Shape Magazine
New Year, New You: Assess Your Workout
A. never.
B. 1-2 times a week.
C. 3-6 times a week.
D. 7 or more times a week.
If you answered A or B, you're not doing enough cardio. If you're skipping your cardio workouts or not doing enough of them because they are boring, remember that you don't have to limit yourself to using only a treadmill, stationary bike or elliptical trainer. Take your cardio workout outside or try a salsa dance class. Anything that gets your heart rate up for 20 minutes or more counts as cardio.
If you answered C, you're probably on the right track. For fitness and weight loss, aim for 3-5 cardio workouts a week, says Dixie Stanforth, M.S., an exercise physiologist at the University of Texas in Austin. "This allows your body plenty of time to recover," she says. But you should be varying the intensity each time.
If you answered D, "you're at risk for overuse and over training injuries," Stanforth says. Take at least 1 day off a week to give your body a chance to rest.
4. When I do cardio, I generally work out for:
A. 10-20 minutes.
B. 30-60 minutes.
C. more than 1 hour.
D. I don't do cardio.
If you answered A, you're not doing enough cardio, says Keli Roberts, group fitness manager at Equinox Health Club in Pasadena, Calif. However, if your workout is intense, (above 75 percent of your maximum heart rate, for example), you can reap the same health benefits in 20 minutes as you would in a less-intense 40-minute workout.
If you answered B or C, you're on the right track. A 30- to 45-minute cardio session at a moderate intensity (a Rate of Perceived Exertion of 5-6 -- see page 142 to learn what the numbers mean) is ideal. If you are working at a lower intensity (RPE 3-4), you can do 45-60 minutes of cardio. "If you're doing cardio for either weight loss or fitness, there is no need to do more than 60minutes per session," Roberts says, unless it's a long Saturday bike ride or casual hike at a low intensity.
If you answered D, your level of stamina and endurance is sorely lacking. Not only will cardio exercise help reduce your risk of a heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, but you won't get winded doing simple daily activities such as walking up the stairs, washing your car or running after your kids.
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