12 Worst Cardio Mistakes to Follow for Weight Loss

Get fit in less time by avoiding these pitfalls!
Just because you're hitting SoulCycle every day, it doesn't mean you're guaranteed to lose weight. In fact, variety may be just what your routine is lacking—along with clearer concentration, a better plan, a shoe upgrade, and smart pre-workout eating habits. With the body bulk (and not the good kind…) that tends to come with the holiday season, now is the time to make a good plan of attack against fat. That's why we reached out for advice and help from the fitness pros for an outline of common cardio mistakes that might be stalling your progress.

1

Doing Too Much Steady State Cardio

While there are days when it's OK to partake in less intense cardio—like when you're super sore from a workout you conquered the day before—consistent days of steady state cardio in which you don't challenge your cardiovascular fitness will likely not produce desired results, says celebrity trainer and founder of the Stoked Method, Kira Stokes. "Get creative," she says. "For example, try jumping off a cardio machine every few minutes to work in intervals of jumping rope to bring your heart-rate up to 80 percent of you max. This will give you a major energy boost, enable you to reduce the length of time you need to dedicate to cardio and make you and your body more efficient."

2

Not Eating Before Intense Cardio

"People often feel it's best to do cardio on an empty stomach. However, this may cause you to lack the energy necessary to challenge your body properly," says Stokes. That doesn't mean pre-workout is the time to schedule your steak and eggs, though. Stokes suggest having a small snack that won't weigh you down but rather boost your energy—like an protein bar or a banana. "These will benefit you and your cardio session immensely. Play around with different foods to see how your body responds best."

3

Not Being Focused

Stokes, like many top trainers, has a major pet peeve—and that's people not being focused when they're working out. "Reading, checking email, tapping into social platforms, taking gym selfies, and so on can truly hinder your cardio sessions," says Stokes. "Essentially, if you can read while getting your sweat on, you're probably not working hard enough." Even when challenging your body in a cardiovascular way, Stokes recommends performing what she calls body checks: a method where you ask yourself questions like, "Am I working hard enough?" and "Can I push just a little more?" "This will often prompt you to take your workout up a notch," she says. "Interrupting the flow of your workout by being consumed by your phone will ultimately have you spinning your wheels but not making the gains you are looking for."

4

Not Focusing on Intensity

"It's the intensity at which you workout that raises your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), not the type of exercise," says Edward Jackowski, Ph.D., and owner of EXUDE Fitness. Find a class or type of workout you like and push yourself to your max. Because even if you're doing something aerobic, your metabolism may be slowing down if you're not working hard enough.

5

Thinking More Cardio Means More Food

After completing that hour-long SoulCycle class, do not go straight for the doughnuts! "When you want to lose weight or get into better shape, your workload needs to exceed your calorie input," says modelFIT trainer Keely Ahrold. As long as your calorie intake is less than the amount of calories you burn, you will be in good shape. And that is very hard to do on a diet that's high in sugar and fat, no matter how much you workout. It's also important to note that most people greatly overestimate how many calories they burn when they're working out and that our bodies don't tend to perform optimally on a sugar-fat diet!

6

Being A Creature Of Habit

Gravitating toward the same form of cardio and working out at the same time of day can result in plateaus. Stokes suggests trying to find a good mix of what you love to do to challenge your heart and what you're struggling to like. "Odds are that the modality you're having a tough time embracing is the one you need to do most. Also, working out at the same time of day each day can lead to lackluster results. A couple times a week, go ahead and shock your body by hitting the gym, the road, or the pool at an unconventional time. Routine is the enemy for your body."

7

Wearing The Wrong Apparel/Sneakers

"Knowing if you pronate, supinate, or have a neutral gait is important when choosing the correct footwear to support you during your cardio session," says Stokes. This is especially important if you're doing intense exercise because you don't want to risk injuring yourself. As for clothing, Stokes encourages her clients to wear apparel that they can see their body in (think tank tops and fitted bottoms) as she has found this can be a great motivator by helping you see how far you've come (while also setting new goals, too).

8

Not Having A Plan

Always be prepared! When you don't have a game plan, you risk spending a chunk of your workout wandering from machine to machine. "It's always best to have a plan and a goal for each sweat session," says Stokes. "Take into account both the length of time you have to commit to cardio, then make a plan for how you can make every second count."

9

Feeling Like You Need to Do Cardio in the Morning

There's a myth out there that doing 20 minutes of cardio in the morning will jumpstart your metabolism throughout the day. "This is purely physiological," says Ahrold. "It's a great way to start your day the right way for sure. But if you did that same 20 min of cardio later in the day, you will still have only done 20 min of cardio that day. Your caloric output is about the same." So, don't drive yourself crazy trying to squeeze in cardio in the a.m. if you're not a morning person. In fact, like Stokes mentioned, switching things up is key.

10

Thinking You Hate Cardio

"It's important—especially if you're not a fan of cardio—to find a modality that resonates with you so you will commit to it," says Stokes. "I preach about finding a good mix of cardio workouts that are fun and those that are challenging. For example, if you're not in love with running but you see great results from it, plan a few runs during the week—but, in between, allow yourself some cardio dance, if that's your cardio 'fun.' Attitude is everything; if you have a positive attitude toward embarking on your sweat session and can take a moment to appreciate your ability to move and challenge your heart, you may actually start to crave cardio!"

11

Drinking Water to Sweat Off Water Weight

"Aside from being so blatantly false, you can cause your biological systems to go all out of whack," says Ahrold. "You will become dehydrated, increase blood pressure, and decrease cardiac output, which lowers the amount of oxygen getting to your muscles. Basically, your body—a highly efficient system—will become highly inefficient." Drink water as needed, plain and simple.

12

Choosing the Wrong Type Of Cardio For Your Body Type

Not all forms of cardio—even if performed at the same level of intensity—will yield the same results. How you move affects the aesthetic outcome. For example, if you're bottom-heavy and do a lot of spinning, you'll definitely burn calories but your legs and bottom half may get bigger. In this case, consider opting for body weight cardio that doesn't have a leg focus. "If you can't cut your addiction to your local spin class, however, but still want to lose weight and lean out your legs, keep the resistance light during spinning class and pedal faster,"

Thanks for Reading ........

How to Stay Active and Exercise During the Holidays

It's hard enough to exercise the rest of the year, but add holidays to the mix and many of us find exercise becomes less of a priority as to-do lists grow longer and longer.

The last thing you want is more stress and, for many of us, trying to keep to our usual workout program does just that. At the same time, staying active in some way will give you energy, reduce stress and tension and, of course, help mitigate some of the extra calories you may be eating.

So, how do you find that balance? These quick tips will help you plan ahead, prepare yourself for any eventuality and provide workouts to help you stay active this holiday season.

Plan Ahead

If you're traveling, planning ahead can make all the difference. Take some time to figure out what your options are so you're ready for anything. Just a few ideas:

Search for walking, running or park trails nearby
Look up information about the hotel you're staying at and find out if they have an exercise room
If you're staying with family, ask if they have any fitness equipment
If that's not an option, find any nearby gyms and ask if they let guests use their facility
Talk to your family in advance and suggest taking a walk or doing something active together
Plan simple workouts (see below) that don't require much space or equipment. If you're traveling or have visitors, you may be able to sneak in a workout in the basement without bothering anyone.

Get started

Try to plan your workout schedule beforehand. Even if you have to change it (which is likely when you're traveling), you've already made a commitment to exercise. It's easier to stick with it when you have it planned than to squeeze it in later.

Get Prepared

If you're not sure about your schedule or whether you'll even have time to get in a workout, plan for the worst-case scenario.

That may be staying in grandma's basement with no equipment and only 10 or 15 minutes to yourself. Try these quick tips for squeezing in a workout even when you only have minutes to spare:

Bring a workout plan with you. Plan a 10-minute routine you could do right in your bedroom. For example, you could choose 10 exercises and do each for 1 minute (squats, lunges, pushups, jumping jacks) or check out the holiday workouts below for other ideas.
Bring resistance bands. They travel well and you can use them for quick strength exercises whenever you catch a few minutes.
If you have a laptop, bring along a workout DVD or try streaming workouts online such as those offered by demandFitness.
If guests are staying with you, move your equipment (weights or bands) into your bedroom so you can sneak in some exercise at night or in the morning.
Wear your running or walking shoes as much as you can. You may find a 20-minute window when people are napping or before dinner for a quick walk or run.

You may even want to invite some family members for a walk.

Sometimes there are others who'd love to workout, but they're just waiting for someone else to step up first.

Use Every Opportunity

Planning and preparing are nice, but even the best-laid plans get derailed, especially during the holidays. If you find there's just no way to get in a workout, get creative and find ways to move your body any way you can:

Walk as much as possible. Take extra laps at the mall, use the stairs, volunteer to walk the dog.  If you're hanging out with kids, set up a game of football, tag or hide and seek.
Offer to help with the housework, shoveling snow or raking leaves.  If everybody's sitting around watching football, get on the floor for some situps or pushups. If that's too weird, try isometric exercises -- squeeze and hold the abs, the glutes or even press the hands together to engage the chest.  If you don't have equipment, pick up some full water bottles or soup cans for quick lateral raises or overhead presses. Something is always better than nothing.

Holiday Workouts

If you need some workout ideas, these routines cover everything from cardio to circuit training to strength workouts with no equipment. Print them out and take them with you or just use them for inspiration in creating your own workouts.

1. Chair Squats 3 x 10
2. Lunges 3 x 10
3. One-Legged Deadlifts 3 x 10
4. Wall Sits 3 x 1 minute
5. Push-ups 3 x 10
6. Dips 3 x 10
7. Durpess 3 x 10
8. Planks 3 x 30 seconds
9. Pull-ups 3 x 10
10. Bridge with leg drop 3 x 10

The most important thing is to be realistic and go easy on yourself. You aren't always in charge of your schedule during the holidays so you can only do your best. Remind yourself that you can get back to your routine when you're back home.

Thanks for Reading ........