How many X a week for Cardio

[mcinfo]

How many times a week should I be doing Cardio.

I need to drop about 5 lbs of fat in the next 4 weeks.

Carbs are low -below 100 grams - Cal. are at 2200

Current wt is 187. Wt training 5 day w/ 2 days off

 

[Loch Ness]

well you need to drop just over a pound a week so you should be in close to a 600 calorie deficite each day. So I would say cardio at least 6days a week. My reasoning: 1 lb. of fat is equal to 3500 calories, so at 500 calorie loss each day you will look at a pound per week. There are many personal variables here for a clear answer.

 

[homonunculus]

None.

Your maintenance kcal are about 15 x BW or ~2800 kcal / day. At 2200 kcal / day, you should be right on track, give or take a little (as Loch Ness said - many variables). Make sure you're getting enough protein and you should lose a good deal of fat.

-Randy

 

[dpsquat]

ok

for what your trying to do i would say 3 -4 times a week at 30 minutes each

 

[VA MadDog]

Pace

I was thinking the same thing as Randy - you are allready at an ~ 600/cal day deficit so even with out a lot of cardio you should be able to loose weight.

I second the suggestion to keep protein high. Also if you have been doing steady pace cardio you may want to switch to a moderate/high scheme. Something like 2 minutes moderate pace, one minute challanging pace, then repeat 2/1/2/1 for your 20-30 minutes. This change of pace during cardio seems to help with fat loss as opposed to simply burning a lot of calories/energy which can come from LBM. Plus it is a little less boring.

Lets see - 5 lbs in four weeks - Trying to fit into that cute outfit for Santa huh? - lol

 

[saturn]

Cardio???? What's that?

 

[big_byrd52]

i thought cardio was any set over 6 reps!!

 

[wakejump4me]

i wouldn't drop my carbs this low on an every day basis . yes to loose a pound of fat in 1 week you would need to come up with an calorie deficit of 3500 by the end of the week . remember that nutrition is the most important thing . just cut out protein shakes , refined sugars and all the other starches no fruits either . lets say you have 6 meals and train in the morning .

1 meal protein + fats

training = 1 hr after that
+ 30 min hit cardio post workout

2 meal (post workout) 0.4g carbs/pound bw and 0.3g prot/pound
that meal should be high gl carbs (rice cakes creme of wheat) + chicken or eggwhites (no shakes because you want to get lean)

3 meal = 2.5 hrs later low gl carbs + protein

4 meal = low gl carbs + protein

5 meal = protein + fats ( chicken or salmon + flaxoil + 3 oz of salad)

6 meal = eggwhites +flax oil

lets say you train in the evening

1 meal = low gl carbs + eggwhites as protein + 1or 2 yolks

2 meal = some veggies + protein+fats

3 meal = same as meal # 2

4 meal = same as meal 2 or 3 but use some peanut butter as fat source

1 hour after meal 4 = training + 30 min hit cardio

5 meal = (post workout ) high gl carbs + protein (again no shakes)

6 meal = some veggies + eggwhites + flaxoil

i don't know how hard you're working (jobwise) but there are many thyings that you'll have to calculate in order to get the right amount of calories that you need just for maintenance . and then you're able to make the right adjustments . don't starve yourself . you'll lose valuable muscle . in my opinion :the best thing to burn fat is nutrition and resistant training , well that works for me the best

 

[proud13]

wakejump,
I'm guessing that is a photoshop pic of your head on somebody else.