Here’s How Much Cardio You Need To Do Each Week To Lose Weight (Hint: Not Much)

Cardio is one surefire way to help you drop the pounds if that’s your aim, but how much heartrate-boosting exercise is too much – and how much is too little?

A recent study has found that it doesn’t take much cardio at all to help you slim down, especially if you’re watching your diet too.

The research, published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, found that dieters only had to run around 5k or more each week in order to keep weight loss on track.

Considering it takes an average of about 30 – 35 minutes to get through a 5k run at a solid pace, that’s not much cardio at all. Happy days!

The study asked 538 first-time runners with no previous training to give details on their diets, measurements, reasons for taking up running and body fat. The rookie runners were also given GPS trackers to log their miles.

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After a year, the runners gave the same details again, and had their body fat measured for a second time.

The verdict? Those who consistently ran 5k or more per week as well as maintaining a healthy diet lost the most fat.

It’s worth noting that the highest results were seen in those who said they had taken up running with the intention of using it as a weight loss tool, meaning they probably made other lifestyle adjustments too.

But still, if you’re planning on adding some cardio to your workout routine, this is certainly good news.

• Cardio
• running
• weight loss