BURN 300 CALORIES IN 30 MINUTES
Weight loss is a simple formula - lose 3500 calories and you will lose a pound. It is up to you if you want to cut the amount of calories you eat or increase the amount and intensity of your workout, or ideally both.
To watch the amount of calories you eat and where you can cut, start a food journal and write down every single bite or sip you take, including snacks and water. After a week or two you will be able to see where you over indulge and this will tell you what to cut or cut down - if unclear, consult a nutritionist; your food journal will be the best way to look at the calories going in.
As to burning the calories, variety is key - include cardio, strength and flexibility exercises in your routine, and do a workout at least 5 days a week. A workout does not have to be long or continuous - you can fit 10 minutes here and there throughout the day for a 30-40 minute total.
Today we examine the 30 minute cardio workout that can help you burn 300 calories (note, an average for a 150-pound woman). All you need is a treadmill - set at various speed intervals - from brisk walk to a steady run; we will be alternating the two. Set the incline at 1.5 or 2.0.
You can follow this plan in two ways - work out with set times or work out with set tunes. To some, alternating the workout with your music may be a more natural and easier way to do cardio. To others, set times help keep the workout simple. Note, the tunes are simply our ideas for your play list; you can replace one or any of them.
Step |
Speed |
Time or |
Tune (Suggested Play list) |
| Warm up walk | 3.0 | 5:00 | Things have changed. Bob Dylan. (5:09) |
| Jog | 4.5 | 4:00 | My Love. Justin Timberlake. (4:36) |
| Brisk walk | 3.5 | 4:00 | Say it Right. Nelly Furtado. (3:43) |
| Jog | 4.5 | 4:00 | Hips don't lie. Shakira. (3:38) |
| Brisk walk | 3.5 | 3:00 | Dance Tonight. Paul McCartney. (2:55) |
| Fast jog | 5.0 | 4:00 | Sexy Back. Justin Timberlake. (4:03) |
| Fast jog, more effort | 5.0 | 3:00 | Music. Madonna. (3:45) |
| Cool down | 3.0-2.0 | 3:00 | Stand by me. Mickey Gilley. (3:38) |
Make sure you stretch before and definitely after your workout.
Suggested strength exercises to complement your cardio workout - alternate these after each set:
- Walking Lunges - 3 sets of 20 reps. Walk lunging forward with one knee, alternate.
- Pushups - 3 sets of 20 reps. To increase intensity, put a weight around your ankle.
10 ways to burn 500 calories in 1 hour
Try one of these every day and you will lose a pound by end of the week!
- Power walking
- Cleaning the house
- Dancing (and we are not talking slow dancing!)
- Gardening
- Weight training
- Shoveling snow
- Singles (vs. doubles) tennis
- Pushing a stroller
- Washing windows
- Cooking (as in Thanksgiving dinner cooking)
Note: These are averages and time/effort may differ by weight
