Dear Chris:
I am a 49 year old female that has been working out with different trainers on and off for about 15 years. The advice they give is sometimes conflicting. Should I do my cardio before or after my weight training? Do you think it is better to do my cardio on an entirely different day? In order to burn fat how long and to what intensity should my cardio be performed? In one of your previous articles about Hilary Swank at the very end you mentioned multiple meals. I just read a different article that said to eat only three meals a day and no snacks for best weight loss. So confusing!
Dottie M
Dear Dottie:
Your right there is tons of misinformation floating around out there. It seems that just about every one is a fitness expert these days. It’s very easy to get lost in the different opinions that people are so willing to give to you.
I think a lot of people get confused with the difference between a warm up and a cardio session. A warm up should be done before you lift weights. It can be just about any cardiovascular activity you choose such as the bike the treadmill or a short walk outside. It should be done at a very low level for no more than eight to ten minutes. A warm up will help you get your muscles loose and ready for a good work out. However it shouldn’t tire you out.
A cardio session is a much more intense work out. It can also be just about any cardiovascular activity of you choice. However it should be done at a higher intensity for longer periods of time. Your cardio should always be done after your weight training because your body will need glycogen stores- stores of energy that your body uses during physical activity-to properly complete your weight training. Completing your cardio after you weight training insures that your glycogen stores will be low and your body is now ready to burn fat. Therefore your cardio sessions will be much more productive.
You may also want to do cardio on days that you don’t lift weights. I usually advise my clients to skip cardio on days that they do a lot of lifting with their legs. They can do their cardio the next day when their legs are fresh.
The most efficient way to burn fat is to work within your target heart rate zone. You target heart rate zone is when your heart beats between 60-80% of its maximum potential.
In order to find your target heart rate zone, all you have to do is subtract your age from 220. Then multiply the answer by both .60 and .85. The answers will give you your heart rate zone. Keep your heart rate somewhere in the middle of this range for 30-45 minutes and you will be working at the right intensity to burn fat. Most gym machines will monitor your heart rate for you however you may want to purchase a heart rate monitor at your local sporting goods store.
Last but not least you mentioned meal frequency. You should try to eat 5-6 small meals a day. You should eat your meals about every 2-3 hours. I usually explain it as 3 regular meals and 2-3 snacks. This will keep your metabolism fired up and ready to burn fat. If you’re only eating 2-3 meals a day your metabolism will drop to a snails pace and it will be very difficult to make progress.