Some of you may have heard my story about how I was a cardio queen… the more the better, right???
Not if you want to have a strong, and toned body. If this is the look you are trying to achieve, you will need to have a balanced program that includes weight training and some High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
My recommendation and the program that our SKFitLife members perform is 3 days per week of total body weight training programs and 2 days of HIIT. Along with one day of steady cardio which can be anything from running to yoga.
When I first started lifting weights, I was still a hard-core fan of running… just me and the open road for hours. So how did I let all of that cardio go and find the balance that was right for me?
The first step was to trust the process… trust that giving up some of that cardio would not cause me to gain weight. I gave it a full 6 weeks of sticking to less cardio and guess what… it worked!
I started building strong and shapely muscles in my shoulders and arms and my legs started to get more defined than they ever were from all of those years of running.
How much cardio is too much cardio?
Running for 40 min steady state cardio is a great way to get your blood pumping and enjoy the great outdoors. You don’t need to run 10 miles a day to be in great shape. As a matter of fact, the “more is better” mentality will often cause the opposite result (weight GAIN); variety & balance is key.
I wouldn’t recommend any more than 5 days at 45 minutes. And even that is pushing it. Doing more “metabolic-type” workouts is a better use of your time if you are trying to cut fat and tone your body to get that lean look.
Do you need some ideas for a HIIT workout? Join our Free Monthly HIIT Membership where you will receive access to a monthly HIIT workout that you can do anywhere.
This is a quick and dirty training session that will get your blood pumping and fat melting…
Source: stephaniekeenan.com via Stephanie on Pinterest
