Trainers advise against making this cardio mistake because it almost always results in a loss of gains

Although many people go to the gym to slim down and lose weight, it can also help improve nearly every aspect of our bodies. At any age, physical activity is important, but as we get older, regular exercise can improve balance, boost immunity, and even help prevent chronic diseases like diabetes and insulin resistance. As you get older, cardio activities like running, swimming, cycling, and more are great ways to tone your muscles and improve pain relief. But it's also very important to make sure you aren't harming your body more than you're helping it.

Personal trainers warn that you should never make one cardio mistake because it causes gains to be lost, especially if you are over 50. We spoke with Jeremiah Daniel, a qualified level 4 personal trainer, an experienced hiking guide, and the co-founder and CEO of Moonlight Reviews. James Dixon, a personal trainer and fitness and nutrition expert, is the founder of Fitness Brain. Aaron Jerez is a personal trainer and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach. They advised against doing too much cardio because doing too much can eventually cause muscle loss. Find out why below!

Cardio should be limited

Running, cycling, and swimming are the three most common cardio exercises, but you may not be aware that there are actually three different cardio training styles: low-intensity steady state, moderate-intensity steady state, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Unfortunately, overdoing these cardio exercises may result in gains being lost.

A term used to describe your progress in the gym is "gains." Gaining strength (strength gains) or growing muscle (muscle gains) are typically used interchangeably. Therefore, "loss of gains" refers to losing all of your fitness progress to date.

"The body utilizes the carbohydrates stored within muscles known as glycogen as its primary fuel source," Dixon and other personal trainers want to emphasize, despite the fact that cardio does not directly burn muscle. This can have an effect on your metabolism and makes it harder to lose weight. Excessive cardio can weaken the immune system over time, resulting in catabolism (the breakdown of tissue) and chronic disease. Yikes!

"The body will turn to muscle as an alternate fuel source if a person does not eat enough carbohydrates to replenish the glycogen used during cardio, resulting in muscle loss." "If

your goal is to build muscle, a healthy diet is not just optional; it is essential," Dixon explains. Additionally, muscle loss may be more pronounced if strength training is combined with protein deficiency. Eat enough carbohydrates and protein to fuel the body during cardio and strength training to prevent muscle loss."

Additionally, the risk of injury increases significantly when you exercise too much because your muscles are already weak. Therefore, doing too much cardio is detrimental to your overall health. Fortunately, there are three indications that you should reduce your cardio activity: You're always sore, exhausted, and your weight loss has slowed down.

"It's important to find a balance between cardio and strength training and incorporate rest days into your routine so that you don't overtrain your body," according to Jerez. Promoting fat loss is made easier by doing weight training and cardio at different times. "Additionally, doing the same kind of cardio every day can become very routine, which could potentially lead to burnout and [a] lack of motivation," Jerez continues. For best results, change up your routine.

How frequently should you exercise?

Although it may appear that intense cardio workouts are required for weight loss, cardio is only one aspect of a successful fitness program. Finding a healthy balance between cardio and strength training is essential. Knowing how much cardio you should be doing each week is essential for any weight loss journey because doing too little or too much cardio can hurt your goals. Daniel has a few ideas.

He states, "A good starting point for most people is 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity five times per week." If weight loss is your primary objective, increasing your intensity and frequency may be beneficial. This could mean doing vigorous-intensity cardio, like running, three to five times per week for 45 minutes to an hour. Listen to your body and adjust your cardio frequency and intensity according to how you feel are important. Additionally, everyone is unique. What works for one individual may not work for another.

"If you want to improve your endurance and performance, you'll need to work out more frequently and at a higher intensity. This could mean doing longer sessions of running, cycling, or swimming. This could mean going for rides or runs that last 60 to 90 minutes a few times a week and doing intense intervals two to three times a week." Daniel elaborates.

CARDIO, CARDIO FOR Weight reduction, CARDIO Mix-ups, CARDIO TIPS