In short, no you do not need to do cardio in order to lose body fat. To lose fat we need to be in a calorie deficit, meaning we are expending more than we are consuming. This can be done by reducing calorie intake from food and/or increasing energy output. Cardio is a useful tool to add in to further increase this deficit whether it is scheduled cardio or simply following a daily step target.
Here at Vision, we take the guess work out and do all of these calculations for you. Our expert coaches have incredible systems in place to work out the amount of calories you need to be consuming and expending each week to get you to where you want to be. This will be completely individual and vary from person to person based on their size, gender, body type, activity levels and body composition.
Low Intensity vs High Intensity Cardio- What's The Difference?
Not all cardio is created equal, let’s take a dive into the two main types of cardio.
- Low Intensity. Low intensity cardio, also known as steady state cardio involves maintaining a consistent, moderate level of activity for an extended period of time. E.g. walking or holding a consistent pace and resistance on a cardio machine.
- High Intensity. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) involves intense, explosive bursts of energy followed by periods of rest. The goal is to spike heart rate quickly and maintain this level of intensity followed by a rest where heart rate drops back down.
Which Type is Better?
High intensity cardio workouts are generally a lot shorter in duration but are also much more taxing on the body (if being done at the required intensity). HIIT burns more calories in a shorter window in comparison to low intensity cardio. Steady state cardio generally will require a greater amount of time to complete and places less stress on the body. There is no right choice, it is going to come down to an individual's preference, time restraints and specific goal.
Step Targets
A step target is a way of consistently managing and monitoring energy expenditure. Step targets are a great tool to increase an energy deficit without having to schedule in formal cardio sessions. In your goal session your trainer will set you a step target specific to you. This can be easily tracked and monitored through our MyVision app. Here are a few tips to increase your step count:
- Take the stairs
- Get up from your desk every hour
- Park further away
- Go for a walk in you lunch break
- Grocery shopping and housework
- Get off the bus a stop early
- Run around after the kids
In summary, there is no one type of cardio you have to be doing. Here at Vision, we will do a comprehensive analysis of your goals and lifestyle which will allow us to come up with the perfect routine for you. Our group classes, personal training sessions and step tracking allows you to easily hit your cardio targets and not only reach your body composition goal but optimise your overall health and longevity.
