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Cardio For Weight Loss: High Intensity vs Low Intensity

cardio for weight loss

We are well aware that Cardio is the best form of exercise to achieve any kind of weight or fat loss. But to understand the intensity required to achieve this, is still a little unclear. While researching, I kept coming back to the same question, what’s better – high-intensity or low-intensity training? There’s just way too much information trying to sway readers without considering their individual goals and needs. 

Don’t worry! We’ve put together a few things you should know about in this article. It will give you a better idea of what low-intensity and high-intensity cardio training mean and will also help you decide which one you should go for! 

Low Intensity Cardio 

This workout encompasses consistent movements anywhere between 30-60 mins. It includes walking, cycling, swimming, light jogging, etc. The intensity is approx 40-60% of your maximum heart rate (your maximum heart rate = 220 – your age). 

Benefits: 

  • Consistent movements help maintain a steady heart rate (one can talk while doing any of these exercises)
  • You use more oxygen in these kind of exercises (hence fat is used as energy source)
  • Helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by promoting good blood circulation
  • Reduces hyperglycemia (elevated blood sugar levels) in people with diabetes
  • Builds muscular endurance 

Disadvantages:

  • Due to the principle of adaptation, the body quickly adapts to become more aerobically efficient. So only doing low intensity training can eventually become counterproductive to your goals, especially if one of your goals is long-term fat loss or when you hit a plateau.
  • To keep up with the body’s quick aerobic adaptation process, a person would need to continually run for longer and longer distances and durations just to burn the same amount of calories they did when they first started.

High Intensity Workouts 

These workouts include quick, intense exercise bouts and short rest periods. Ranging from 4-30 minutes max. These types of workouts include a combination of sprints, burpees, squats, jumping jacks, pushups and an endless variety of other drills using only body weight or sometimes equipment like dumbbells or kettlebells. The intensity varies from 70-90% of maximum heart rate with 60-65% max heart rate in rest periods. 

Benefits: 

  • No equipment or gym needed as it can be done anywhere (great for frequent travelers)
  • Helps build muscle mass
  • Time efficient: energy is burned more quickly and even after exercise
  • Anaerobic exercise, since there is no time for oxygen consumption, the body burns more carbs
  • Because of the oxygen debt created, the body consumes extra oxygen post workout (EPOC- excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) and hence, continues burning fat post workout as well. So it has the dual benefit of carb and fat burning.

Disadvantages:

  • The body requires a day or two post HIIT for recovery, so this form of workout cannot be done daily.
  • It is physically intense! They are also harsh on your joints due to the high impact forces created in exercises like Burpees or Squat Jumps. So, if you’re just starting your fitness journey or have weak joints, HIIT cardio may not be the best place to start.

Which One Should You Choose?

It depends on you, your current level of fitness, your preferences and goals. Low-intensity is a great place to start if you have not worked out for a long time or are recovering from an injury. But if you already have experience and want to switch things up, lose some weight quickly or finally achieve your goal of going faster or further, give intervals a try. Don’t forget to be mindful of your body. Take breaks when you need to, don’t overtrain. Your body needs to rest, heal and progress! 

We hope this article on cardio for weight loss helps you achieve your goals! To learn more, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to live, interactive sessions on GOQii PRO by booking a class via the GOQii App, where you can get one-on-one guidance in real time by certified fitness experts.  

Get active and #BeTheForce 

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Top 5 Effective Indoor Workouts For Weight Loss During Monsoon

Easy and Effective Indoor Workouts For Weight Loss

Visiting the gym, going for a yoga or zumba class can be quite challenging when there’s a heavy downpour and you want to get a good workout. And it is easy to feel stumped when your options are limited. But don’t let this minor setback stop you! It’s not worth it to put on all the weight you worked so hard to lose. Here are some easy and effective indoor workouts for weight loss you can do anywhere!  

5 Easy and Effective Indoor Workouts For Weight Loss

1. Walking/Running: There’s nothing better than running outdoors – the fresh air and all but what do you do when there’s a heavy downpour? There are many ways, in fact, it is easier if you have a treadmill. If you don’t, try spot jogging and taking frequent breaks in between your work from home schedule to walk around the house and unwind.

2. Jump Rope: Do you want that sleek, slender body? Jump Rope is your answer! It is one of the most underrated yet effective workouts. If you’re new to this, start with a 2-5 min warm up, then do the traditional rope skipping with 30-50 reps. Then, you can run up and down your building stairs, do the rope again for 30-50 reps and end with a cool down. It is high intensity, low cost, doesn’t consume time and is still one of the most effective workouts for weight loss. If you want to invest in a good jump rope, try the GOQii Smart Skip.

3. High Intensity Interval Training: As the name suggests, it is periods of High Intensity exercises coupled with Low Intensity exercises/rest. The aim for HIIT workout is to target 80% of VO2 Max (Max Oxygen Consumption) for maximum results.

Your typical HIIT session can be: 

  • Warm Up
  • Lunges for 1-2mins at a stretch
  • Walk/Jog in place for 30secs
  • Pushup for 1-2mins
  • Walk/Jog in place for 30secs
  • Squats for 1-2mins
  • Walk/Jog in place for 30secs
  • Abdominal Crunches for 1-2mins
  • Walk/Jog for 30secs
  • Cool down

You can add more exercises and modify the exercises as per your fitness levels.

4. Weight Training: Yes, this might be impossible since most of us don’t have dumbbells and other gym equipment at home but that shouldn’t pose much of a problem. You can still use your daily household equipment as weights. For instance, water bottles filled with water as dumbbells or a bucket of water for your deadlifts. In fact, you can also use your own bodyweight. The key idea here is to undergo a process called Hypertrophy of the muscles, wherein the body increases the size of the muscles and reduces the fat around it. Weight training helps in burning fat 24×7 as opposed to burning fat only during the workout. A beginner can start with 20 reps + 3 sets of deadlifts, squats, lunges, bicep curls, etc.

5. Boot Camp: This is one of the most intense and effective workouts which alternate between aerobic activities of sprinting/running along with strength exercises and drills. It simultaneously works on your endurance and strength. 

You can start a typical routine as: 

  • Warm up
  • 1 min each of Push ups, Lunges, Pull ups, Crunches, Buttkickers, spot jog
  • Repeat the exercises 
  • Cool down.

To make things easier for you, you can join a GOQii Pro class within the GOQii App where you’ll be guided by fitness experts in a live, interactive session of your choice. More so, you can also get tips, guidance and motivation from a certified GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

We hope this indoor workouts for weight loss help you choose your workouts and lose weight. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more tips on fitness and health, check out Healthy Reads. 

Get Active and #BeTheForce

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Lemon Water and Weight Loss: Are They Really Connected?

lemon water and weight lossThere’s no doubt that this bright yellow, all season fruit has innumerable advantages. If I were to list down the benefits, it would be endless. The foremost advantage of lemon is its power to enhance the flavor of our kitchen. Packed with vitamin C, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, pectin fiber and citric acid, this fruit has been known to boost immunity and take it to another level.

It is anti-bacterial in nature, thus protecting you from the clutches of most infections. It’s also a blood purifier and known to rejuvenate the skin by taking away acne and wrinkles. It’s a perfect morning drink as it aids in the elimination of waste products from the body and promotes quick bursts of energy.

I have seen many people using lemon water as a way to lose weight, but does it really help in weight loss? The good news is that it does! Lemon water has shown to have real weight loss powers. It actually helps accelerate the process of weight loss.

Let’s understand the Mechanism of Lemon Water and Weight Loss

  • Drinking lemon water in the morning helps activate the detoxifying process. It clears out toxins and some internal waste from the body. Once the toxins are out, it accelerates our sluggish metabolism, increasing our calorie burning capacity.
  • It has diuretic and laxative effect, enabling smooth bowels and cleansing of colon. Lingering waste in the colon also adds on to the weight and results in bloating. Removal of the lingering waste helps drop some kilos then and there itself.
  • Lemon water helps cleanse the liver. Some components of lemon stimulate the liver to produce more bile. Bile is a chemical that helps in fat digestion. This process helps metabolize fat faster.
  • Having lemon water with a meal also stimulates the production of gastric juices that enhance digestion.
  • Lemon is packed with Vitamin C. According to an article published in the “Journal of the American College of Nutrition” in 2005, vitamin C is inversely related to our body mass. Reports suggest that having enough vitamin C can stimulate a series of chemical reactions that breakdown body fat and use it as energy.
  • It creates an alkaline atmosphere in the stomach which is conducive to weight loss and helps shed off the kilos faster.
  • It contains a fiber called pectin (especially the lemon peel). Pectin is known to cut down hunger cravings and provide satiety effects, thus, exerting control on overeating.
  • Last but not the least – substituting other drinks (colas/sugary fruit juices, etc.) with lemon water certainly reduces the caloric consumption, as lemon water adds ZERO calories to your body compared to other drinks.  If you choose to replace the other drinks with lemon water every day for months or even a year, it will help you lose weight!

This simple and tiny fruit is the perfect example of how “Big Surprises Come in Small Packages!” Make it a point to begin the day with a glass of lemon water daily. Enjoy its positive effects on your health and weight in the long run.

We hope this article helps you! For more on weight loss, check out Healthy Reads. You can also reach out to a GOQii Coach who will help you form healthy habits for sustainable weight loss, by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

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Lose Weight The Right Way – Neetu Choudhary’s Weight Loss Journey!

Neetu Choudhary

Do you struggle with losing weight? Are the odds always stacked against you and despite your best efforts, the number on the weighing scale doesn’t budge? Well, you might have a lot in common with our player Neetu Choudhary who faced similar challenges. But with the right guidance from her GOQii Coach, she was able to make a positive lifestyle change! 

Before Joining GOQii 

Neetu Choudhary always had a medium build. She dabbled with yoga and the gym to stay active and fit before marriage. However, post-marriage, due to the new home, work and the stress which came with the responsibilities of managing both, her fit and active lifestyle headed towards a downward spiral. She also had a miscarriage which further impacted her stress levels and led to weight gain. After a successful delivery, her weight had touched 82kg. She had reached a stage where she was ready to try anything to lose weight. 

Neetu Choudhary Makes The Shift! 

Neetu Choudhary was introduced to GOQii through a friend. Let’s read her story in her own words: 

“1 year ago, my weight was more than 80kg. My BMI was hovering around the obese category. Because of a C section delivery and hormonal imbalance, my weight was increasing day by day. Despite working out and dieting, I was not able to reduce my weight. I worked out 3 hours a day at the gym and my diet was only liquid without chapati or rice and I often skipped meals. 

I still remember the first call with my GOQii Coach where she told me that I am torturing my body and experimenting with it the wrong way – that’s why my metabolic rate is very low. I told her that I don’t eat anything and I’m still unable to lose weight. To this, she said that’s what the problem is! If we don’t eat right, it will affect weight. Those words hit home and from that day on, my life took a big u-turn. 

The changes that my coach introduced included: 

  • Reducing my workout time from 3 hours to 1 hour
  • Have 3 meals a day – breakfast, lunch and dinner 
  • Include yoga and meditation for better sleep and to reduce stress levels 

Additionally, she also suggested that I don’t avoid anything but only restrict the quantity for the initial stage. 

After following these changes, I began realizing that my energy levels increased and I don’t feel tired all the time. My anger levels reduced. My GOQii Coach Unnati helped me a lot during my journey and kept motivating me. She also helped me stop a few bad habits such as: 

  • Reducing my milk tea from 5 cups to just 1 
  • Doing away with processed and instant food. Now, I don’t even have biscuits in my kitchen 

Staying Fit During Lockdown 

When the world went into lockdown, I was worried about how I’ll keep my routine up but my GOQii Coach motivated and guided me to utilize this time in an effective manner. I switched to home workouts which include stair workouts, skipping, HIIT and running. I lost nearly 8kg in the lockdown itself. 

I now believe that even without a gym or skipping meals, we can still reduce weight. All you need is determination and a positive attitude. My coach said – STOP MAKING EXCUSES  and this has been my motto ever since in my personal as well as professional life!” 

What Does Neetu’s Coach Have To Say About Her? 

Coach Unnati says that, “Neetu was very determined towards her health goals, which was to lose weight, lose inches (especially belly fat). Her health concern was PCOD because of which she had gained weight and was finding it too difficult to lose. 

After learning about her daily routine, we decided to reduce the workout from 3 hours to 1 hour & in addition introduced a half an hour post dinner light walk. Workout would include variations of HIIT, Stair Climbing, Skipping Rope, Strength Training and of course a small session of Pranayama & Meditation. For food habits, we decided not to skip or eat less for any meals instead, follow intermittent fasting starting with 12/12 hours and at present following 16/8 hours very smoothly. During the eating window, we made sure her diet was rich in fiber, protein, good fats & moderate amount of carbs. Water intake was also improved by incorporating detox water.

Changes Observed:

  • Weight loss – 12 Kgs (from 82 Kgs to 70 Kgs)
  • Inch Loss – 4”
  • Belly Fat – 6”
  • Arms – 2”
  • Improved on Sleep Quality, 
  • Reduced Stress Levels 
  • Good Energy levels throughout the day.

Neetu’s Sincerity, Determination, Dedication & Consistency helped her achieve her health goals. Seeing her so motivated, motivates me too!”

Well, does this story motivate you? Remember, it is never too late to make a change. With determination, motivation and the right habits, you can reach your health goals too! For more inspiring stories, check out Healthy Reads. To subscribe to GOQii, head over to our Website or Download the App Now! 

#BeTheForce 

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