Cardio and Fat Loss (Facts and Fancies)

The terms cardio, aerobics, cardiorespiratory or cardiovascular endurance training are often used interchangeably. All of these exercises involve the same organs, viz., heart, lungs and blood vessels in the same manner.

A. What is not a Cardio?

Look at these examples -

- A patient lying on operating table learns that the surgeon would be performing the first surgery of his life on him. His heart  suddenly starts beating very fast and he starts sweating. ( The surgeon is already sweating.)

- An unprepared student in the examination hall looking at the difficult question paper 

- A ticketless traveler in a train getting jittery at the sight of  approaching Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE)

- A husband waking up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat from a nightmare that his affairs have been caught by his wife

- A police officer facing a violent mob

- An actor facing the camera for the first time

No one in the given examples is performing a cardio because cardio is not only about increased heart rate, sweating and swearing.

Cardio exercise by its very definition involves (a) movement of large muscle(s), (b) for prolonged time (minimum 10 minutes) and (c) at a moderate to high intensity. [The intensity in cardio is measured by heart rate.] Brisk walking, jogging, running, swimming, cycling, hiking, circuit training are some of the examples of cardio.

B. Why should we do Cardio?

My reply to this question is - for the  sheer joy of doing it! For the joy of living. Children do so. Animals do so. For your mind. For your mental health. For the runner's high. For the rush of endorphins and dopamine. 

Imagine the joy of hiking with your friend in the forests of Himachal Pradesh; swimming across Ganga in Patna, running on the picturesque golden sands on the other side of the river and then swimming back; running on Mahatma Gandhi Setu from Patna city to Hajipur and back, witnessing the splendid dawn and stunning  sunrise over the vastness of Ganga...!

Of course, there are immense physical benefits of cardio training, viz., it contributes to a healthy heart, lowers the chance of diabetes and high blood pressure, increases muscle and bone mass, raises good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers bad cholesterol (LDL), improves immune system, causes better circulation of blood, provides more energy in day-to-day activities, leads to better sleep, fat loss, etc. 

However, who thinks about the physical benefits of cardio when one is happy doing it? They will ensue in any case. What Viktor Frankl said about success and happiness, the same holds good for our physical well being also - "Success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue....you have to let it happen by not caring about it." 

Physically and mentally healthy persons don't need to go to a doctor, who would be probably sitting in his chamber with all windows closed, to learn that WHO has recommended to do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week.

 It's a pity that the activities which  should have been a thing of joy, and should have been a natural part of our daily life, are now have to be  prescribed like a bitter medicine by a doctor!!

Remember, if you are not going to your bed excited about the next day's morning walk or run, there could be some deeper underlying problem. This might be due to one of these reasons - (i) You don't have a plan for the day, (ii) You don't have a friend...

C. Is there a 'fat-burning zone'?

The answer is - NO!

All program buttons on your trendy treadmill with inscription of 'fat-burning zone' are misleading. The fact is that our body uses all macronutrients, viz., protein, carbohydrate (carbs) and fats as fuel for energy. However, though protein gives the same amount of energy as carbs, i.e., 4 calories /gram, carbs and fats (fats give 9 calories/gram) are the preferred fuel for the body. Protein is primarily used for growth and maintenance.

How do carbs and fats contribute to energy?

(i) Studies have found that initially when you start exercise, primarily carbs are used as fuel. As the exercise progresses, during low to moderate intensity of exercise (50%-80% of your MHR*), the % contribution of fats in providing energy becomes more than that of  carbs. This is popularly termed as 'fat-burning zone'. This should  actually be called 'Higher fat%-burning zone'. [ *MHR stands for Maximum Heart Rate. It is calculated by subtracting one's age from 220. For example, if your age is 40, your MHR will be 220 - 40 = 180 beats/minute. This is the maximum safe limit for your heart rate during an exercise.]

(ii) As you further increase the intensity of your exercise (80%-90% of your MHR), the % contribution of fat as fuel decreases and that of carbs increases. 

This does not mean that you should exercise in this 'Higher fat%-burning zone' for maximum fat loss.

Look at these two scenarios -

Scenario-1. A person burns 200 calories while running in the 'Higher fat%-burning zone'. In this zone, suppose, 60% of calories, i.e., 120 calories, come from fats. This means a loss of approximately, (120/9=) 13.3 gm of body fat.

Scenario-2. The same person burns 400 calories while running in the high intensity zone for the same duration. In this zone, suppose, contribution of fats comes down to 40% i.e., 160 calories will come from fats. This means a  loss of approximately (160/9=)  17.8 gm of body fat.

The lesson - Unless you have some medical issue, you can go beyond the 'Higher fat%-burning zone' for the high intensity cardio for the maximum fat loss.

D. HIIT vs Cardio

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. For example, after proper warm-up, running at high intensity (90% of your MHR) for a few seconds till your near-exhaustion point (not going all out) followed by jog or walk till normalization of your heart rate is HIIT. Repeat the same for 5-6 times as per your age, fitness, medical condition and availability of time.

Cardio, on the other hand, is performed at a steady heart rate for a longer duration. 

HIIT is good as it gives better results within a short time by overloading heart and lungs and increasing blood circulation. There is a lot of scope to add variety in HIIT. However, as it is a high-impact exercise, it may not be suitable for the aged, persons with medical issues or with low level of  fitness and it also may lead to injury if not properly done.

Cardio can be performed at the intensity suitable to a person's fitness level.

E. Tips for cardio

1. Cardio can be done 2-3 times on alternate days in a week.

2. Allow yourself sufficient recovery between two sessions.

3. Duration of exercise can be between 30-60 minutes in one session.

4. Cross-training is advisable for good recovery. 

5. Take care of hydration before, during and after exercise.

6. In case of any uneasiness, immediately stop the exercise and seek medical opinion.

9. After a long lay-off period, start exercise at low intensity.

10. To add variety and strength , include push-ups, squats, lunges, triceps dips, etc., during your morning walk or run.

11. Consult your doctor and gym instructor to design a cardio program for yourself.

12. Take all safety precautions while bicycling or running on road.

13. Enjoy the activity at your comfortable intensity. However, for improvement in your cardiovascular endurance, you will have to push yourself beyond your comfort zone. For this you have to apply the principle of Progressive Overload to your training.

"What a man can be, he must be." Abraham Maslow

Medical disclaimer - The blog content is provided for general educational purpose only. It does not substitute professional medical advice. Reader is advised to consult his doctor before starting any fitness program to avoid any health risks.

Shyam Fitness Fundamentals 

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