How long should I do a cardio workout for?

Question

I work in an office and only walk from the car to the building.

My weight has slowly crept up to 13 stones / 182lbs.

I'd like to get back down to 9 stones / 126lbs and be healthy like I used to be.

I'm not interested in fad diets, and I don't mind how long it takes me to lose the weight as I intend on staying fit and healthy for life.

My question is:

How long should I do a cardio workout (mainly cycling on an exercise bike or using a treadmill at home) for?

I am aiming to eat around 1,500calories per day after reading that is the minimum women should have.

Any one got any other advice?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I'm doing the same thing in my life. They say that working out once a day 3-5 days a week for an hour or an hour and a half is best. Any less and your heart might not get the workout it needs, any more than an hour and a half and you are going to be wore out, and maybe get burnt out. I think eventually it's ok to work out that long but you need to work your body up to that level and working out for that long also requires extra caloric intake.

Answer 2

It really depends on you as a person.... how much you can do without overtiring yourself as this would not be good for your body or for your motivation! You need to be sure you can maintain a regular pattern of exercise. My advice is to start with something you feel comfortable, lets say 20 minutes. Do this for a while and after a number of sessions you might feel ready to increase this slightly.

I would also talk to a fitness instructor at a local gym. They have much more expertise on the subject and will be able to advise you as to a suitable exercise program .

Good luck and don't forget to have fun with it!

Answer 3

30 mins a day  

Answer 4

I have plenty of good advice. Listen to this, counting calories doesn't work!

Three balanced meals a day. High protein, low carb, plenty of fruits, veggies, water and one fat a day. Light cardio for 30 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. You can lose 56 lbs in 5.5 months and keep it off for a lifetime. I'd love to have you on the program. Email me for help.

Answer 5

60-90 minutes DAILY

Answer 6

You're on the right track.  Cardio is the only way to lose weight in a healthy manner, along with a good diet.

You don't start to really burn calories until you've done 15 minutes of cardio.  You should be doing no less than 30 minutes of cardio each workout.... working your way up to 40 or 45.  Every week, up the time by 5 minutes.

Make sure you're working up a good sweat each time, but don't push yourself to the point of not being able to breathe well.  

Stick with it and you're sure to lose weight.

Answer 7

30-90 minutes a day

write down what you eat during the day...so you know exactly whats going into your body. Drink plenty of water and eat fruits and veggies..dont eat anything at least 3 hours before you go to bed. Ive done these things and just lost 10 pounds...11 inches..i would have lost more had i stuck with exercising..good luck

Answer 8

Aim for 30 minutes of cardio, doing whatever you like to do, 3-4 times a week.  Go for increasing intensity rather than time, so 30 minutes of faster walking over 40 minutes of slower, and consider intervals, eg 2 mins walking, 1 min jogging for the 30 minutes.