eDiets on excercise

"If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got." -- Anonymous
Most of us know the benefits of cardiovascular exercise: reduced risk of heart disease, improved heart function, improvement in blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as reduced risk of osteoporosis. And let us not forget one of our favorite benefits: less flab!

One fundamental problem with cardiovascular exercise for many people is that it simply becomes boring. I've read countless articles related to the types of cardio to perform, how frequently to perform them and how to reach your target heart rate. No one, however, seems to address the fact that this stuff can be boring for the everyday person. I'm not sure I can completely change your perspective about this, but I know I can provide you with a 12-week program that may stimulate your interest, your metabolism and your fat loss.
Most people tend to do the same workout day in and day out. Many end up "throwing in the towel" because they get psychologically burned out. It's sort of like eating pizza -- you may love it and it may be your favorite cheat food, but if you had to eat it every day for a year, I guarantee it would make the bottom of your favorite food list.
The same applies to exercise. You simply can't use the treadmill or elliptical machine every single workout for the same amount of time and with the same intensity levels. It will eventually catch up to you. When it does, you'll start to make excuses as to why you can't work out -- and you'll actually convince yourself the excuses are legitimate.
The human body will adapt to any exercise routine in approximately four to six weeks. If you do the same routine over and over, the body will adapt and become efficient at the movement. That's a good way to stall your progress.
In order to alleviate boredom and to keep you in fat-burning mode, I'm outlining several methods for manipulating your cardio workouts. You can perform each for three weeks at a time (or even two weeks at a time). The process will keep you motivated and have you burning loads of fat (assuming you're consistent with your eDiets nutrition program). Always remember one golden rule: Exercise does not work in and of itself -- nutrition is a huge component. The following is my 12-week fat blasting workout that's designed to produce results. If you've been power walking for 20 minutes on the treadmill every day for the last year, things are about to change. You can select any type of cardio you wish as long as you adhere to the parameters of each three-week segment.
1. Longer Duration/Moderate Intensity (Weeks 1-3) -- This cardio method is based on keeping an elevated heart rate but not working so hard that you're burning out or short of breath. I recommend 40 minutes (beginners can start with 15 minutes) of walking or light jogging. This can be performed three to four days per week depending on your level of experience. I also recommend maintaining a heart rate of approximately 65 to 75 percent.
2. Interval Training (Weeks 4-6) -- This workout can be performed three to four days per week. Interval training is best described as incorporating higher intensity exercise with lower intensity. This method helps stimulate and speed the metabolism. Intervals can be applied to any form of cardiovascular exercise, and although it's been a widely used technique for training competitive athletes since the '50s, the concept grew into mainstream fitness in the '90s.
The beauty of interval training is that you don't have to work out for long periods. Unless you're training for a competitive event, anything more than 25-30 minutes is unnecessary -- and that includes warm up and cool down.
The following is a protocol for interval training using the treadmill as an example:
Begin with a warm up of five minutes at level 3.0 intensity (3 mph). A. On the sixth minute, increase to level 4.0 (light jog). B. On the seventh minute, increase to level 5.0. C. On the eighth minute, increase to level 6.5 or 7.0.D. For the next two minutes, return to level 3.0. E. Repeat letters A-D two additional times, but increase the level of intensity by 1 on each phase. F. Cool down for five minutes at level 3.0.
Total Workout Time (Including Warm Up and Cool Down): 25 minutes. Letters A-F above represent one cycle. In this example, you perform three cycles of higher intensity training. If you're at a more advanced fitness level, then you'll need to adjust the speeds accordingly to make sure the intensity is somewhat demanding at the higher levels.
3. Combination Training (Weeks 7-9) -- Combination training can be performed four to five days per week. It simply combines the moderate intensity/longer duration method with interval training. Our goal is to stimulate fat loss by changing the parameters of the workout and also to keep ourselves mentally stimulated. Here's an example:
Monday -- Moderate intensity/longer duration for 40 minutes.Tuesday -- Interval training.Wednesday -- Rest.Thursday -- Moderate intensity/longer duration for 40 minutes.Friday -- Interval training.4. The Split Workout (Weeks 10-12) -- The split workout asks you to perform a different cardio exercise every day (four days per week) for 30 minutes. Again, we are attempting to change the adaptation from the previous three weeks to ignite fat loss. Most people enjoy the variety of this workout after they get over the initial fear of change mindset. Here's an example of this workout:
Monday: Power walking Tuesday: StairMaster Wednesday: RestThursday: Jogging Friday: Aerobics dance tape
The beauty of this 12-week program is that you continue to burn calories the day after your workout -- you've stimulated your metabolism to such a high degree. Most people are obsessed with how many calories are burned during a workout, but one of the keys to losing fat is making sure your body continues to burn lots of calories 24-48 hours after the workout. With the above training parameters, you're bound to make excellent progress.
Beginners should reduce each workout by one day, decrease time by five minutes and perform at a level of intensity that is comfortable (approximately 55-60 percent of target heart rate). I strongly encourage everyone to invest in a heart rate monitor to accurately gauge your individual target heart rate.
As always, your ultimate success in achieving your goals is based on effective exercise (weight training and cardio), following your nutrition plan and massive amounts of consistency. Please check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.

-A drug-free competitive bodybuilder and winner of the prestigious WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Pro Card, Raphael Calzadilla is a veteran of the health-and-fitness industry. He specializes in a holistic approach to body transformation, nutrition programs and personal training. He earned his B.A. from Southern Connecticut State University and is certified as a personal trainer with The American Council on Exercise (ACE). In addition, he successfully completed the RTS1 (Resistance Training Specialist) program based on biomechanics.