3 Common Cardio Mistakes - and How to Fix Them

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April Archives- Each Thursday of April we will throwback to some of LiveWell's most popular posts from the past! This blog was originally posted in 2013.

Depending on your fitness goal, there are some common mistakes that could be stalling your progress. Whether you're doing cardiovascular exercise to drop weight, lose body fat, or decrease stress, read more for the most common cardio mistakes, and how to fix them.

Goal: Decrease your Body Fat
Mistake: Doing the same thing over and over again. If you get on the same cardio machine, clock the same amount of time, at the same intensity every day, you're wasting your time. Doing the same thing over and over again, your body adapts and stops changing and will not drop body fat.

The Fix: Change it Up. Change up your routine including intervals. Each time you workout, push yourself harder than the last time. That could include increasing speed, adding incline or doing a completely different type of exercise. If you have been using the same machine for more than 4-6 weeks it's time to switch it up.

Goal: Drop Weight


Mistake: Walking or running at one pace. Leisurely strolling on the treadmill or the elliptical for a solid 45 minutes may get you sweating, which will help with temporary weigh loss, but there are more effective strategies for your longer term goals. The most effective cardio workout for fat loss is interval training.
The Fix: Interval Training. The great thing about interval training is that you can workout for a shorter period of time. Plan on a 20 to 30-minute workout. Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes, then perform a 30-90 second interval at a pace you couldn't hold for longer than that. Your heart rate will jump to the point where you could not carry on a conversation. Follow with an equal or longer recovery period at an easier pace letting your heart rate decrease. Repeat for 5 to 10 rounds.

Goal: Stress Relief and/or Active Recovery
Mistake: You push yourself too hard. If your goal is active recovery or stress relief be careful you don't go too hard and actually detriment your recovery.
Doing steady state cardio, getting your blood flowing can be beneficial in this case.

The Fix: Go outside. Instead of being at the gym indoors, go outside and enjoy your surroundings with a leisurely walk. Sunshine has been shown to help decrease cortisol, your stress hormone.

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