BEAST MODE - At home Work Outs: Cardio

I could name a dozen of excuses not to workout but I'll stop here. There is
no excuse to stay home and work out. I mean, there are numerous benefits to
working out at home:
- comfort of your own home
- no one's there (just in case your're shy at the gym)
- you can shower in a clean shower! lol
and you know what I mean...
So hopefully this blog entry will help you start doing some more exercises at home... and please, don't be lazy! lol
If you haven't yet, I have posted another blog entry about this whole beast mode thing. There, you will find tips about staying fit :)

It is recommend that you exercise 3 to 4 times of cardio a week in order to lose body fat. Keep in mind that cardio, yes it does lose fat, but it does not help tone your body. When you do work out, I recommend doing about 20 mins of cardio to warm up your body, weight train, then do another cardio set. I find that after cardio, I'm dead tired and won't want to do anything else. Now, this is just my preference so whatever suits you best.

Also, since it is cardio, please always keep a bottle of water nearby. I don't want you passing out at home by youself.

Note: most of moves I recommend are from experiences and classes I picked up from going to the gym, taking classes and hot yoga.

And most of all, have fun :)

Jogging: This is the best cardio you can do yourself. It's different than hopping on a treadmill at home because the outside terrain is much more dynamic and tough. Outside, there are various terrains that benefits not only your heart, but also your lower body as well. When jogging outside, don't just wander around your neighborhood - set a goal for yourself. For ex. one of my goals is to run from my house to my boyfriends house... which is about a 5 km run.
If you can't go outside, jog in place in front of your TV. Beats doing nothing!

Steps: I know this sounds crazy... but jogging up and down your set of stairs is also a great way!!! It's more challenging (especially going up) but it really does shoot up your heart rate (aka burn those calories!)

Biking: Biking is a great low impact cardio... and it's really fun too! When I was a kid, I was chubby. After riding my bike for a summer everyday, I actually shed those pounds without even realizing it! Biking is so much fun, especially when you have beautiful scenery.

Swimming: The best workout ever! Not only are you having fun doing curls and flips in the water, you're working out your cardio and toning at the same time!

Jumping Jacks: Also a great full-body work out. Not only do you "cardio" but also you work our shoulders. Keep in mind, don't just wail your arms... think about each move move you do. Try to make this harder by adding weights like a water bottle or a bottle filled with sand.

Sets: There are sets that you can do without the high impact that you might endure when you're running. I find that running is a bit boring sometimes, so this would be a perfect time switch it up. You can make you your own sets just as long as you keep moving and keep your heart rate up. For instance, one set is to start in a push up position then quickly change this position by taking your knees to your chest and jumping up while stretching your heads in the air. Another good one I learned from attending hot yoga classes is to start downward dog position, changing to a high plank (which is a push up position with your arms out), into a position position and do 1 push up (the one push up is what I added).

Skipping rope: You can buy a real cheap one at the dollar store. If you want to go hard core and want to train by resistence, I recommend getting a resistence band. You can use this resistence band by toning as well as skipping. Two for one deal!

Cardio can be easily achieved just as long you keep your heart rate up to the rate that best suits your age. This is very important because if you do these exercises with a low heart rate, you're wasting your time. Here is a chart to view where your heart reate should be when you're working out:

Most cardio machines like the treadmill and the bike have the ability to calculate your heart rate. Sometimes it's a given that your heart is already up there.

Doing cardio for only 20 mins doesn't quite cut it. To effectly lose weight, you have to keep your cardio work out for at least half an hour. After 10 mins, (depending on the impact of your cardio work out), your body is just adjusting to the heat aka warming up.
Another tip is to keep changing your cardio routine. Changing any work out - either from a treadmill to a bike or even changing your weights a bit - can go a long way! Trust me! Your body needs variety to challenge itself and burn more calories! If you're doing the same work out for a month now, CHANGE NOW! - You're just wasting your time!

I hope these tips help you.

Keep in mind to all readers who don't quite know me, I'm not a trainer. I just like to blog about being fit.

I'm not sure what my next blog will be. All I know is that I will be getting in weight training at home.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to comment :)

BEAST MODE IS ON!