How to Lose Weight Without Cardio
If you hate doing cardio exercise, you can still lose weight without having to run, spin or step for endless amounts of time. Some fitness experts argue that you can get fit and lose weight without cardio, although you'll still need to strength train and watch what you eat. Cardio has its place, but for some individuals, forgoing the cardio workout can help you lose weight.
Tips For You
- Watch what you eat. In order to lose weight, regardless of the exercise that you're doing, you must burn more calories than you are taking in. Aim for healthy fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains.
- Add more activity to your daily life. You don't need to spend an hour at the gym on the treadmill, but you do need to move. Find activities that you like such as gardening, walking, playing with your kids or dancing and do them regularly. Add small changes to your everyday life like parking at the end of the lot, walking around the grocery store before you start shopping and climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator.
- Resistance train to build lean muscle mass. Adding lean muscle boosts your metabolism and helps you look fitter. Challenge yourself with the resistance workouts that you do, and you may find hiring a personal trainer helpful.
- Speed up your resistance training. Whether you're taking a Yoga class or working out on weight machines, speeding your workout up can give you a cardio burst without having to do a regular cardio workout. For weight training, decrease the amount of rest time between exercises. Circuit training gives you a cardio workout while you lift.
- Keep an eye out for cardio activities that you like to do. While you can lose weight without doing cardio, ultimately your heart will be healthier if you build some cardio back into your workout. If you hate the gym, consider joining a sports team or finding outdoor activities like hiking or biking.
