When putting together your own fitness routine it’s easy to get confused in all the hype of the media and literature on the market. Cardio is always a grey area. Is it better to do wind sprints, intervals, sporting activities, or slow and monotonous exercise? Personally, I think that everyone is different so they should tailor their cardio routine towards their needs. This research from ACE (American Council on Exercise). Gave some good in site based on their research.
According to the studies, slow and steady cardio was the way to go!
Researchers at Maastricht University in the Netherlands concluded that people who engage in moderate physical activity, such as walking and biking, had the highest overall physical activity levels.
Their study of 30 men and women over a two-week period also revealed that those who exercised vigorously for short periods of time compensated for that activity by spending a greater part of their day being sedentary (source).
So it seems that this research is NOT solely based on how many calories you burn during the exercise but how many calories you burn during the day. This is a different way of looking at fitness research. In the past people measured fitness by how vigorous it was during the activity and how much energy (calories) were expended during that time. Looking at your calorie burning in a holistic sense make a lot more sense.
Adria Ali
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