Cardio Workouts to Boost Metabolism

by Michelle B

runners stretch - the knee, hip, and low back pain solution - it works!

runners stretch - the knee, hip, and low back pain solution - it works!

Can you suggest some effective cardio workouts that would boost my metabolism? I am in the "over 40 club", and am having a hard time losing pounds. Although I think I look pretty good for my age, there are just some of those trouble spots (triceps, butt) that could lose some inches, and I know there is no such thing as spot training.

I just started doing 1-min run/1-min walk on the treadmill, and I do that 2 or 3 times a week for 20-25 mins, plus I do some other total body strength/cardio classes 2 times a week. I can't run for long stretches because my knees pay the price afterwards, so I found that the 1 min walk/1 min run doesn't bother me.

Any suggestions?

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Cardio Workouts to Boost Metabolism

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starstarstarstarstar 		Cardio Workout Tips to Boost Metabolism
by: Monica

Hey M.B.

I agree that it's harder to maintain your weight and bodyfat at a desirable level as you get older and especially if you have joint issues.

I used to deal with this too but then I discovered a few tricks that really work.

1. Vary the type of cardio you are doing. Repetitive motion patterns kill your joints. Cut back your machine cardio to 1/2 what you're doing and substitute the other half of your cardio workouts with bodyweight cardio that focus on a variety of movement patterns.

2. Start your cardio with some hip mobility exercises. Doing this lubricates your joints like no other warm-up can and this is key to avoiding post cardio inflammation.

3. Vary the length of your cardio workouts. Your body adapts very easily to the same type, length, and intensity of workout but responds well to what I like to call chaos cardio.

day 1 - 10 min. hardcore bodyweight intervals 5 min. moderate paced walk or bike

day 2 - strength 10 min. cool down cardio

day 3 - 20 min. easy/hardcore intervals

day 4 - strength - 4 minutes intense bodyweight intervals ( tabata protocol)

day 5 - 30 min. something very different (pussycat dolls workout, hip hop abs, cardio samba) it will blow you away how out of shape you feel even when you do hardcore machine cardio cuz this stuff targets totally different movement patterns

day 6 - strength 10 min. cool down cardio

day 7 - 20 minute hike or walk hills outdoors or stadium step intervals

4. Practice flow yoga or dynamic stretching for at least 5-10 minutes after longer cardio workouts. Never holding poses but flowing between a variety of poses with fluidity teaches your body not to hang on to tension. I'm filming a video on this soon so I'll post it here when it's done.

5. Evaluate your daily activity and/or the quality of the food you eat. I always thought I could eat whatever because I was working out all the time but one day I realized I really needed to clean up the diet more. I was working online more, not training as many clients, my cardio workouts were not as intense and I knew my eating had gotten off track. I kept a journal for a while and was blown away by how much freedom I was allowing myself and how much less active I had become. Instead of the 80/20 rule I was following the 60/40 rule. Getting back to 80/20 was key to my weight maintenance.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Fun Cardio Workouts That Boost Metabolism
by: Monica

I always laugh when trainers (especially guys) rip on cardio dvd's. I would love to see them try to keep up with Quenia's The Cardio Samba Workout.

This workout will kick your butt regardless of how in shape you think you are. The movement patterns provide amazing joint lubrication, mobility, fluidity, and calorie burning as well as fatloss. All this combined contributes to weight maintenance.

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