We are three months into 2024 and regardless of where you may be in achieving your goals, it’s important to acknowledge and celebrate how much progress you have made so far. Recognising your wins, no matter how big or small, is crucial to the continued success of your training journey. While it’s easy to fall into the habit of using self-criticism as motivation to hit new PBs, enjoying the process and being content with where you are presently is just as important to your health.
In addition, experiencing struggles in your fitness journey shouldn’t be something that demotivates you, but something that highlights your efforts and progress. Because if everything comes easy, that simply proves you aren’t challenging yourself enough to reach your full potential.
If you find that you are struggling specifically with weight loss, then this article will be valuable to you. We will be focusing on zone 2 cardio which I will shortly elaborate on. Most of you would have gathered by now that our style of training is mostly focused around strength training as it carries huge benefits into your everyday life as well as having a positive effect on long term weight loss. But this is only the case if you are in a calorie deficit.
This brings me to zone 2 cardio. How much you achieve in your weight loss journey is directly linked to what you can maintain consistently. This is why we often see people struggle with food, most people know what to do and how to eat but they struggle to stick to the changes that keep them in a calorie deficit.
Zone 2 cardio is a steady state form of cardio that puts minimal stress on the joints and muscles, and can complement the sessions you do, not only to help keep you in a calorie deficit but to also aid recovery. This light form of cardio can be anything from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, it can be done on any piece of equipment (rower, bike, treadmill, cross-trainer) or outside in the form of a light jog, bike ride or brisk walk. The brisk walk will only work if you have a very low fitness level.
When doing this type of cardio, you want to gradually build up a sweat without being completely exhausted by the end of it. This form of cardio is not to be looked at as the same as your step count but something to do on top of that. If you are struggling to get your steps up to 5000-10,000 but have time after your gym sessions, doing the cardio after may make up for the low step count.
There are a few ways you can introduce zone 2 cardio into your training routine as something separate you do outside of your training sessions. For example, if you have two extra days spare where you are not training, those days can include your cardio. The other option is to do it at the end of your personal training/independent training sessions almost like an extended cool down.
Not only will this have a positive effect on any weight loss goals, but it will also affect your cardiovascular system in a positive way. Remember this is not an overnight fix, but an additional tool that you will need to do consistently to see the results.
If you have any questions on this be sure to book in a complementary consultation by completing our contact form. Stay tuned for more solutions to struggles you may face in your fitness journey. And as always…
Evolve Or Be Extinct!
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto