hitting your daily step goal.
• 😀 Formal cardio, like treadmill walking, should be introduced after a few weeks to maximize fat loss. Start with 1-2 sessions per week, each lasting 15 minutes.
• 😀 Aim for a heart rate of 140-145 beats per minute during formal cardio. This is crucial for fat burning and hitting the 'Zone 2' or 'Zone 3' cardio range.
• 😀 Increase the intensity of your treadmill workout by gradually increasing the incline. This helps burn more calories with the same time investment.
• 😀 For beginners, starting with a 5% incline and gradually progressing to 10% is recommended. Advanced users can go up to 15%.
• 😀 Warm up for the first 5 minutes at a moderate pace, and count this as 'steps' rather than formal cardio. This ensures blood flow and reduces injury risk.
• 😀 As you progress, gradually increase the frequency of your cardio sessions before extending their duration. Start with 1 session and work up to 4 sessions per week.
• 😀 Consistency is key. Keep track of your weekly goals for both steps and formal cardio to ensure you're progressing towards your fat loss objectives.

Q & A

What is the recommended starting point for daily steps in the first week?

The recommended starting point is 8,000 steps per day in the first week.

How should the daily step count increase over time?

The daily step count should increase by 500 steps each week, eventually reaching 15,000 steps or more.

What are the benefits of reaching 13,000 steps a day?

Reaching 13,000 steps can help you burn up to 700 extra calories a day, which significantly contributes to fat loss.

How can you track your daily steps effectively?

You can track your daily steps by using an app like Apple Health, which allows you to see how many steps you're currently taking.

What is the purpose of formal cardio, and how should beginners start?

Formal cardio helps in burning fat more effectively. Beginners should start with 1 session per week of 15 minutes and gradually increase the frequency.

What is the target heart rate for effective formal cardio?

The target heart rate for effective formal cardio is between 140 and 145 beats per minute.

What should be done during the first 5 minutes of treadmill exercise?

During the first 5 minutes, the focus is on warming up, which increases your heart rate and improves blood flow to joints. This period doesn't count toward the formal cardio session.

How should the incline be adjusted during treadmill cardio for fat burning?

The incline should be gradually increased during the session. For beginners, it should be between 5% and 10%, while intermediate and advanced individuals can increase it to 15%.

Why is it important to gradually increase the frequency of cardio sessions instead of duration?

Increasing frequency allows your body to adapt to the increased activity without overwhelming it. It also helps reduce inflammation and stress on the body.

How can you adjust treadmill settings if your heart rate exceeds 145 bpm?

If your heart rate exceeds 145 bpm, decrease the incline to bring your heart rate back into the target range of 140-145 bpm.