Hi guys and girls,

I'm new to this forum and hoping to find a little help on here and hopefully contribute and help others. My fitness is average and i've been training on and off for years now.

My question is what is the best method for fat loss. Im hoping to tone up with30-60mins cardio every morning.

Skipping -I did 40mins solid skipping today with about 10mins run and i was sweating a lot and felt tired but didnt feel as tiread as I usually do when I run. - although it felt good.

Running - is always hard work for me but when I finish I feel worked - I feel as though this works me the hardest.

Cycling - I do this for about 15mins everyday to and from work but I dont feel it works me very well - however I like the idea of it as there isnt as much impact as the others decreasing the risk of injury.

Swimming - I tried this the other day swam about 80 (25m) legnths in about 45mins. It felt good, I enjoyed it but I didnt feel I worked as hard as I did when I run. - I like swimming too as it is weightless and there is much less chance of inury.

Overall I think running is working me the hardest (might be wrong) but its the least enjoyable. Skipping is good but doesnt feel as hard as running. Cycling is OK but could be good as there is no impact, swimming provides me with similar benifits and is also enjoyable.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday I do weights. Tuesday and thursday evenings i do cardio. Every morning I do about 45mins of cardio.
Weekends i try to play some sport. Tennis, squash, wall climbing.

Any help would be GREAT. thanks in advance. Hope all your training is going well!

MB

I'd say mix 'em up a bit - unless you have a goal (like running a race) in mind. If you're looking to drop fat and build muscle, make sure you have a clean diet with enough calories in it to support your training regimen.

I have found running outside to be the best physical kick-start for the heart, mind, and body. When you run, it's really important to incorporate running backwards, doing 30- to 45-second speed spurts, and to run up and down hills. When you build up your stamina and your pace, the rewards are magnificent.

Do you worry about the impact on your joints in regards to running?

I agree with Stingo, mixing it up or do your cardio inintervals (2 to 5 minutes of moderate exercise followed by quick intense bursts of higher intesity exercise) gave me the most dramatic weight loss and toning results.

I say don't stick to just cardio though, you have to throw in some resistance training in order to add muscle tissue and as a result speed up your metabolism. Try circuit training, it's a good mix of cardio and resistance training for your entire body. It worked wonders for me!