Key Points
- Cardio should be maintained, regardless of goal, for long term cardiovascular health.
- Try not to get caught into the preconception that doing cardio needs to be a chore. Simply being more active in daily life will help to improve your cardiovascular health; walking more regularly, cycling to work or taking the stairs will all help get your blood flowing and increase your heart rate.
- Cardio also doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be something you don;t enjoy. Play a sport, go running with the dog, do a fitness DVD or simply lift weight faster. It’s all about getting your body moving, increasing your heart rate and most importantly being something you can do consistently because you enjoy it.
- If your goal is to do a cardio based event then cardio is a necessity but for others who are using cardio for fat loss, it is simply a tool to help burn more calories so the type and duration of cardio you choose is going to depend on how many calories you need to burn to create a negative energy balance.