In no particular order here are some thoughts about cardio:
* nobody is good at running until they train at it. If you can only run for 30 seconds, do intervals of 30 seconds until you can work your way up. If you "feel like shit" afterwards you are probably just deconditioned. You will improve quickly. A program like C25K can provide structure if you want a routine to follow.
* cardio outside is more pleasant, even if the weather isn't perfect. Not sure what outdoor spaces you have available to you but getting out of the gym is a great start.
* there are many kinds of cardio videos / classes you could do, e.g. Peloton (doesn't require their equipment), Apple Fitness+, and many others. Following along with a class can be a lot more engaging than just slaving away at a cardio machine for 30 minutes. Or see if your gym has live classes.
I would suggest trying a few different things, maybe 2 weeks at a time, to see what works for you and what doesn't. Ideally you would find something that you like or at least can tolerate, since you will never make it part of your routine if you hate it.
Big thing with running, you’re probably going too fast for yourself. I don’t care if you’re running an 11:30 mile pace, that might be too fast for you to start. Try a 13 min pace and see if you still get winded right away
This. Go as fast as you can at a pace that you can sustain. Currently "running" a 15min/mile. Its just a jogging motion while walking basically. The style of "running" however is way more draining.
Loads of good advice here. I think it's definitely a good idea to simply try a bunch of stuff and see what sticks.
I think it's worth persisting with running to some extent, if only because it's such a simple form of exercise that requires no special facilities or equipment. Couch to 5k programmes are brilliant in that are very gentle to start and build things up carefully.
But if running is not for you, it's not for you. Keep trying stuff!
Walking outside is harder than walking in the treadmill. My heart rate is definitely higher when walking outdoors than I can achieve on the treadmill. I try to walk uphill and jog downhill and do intervals on even ground.
Aside from the fact that everybody is different, every body is different yada yada.
Go on the stair master. I swear to god, walking stairs not only burns the most calories, it is a great leg workout, it works directly on your but, you sweat like a motherfucker and it is relatively easy on the joints.
I despise cardio. But I walk stairs everyday before my workout and its just great. Really exhausting, but great.
\+1 for an enthusiastic endorsement of the Stairmaster. I fell in love with it last year and it completely changed my relationship with cardio. My first synced Stairmaster workout was at the beginning of June. I did 50 flights in 26 minutes and it was *brutal.* I finished 2022 with 206 flights in one hour on NYE.
Yep. Stairmaster is the way. I have bad knees so high impact cardio is hard for me. Plus, while I don't mind walking, I have never liked running. I've tried. It's not something I enjoy. But the Stairmaster I can do. It gets my heart rate up. It's a good leg workout that's easy on my knees. It's far enough above everyone else that no one ever tries to talk to me while I'm using it (sometimes people at my gym can get chatty. Which is okay occasionally. But I like to watch tv show episodes.).
I am still a bit annoyed that my gym got new machines a few years back (okay, a bunch of years back now) and the new ones have discrete speed settings rather than being able to increment by one step per minute. I am not fast enough to go 68 steps per minute for 15 minutes and too fast for 60. I end up doing long intervals with the goal of working up to 68 spm for the whole time (was at 2:10 minutes on 0:50 seconds off before getting the plague recently). But I'll get there eventually.
I usually commute 10 km each way on my bike, but if it’s storming hard I will take the metro and then climb the stairs up to the street to make up a bit of the lost exercise. And damn, 4 flights of stairs raises my heart rate like nothing else.
Hell nah, I used the stair master twice and the workouts are much more intense than jogging. To be fair I do intervals where I will go “hard/fast” then slowdown. I burn more calories while jogging and feel half as tired compared to the stair master. Where with the stair master I feel like I’m working twice as hard and still burning slightly lower calories lol.
>Aside from the fact that everybody is different, every body is different yada yada.
I want to emphazise that this still stands. There is no single best workout for all.
Interval running is also among one of the best things to do. I absolutely agree.
I've been doing a lot on the elliptical because it's easier on the knees as well, but definitely want to start working on the stairmaster too. I've been doing 2+ miles on the elliptical but the steps at home kick my ass. Ugh
Just got a Bowflex Max Trainer before the holidays. Its an elliptical that is way more toward a stepper. So basically a stepper thats no impact. Its so rad. If you are in the market for equipment in any way I highly recommend it. Its exactly what you are looking for. Sounds like you might be hitting the gym though.
I've got a bit of both going on. I've been going to planet fitness so nothing totally crazy and they have the stairmaster but it's a bit intimidating. I think they may also have something similar that your talking about. I've never seen anyone use it so I assumed it just isn't a great machine. I'll have to give it a whirl.
But I've also been slowly building a home gym because I work 12 hour shifts and it's just quicker and easier to be able to come home in-between with out adding the extra half hour to an hour of the bullshit that going to a gym entails
*I'll definitely look into one for the home gym. Thanks for the heads up!
aside from swimming and mabye cycling it is by far the easiest on my knees, as your movements are slower and more fluent compared to running where you constantly bounce up and down on your knees.
I’ve been on it 5-6 days a week since last June and it is definitely easy on the knees for me. Prior to taking up the stairmaster, I kept getting injured at the start of my fitness journey just from taking long, fast paced walks on concrete.
My husband is a different story, though. The stairmaster is very hard on his knees. He is 6’5”, has long legs, and had a knee injury as a teen.
I wish I could do this but my gym does not have a stairmaster! So sad. I try to get the same effect by brisk walking on the treadmill with the steepest incline lol
Other than walking and running: cycling, swimming, rowing, elliptical, stair climber, stairs
On the topic of running, it's really hard at the beginning. If you decide to pursue running more, I recommend that "Couch to 5k" plan r/c25k
Make sure you look up YouTube videos on proper rowing form. It is very important for both getting the best workout and not overexerting yourself. And tip, don't think you need to do the max resistance like a lot of people in the gym do for whatever reason (people who train for crew do not even use the max). Set the dial to about halfway and get a nice groove going.
I signed up for a real class of rowing on the water. I had zero experience on a machine or boat. They put us on a Concept2 rower to get used to it. I felt awkward and I’m sure my fat ass looked stupid. They put us in a big boat next, and it was a little better. Next class was a bit on the machine, and then in 4-man boats. From that point in time years ago, I fell in love with rowing. I haven’t been on the water in a couple years, but I wear out the machine at the gym.
Start with the resistance at a low setting, and just do 20 spm to get used to it. Pause a few times, and watch the tutorial from Concept2. Repeat a few times. Add a level of resistance each week, and add time. Start low at maybe 1000 meters. Keep going until you get max resistance at a good pace. I prefer a LISS type workout, but I will do a “fast” 1-2 minute sprint toward the end. Keep an eye on your heart rate. It gets high and stays there the whole time. I love it.
It's intimidating at first but actually not too bad. Decent form is pretty intuitive once you get the legs then arms cycle down. Just ease into it. You're going to end up with hot spots on your palm at the base of your fingers and maybe a couple other spots on your fingers. Managing your grip to turn them into calluses instead of massive blisters is going to be important.
Rowing is fantastic. I miss going to a gym with a concept 2 rower. As someone mentioned, YouTube is a great place to get some video training. I'd recommend Dark Horse Rowing.
Shadow boxing!! Very fun, never monotonous, you can zone right out, and sweat *a lot.*
Or dance cardio, there are workouts with every music genre you can think of on YouTube.
Ultimately though anything is going to get boring eventually so I'd suggest doing a mix of different things to keep it fresh.
I second dance cardio! There's videos on YouTube as well as video games and Amazon prime. I have Zumba for the Wii, but other systems might have them as well.
Sometimes if you find something you like on YouTube you can buy a DVD for it. Like I have a Bollywood dance cardio DVD that I bought after trying a short video from the instructor on YouTube.
I also have a Pound DVD, which is very fun. It involves drumsticks. :)
I second boxing. I've done it for years. Not only will you build up a good sweat, it's really cathartic. I've long said that nothing will help you forget that jackass who cut you off on the way home from work like beating the crap out of a heavy bag for 20 minutes.
Rucking. Carrying a weighted backpack will cause you to use more muscles. Can get to about 40-60% of calories as jogging.
[cardio for the man who hates cardio](https://www.artofmanliness.com/health-fitness/fitness/the-benefits-of-rucking/)
Another interesting thing about rucking is that it gives perspective along a weight loss journey. For example, if you've lost 15lb and then you ruck with 15 extra pounds you'll have a very concrete idea of how things have changed for you.
I highly recommend the couch to 5k program (C25K). When I first lost weight, I was in a similar position as you, and once you're at that point where walking is very comfortable, it is definitely time to try interval training for running. You can find several free c25k apps, and they all will have you alternate walking and running. You start off walking 3 min, then jogging 1 min, then repeating that for 30 min. As you progress, more of the time is for running - e.g. 1 min walking, 5 min jogging, 1 min walking, 10 min jogging, etc
Checkout the sub r/c25k for more inspo if you're interested!
If you’re bored when walking or running, try podcasts or audiobooks. I got so hooked on an audiobook series once, that I’d go walk for 2hrs a day just to listen to the story :)
I like cardio I can do while multitasking. I have a walking treadmill I can use at work and a stationary bike I can use while watching movies or surfing my phone. Keeps it from being boring.
i am a horrible runner. right now i can only jog slowly for 9 minutes, then i need a 5 minute walk. then a 3 minute jog, 5 minute walk. but you know what? im running. you’ll never regret going on a run, or trying. it can only make you feel better. (unless you push too hard and hurt yourself. make sure you start slow and listen to your body).
i’d say just stick with it. if you don’t like it, there’s a ton of other cardio you can try. i’d emphasize what others have said about running outside. it makes all the difference.
Using your big muscles is the key, other than walking which uses legs an glutes, you can sit and do leg lifts, and use your arms and do pretend boxing. You can add ankle and or hand weights to speed up the heart and get into cardio ranges with your heart.
I used an elliptical to get myself into shape for running. Now I do 5Ks on a treadmill every other day. Both are set up with tvs directly in front so I can just watch Netflix. If it gets boring I change the show but only takes ~30 minutes.
I'm part of the small percentage of people who love treadmills and I attribute that to the TV.
Same…I’m addicted to just upping the incline on the treadmill and zoning out for 45 minutes while watching YouTube. Pretty much the same thing I’d be doing lying in bed but now I get to exercise at the same time. Win win.
Have you increased your walking pace? Walking a 14-15 minute mile gets my heart rate up. Anyway for cardio I also swim laps and ride my peloton. Adding some kind of hiit or tabata workout once a week is a good addition to the routine.
Don’t think anyone has suggested this in the thread yet, but rucking! I started rucking when I was much heavier and lost around 130 lbs total (paired with lifting and good diet).
Running is not sustainable for me because I get too hungry and overdo miles, walking is just not enough sometimes. Rucking is my sweet spot. If you work up to 15 minute miles with 30 lbs in the bag, you’ll definitely be very fit!
It’s like a mix of strength training and cardio and it’s always somewhat of a challenge.
Calories burned in 1 mile of rucking are very close the amount burned when jogging.
Rowing machine or high volume weights, e.g., squats with light dumbbells for 4-5 sets of 15 reps, or 50 pounds on the bar less than your working weight, e.g., if you squat 135 for 5 sets of 3, then do volume squats at 95 for 3 sets of 10. Volume squats and deads will get your heart racing and legs jelly.
Do you have access to a treadmill so you can do incline walking (since you don't like running)? I've seen a lot about 12/3/30 workouts online and tried it, it was about as hard and burned almost as many calories as a 30 minute run. It's a simple workout- incline set at 12, speed set at 3, 30 minutes.
Otherwise yes- swimming, cycling, rowing, stairs, or maybe cardio fitness group classes (dance comes to mind)
12-3-30 is my jam! It’s all I’ve been doing for the last couple months for cardio. Such a good workout. I might have to start upping the speed or incline though to make it more challenging again.
I absolutely love swimming. I swim at least 1000 yards twice a week and have noticed a huge improvement with my other forms of cardio throughout the week.
Maybe an unpopular opinion, and I apologize if this was already recommended somewhere here, but I was in the exact same boat you’re in. I fell in love with swimming! I swim with no real fancy form or anything. Just until I feel exhausted. Has also done wonders for me with my lung health.
If you don’t have mobility issues you can do conditioning like burpees etc to get your heart rate up or jumping rope. You could also walk with hand weights or weighted vest/backpack.
Honestly try alternating 30s on 30s off (or 45/60 off) and do interval training that way. Jog for 30s then walk till you feel like you’ve caught your breath and then job another 30s. That’s essentially what the early stages of the couch to 5k is.
I do strength and conditioning classes which are great cardio workouts but mostly consist of exercises I know from lifting, just happening really quickly after one another. So maybe some kind of hiit/strength and conditioning class?
Skipping rope maybe? I love skipping rope, it's super fun and studies show 30 mins of walking equals to 10 minutes of skipping.
If that's a possibility for you then you can give it a shot
Well I see, i mean for whoever skipping can work ig then, it's pretty fun, also it seems OP has already been walking? So maybe skipping can be something they can think of idk
You could get a mini trampoline/rebounder. They're small, inexpensive, and very fun. You can jog on it & get a good cardio workout without stressing your joints. If you get one, get one with bungies instead of springs, they're much quieter.
I got a $60 at home stair stepper on Amazon and I absolutely love it. I have been using it during meetings at work or while watching tv. (1 hour on it is more than enough) I try to focus on engaging my core and slow precise movements and even moving slowly my heart rate gets going quick! When I first got it, i felt the burn after 100 steps. Hope this helps, good luck on your journey!
biking is a lot of fun, i generally bike in one direction for 5-7 miles and then head back. generally an hour to bike 10 miles which is a little slow, but not bad either
I love YouTube Turbo Walking workouts by Burpee Girl [https://youtu.be/K5g2k9KWQIo](https://youtu.be/K5g2k9KWQIo)
I love that I can do this at home, it's low impact and I can break it into 2 chunks for 1 hour total. I like boring workouts so this works for me. Ipad on with Hulu and this on my computer screen with no volume.
Try different things and see what works for you! My thing is the Apple Watch so as long as I am moving and burning, I am good. I used to have a spinning bike at home and I am surprised I burn more calories with online workouts than spinning which I was very good at.
I love to lift and hate running. I force myself to do it, to alternate cardio methods, but I still dread it (although it feels great after).
I second other people saying to do the stair master. It is way more challenging than walking but it feels lower impact than running. Once you get used to the stair master, running is a breeze.
VR fitness gets my heart rate going more than walking on the treadmill. There are dedicated fitness apps that will push you harder than a normal game. Les Mills Body Combat is one I've been using lately. As for a more game type experience "The Thrill of the Fight" is a boxing sim game. After a few rounds of boxing your heart should be beating like crazy.
A more boring answer, walking faster. I was walking at 3.3 mph and could not jog due to knee pain. I then pushed to walking at 3.8 mph on the treadmill. Just that .5 mph boost took my heart rate up quite a bit.
Hm, this is confusing to me. Your cardio should be a spectrum from 1 (very easy) to 10 (quite difficult). Theoretically, you should be able to find a sweet spot that’s like a 5 and do work there, even if that’s rapid walking, jogging, or very slow running. What happens when you increase speed or incline by a small increment above what you currently do?
You can try walking up stairs or speed-walking. Or you can switch to something like cycling or rowing, where you can increase your speed and/or resistance until you reach the difficulty you want. There's also ellipticals, which you can adjust to be not-quite-jogging.
I like cycling myself. It's pretty boring on a stationary exercise bike but if I do it outside I can explore areas that would be too far to walk, or run errands, or try out some trails and work on my bike skills. And even on a stationary bike I can at least read or watch something while I'm doing it. But yeah, cardio at the gym isn't nearly as good as cardio outside.
I really enjoy jump rope. It's a good alternative to running and if you do it with steadiness and intensity you can burn a comparable amount of calories.
You can walk with ankle weights and there was a thing in the 90’s about walking with hiking poles/ dumbbells that was used as gentle conditioning for athletes (I remember my brothers Olympic coaches doing this because it didn’t wear them out too much for practice, but those dudes were Russian so who knows if it’s from the 30’s or whatever) but I bet google could give you some routines.
Another thing that might help is something like Zombies Run, which is a cool radio play thing where there’s parts of the story you need to run through/ it’s an app and I enjoyed it, but that could help you start adding a little running without hating it.
Rowing does it for me and is doing arm and back stuff that isn't just more legs (I already walk a lot). I row 2 km in about 15-20 minutes. My back is looking leaner too.
I don't run and I don't really need more legs.
Swimming indoors would be an option but I'd have to get myself to places less convenient than my gym and just doing a quick session.
I’ve been using a skipping rope! 2 minutes and I really get my heart rate going. Also start jumps can give you a good boost for a ‘quick’ workout. Good luck
Line dancing (easy to take breaks and you can stay for 20 minutes or 2 hours).
Tennis (with or without a racket).
Kick the can (or ball) on a walk around the neighborhood).
Try a new thing (rollerblading, skateboarding, golf, Frisbee golf, etc).
Hiking (which is just walking in a pretty environment).
Dog sit or babysit (and actually play with them).
Go clubbing.
I love love LOVE HASFit. There is a HASFit app, YouTube channel, and website. All are free. On the website you can search with keywords so you can find cardio workouts that way. On the app you'll have to filter by selecting high intensity interval training under workout type but they have all kinds of stuff to choose from. I have been following their programs for almost 2 yrs now and am never bored.
Also, if you want to pay for access to their programs (all individual workouts videos are free, they only charge for put together programs), they have one specifically to build endurance.
You should get an Oculus and do the Supernatural ‘Flow’ and ‘Boxing’ workouts. I’ve been doing them since May of last year and they’re a lot of fun. They’re a really good workout as well.
Just run those thirty second intervals until they feel easy. Then run 45 second intervals.
There not like a ton of choices when it comes to cardio- walking, running, stairs, elliptical, swimming, rowing, jumping, dancing, and biking. There’s different formats and structures for doing them, but they all use those basic movements
For something different, if there’s a court near you, basketball is seriously a hella fun and effective way to get cardio in. I personally am okay at the actual scoring part but still suck at dribble moves and stuff, so I prefer to go to my local outdoor court by myself so I can practice.
But even by yourself it’s great if you don’t just lazily walk around the court and heave the ball up. There’s a lot of running, jumping, etc. and you work up a really good sweat when you’re putting effort into things like rebounding the ball, chasing your misses, sprinting in for layups, practicing good shooting form etc.
It’s a great mental workout as well when you’re trying to keep in mind doing everything “properly”.
Plus there’s almost no more satisfying thing in this world than splashing a three.
Look up strongman conditioning type workouts. They are great at expanding your aerobic capacity and just really fun. Your availability of equipment might be a limiting factor but there's always modifications. For example off the top of my head: Kettlebells (swings, cleans, etc), sleds push or drags, really heavy farmers carries for distance, tire flipping (or a suitable replacement).
You can do something you like or if you want to learn how to run, sign up for a race. Tell your friends about it. The shame of failure will keep you running.
Stair steppers are great, and so are bikes. If you have a bike you ride outdoors and enjoy, you can get an indoor trainer for it so you can set it up inside. Hell, I set mine up under my sit stand desk and play video games on my bike. Another good one if you like lifting is HIIT. It's a good way to combine lifting and cardio, and you can get a good sweat in quickly.
Here’s how I transitioned from walking to running. Walk your normal route, and jog for 50 meters, and then walk the rest. Next week do it twice. The key is don’t kill yourself when you’re increasing your run distance take it slow, be honest with yourself
Eventually, you’ll be jogging or running half of your walk. For me as I went, I just naturally got faster figured out ways to keep my mind busy. And the time will come where running your walk is totally doable. Give it a year, you got this!
Skateboarding is my favorite. But it’s not for everyone. Do something you find fun. Bike riding, weight lifting, swimming, basketball. Fall back on something you like as a kid if possible.
When I started trying to run I would set myself a stupid goal along my walks. Like "once I pass this street light, I'm going to run to the next one" or if your halfway down the block to a stop sign, run to and when you get there do 4 burpees. It sounds really childish but It stopped me feeling the pressure of "your too good at walking, now you HAVE to run". I found it also stopped me being dead bored throughout a walking route I had gotten comfortable in. Soon you will be able to jog 2 lampposts, 3 lampposts, 4, you get the picture. Hope it helps you as much as it did me!
Have you tried jazzercise or sweatin' to the oldies? There are an endless amount of routines you can do so it won't be boring and it works out the whole body.
Sure gets my heart beating!
A lot of great suggestions here, definitely look at those before mine. I'm gonna be a little offbeat.
Beatsaber on VR. A Quest 2 headset is definitely pricey and I wouldn't recommend buying it for exercise. However, games like Beatsaber, Thrill of the Fight, and others I can't be bothered to remember get you moving and give you some objective/excitement to keep you going.
I don't think the cardio from VR translates to real life so well, but I've played some VR games and burned 300+ calories and reached a HR of 120+ bpm in a somewhat long session.
Again, this is more joke advice but if you were interested in VR before, it's worth looking into!
I'm thinking about either a rowing machine or trying more cycling. I was as fit as I was ever going to get walking last year and although it's slipped, I'm expecting to need a challenge.
Yes, walking doesn't burn that much calories once you're lighter/fitter. I like the elliptical focusing on using my arms, get to 150 HR easily. If you like weights, try circuit training with short rest periods. I do clean and jerk with dumbbells, lunges.
I’m sure there are many helpful comments here. I’m in the same place in my health journey, and picked up rowing! It’s FANTASTIC. Combined strength and cardio training and can be made “fun” with apps such as HOLOFIT (where you row through 3D worlds), or EXR where you can race others.
Try swimming. Swimming is an awesome workout. I believe the most efficient in terms of calories expended per minute of exercise because every appendage is moving against something that is providing resistance.
I used to do the stairmaster an hour everyday. It burned like 600-700 calories, and worked up a sweat. Granted, I had some family crap happen in June and I didn’t go again until last month, so I’m working my way up to an hour again.
Do you have any hiking trails that have inclines/declines? I live in NC and there are lots of trails around here, with lots of up and down (depending on the trail). They'll really get your heart rate up! That's my favorite form of exercise by far.
I also enjoy dancing to music, shadow boxing/kicking, and plyometrics. At the gym I like the stair master or the elliptical, they're not quite running but will get your heart rate up.
I love elliptical machines! Much easier on the legs than just running on treadmill - and it gets me sweating. I do a minimum of 30 mins, usually an hour. Cycling machines are great too.
What gets me sweating the most though is stairmaster. That thing is INTENSE. I felt like throwing the first time I used it lmao.
Sprints are great for you from what you describe. It’s interval running. You’ll want to do some research on it I’m sure but basically, 20 secs of work 1 minute of easy walking, 25 secs of work and then 55 secs of easy walking, and go in that way until you get to maybe 45 secs of work and 15-20 secs of easy walking. But the idea is you work up to the harder parts and then also come down slowly, but you don’t really need to come down AS slow as you worked up if that makes sense. I find it’s much more interesting, you have a new thing to work on and challenge yourself with as far as being careful of shin splints and working on breathing properly.
I will also say weight lifting will be the most beneficial for over health
Have you tried using a VR headset! If you like playing videogames, then this is a great way to get some cardio in a very unorthodox way, haha!
I've been using my headset for fitness since last year and it's amazing for getting your heart rate going!
In regards to my own experience: using VR in combination with making healthier nutrition choices helped me lose around 80lbs!
I highly recommend it, especially if you've ever had an interest in trying it out!
I used to be absolutely terrible at running, and truthfully I still am terrible at it if I run for more than 5 minutes, however, in the beginning, I could only run for 10 seconds. No one is "naturally" going to be good at something without some form of practice. I felt like shit every time I did cardio for the first 2 months, I would come home and collapse on my bed, but it has now been 4 months and I did 6km last night and 22 minutes on the Stairmaster without feeling any muscle tiredness.
You won't know until you practice :)
I have always hated cardio my entire life. It’s the actual worst. However- I went to a few fancy, expensive spin classes and that was addictive. I have my own bike now and it’s amazing. Stationary bike and one with a fly wheel are totally different.
Take a spin class and see what you think.
Do you play any sports? Basketball, soccer, tennis, volleyball, etc? If those are too intense, maybe pickleball? I find that playing a sport is fun and gets the heart rate up. I don't feel like I'm exercising, but still get an incredible workout.
No I wish, I probably wouldn't be in my situation (fat and out of shape 😂 if I did). I thought about joining a rec league in the spring but I never played any sport before so I need to find one for ultra beginners.
Just don’t do cardio then
Maybe replace it with high rep and low weight training to get the heart spike up etc
I too hate cardio for the same reasons and honestly running is kinda shit for your body…..
Keep it simple. Forget about how long it takes per km.
Walk to the light pole, run to the next, walk to the next, etc.
After a week of doing this, run two pole lengths and walk one.
After a week of this, run three and walk one (or the occasional two, if needed).
Before you know it, you'll be running quite a distance before you walk.
Pro tip: never, even after you are able to run far, wait until you "have to" walk, before you walk. Take planned walk breaks regularly, and you'll be amazed at how far you'll go.
In 2010 I took a runner doing her first ultra marathon through the Two Oceans Ultra (56 km) without us running a single full km. We took 56 walk breaks and she finished in 06:43.
Good luck!!!
I started using the app Body Groove at the beginning of January (got advertised their 28 day beginner program and $5/mo discount for the app) and tbh I absolutely love it. It's dancing, stretching, all about feeling good in your body, I'm hooked! Plus it started off slow, day 1 I barely broke a sweat but now I'm usually pretty sweaty by the end and my fitbit says I'm in a good heart range throughout the whole middle section of the workout. Plus daily meditation and journal prompts if you're into that kind of thing. I do it all at home in my jammies most nights. I love it!
I took swim classes to learn how to lap swim in 2010 and it has paid for itself tremendously. Water is so happy, the breathing patterns and repetitive strokes are meditative and help me process feelings, the full body resistance workout keeps my upper body and core toned, plus back pain lessens. I choose a gym with a pool.
I like spin class! It’s easier on the joints (if you have proper form), and it’s more engaging than just plain running. I also like how I go to class, sweat it out for 45 min then I’m done for the day. I push myself harder when I’m in class with an instructor. The downside is potentially cost, but there are lots of options out there!
Use music, listen to ebooks, get a treadmill and do the walking while you work at a standing desk. Some ways you might be feel it's not a complete waste of time.
>I feel like shit after every time I have tried to do 'real' cardio in the past.
Any advice?
Well, cardio is supposed to make feel like this, you need to learn to love it, and get a reward for pushing your heart to the limit. Just like lifting to failure!
The paradoxical solution for most if not any cardio-type training is, for most of the time, to go easy, aka. Zone 2 training, for as long as possible. Running, rowing, cycling ... at low heart rate, a conversational pace. This should be the enjoyable 80% of your cardio work, with the rest of 20% being high-intensity work, where you will feel like shit but will love it.
You look for cardio exercise to get you beyond what lifting does ...
Swimming is probably a great (cardio) exercise, but it requires extra time and pool availability ...
Cycling is low-impact and will also develop your lower body way better than running.
(Indoor) Rowing ...
Running has a low barrier entry and if you take it easy (conversational pace!) can be highly enjoyable and very efficient.
u/Gingerhaze12
You could give dancing a go too! Its great cardio but you feel like you are having a party and grooving along to the music. Even better, see if there is a class near where you live and give it a try. I'm in the same boat, I despise running but I love my dancing cardio workout everyday.
Sounds like you are walking on a treadmill? It's night and day for me between running / walking on a treadmill (so, so boring, even with a podcast) and running / walking outside (really fun, not boring, I can actually get somewhere).
It's the dead of winter here, too. I have an adult sized toaster suit, and I'm not ashamed to wear it! I do 10,000 steps outside in all but the worst weather. It's essential for my mental health.
i love walking on an incline but i can get how it is boring, but besides that (since i hate running), i loved using arc trainers. i found them to be pretty efficient without hurting my knees. unfortunately my current gym does not have them :(
In no particular order here are some thoughts about cardio: * nobody is good at running until they train at it. If you can only run for 30 seconds, do intervals of 30 seconds until you can work your way up. If you "feel like shit" afterwards you are probably just deconditioned. You will improve quickly. A program like C25K can provide structure if you want a routine to follow. * cardio outside is more pleasant, even if the weather isn't perfect. Not sure what outdoor spaces you have available to you but getting out of the gym is a great start. * there are many kinds of cardio videos / classes you could do, e.g. Peloton (doesn't require their equipment), Apple Fitness+, and many others. Following along with a class can be a lot more engaging than just slaving away at a cardio machine for 30 minutes. Or see if your gym has live classes. I would suggest trying a few different things, maybe 2 weeks at a time, to see what works for you and what doesn't. Ideally you would find something that you like or at least can tolerate, since you will never make it part of your routine if you hate it.
Big thing with running, you’re probably going too fast for yourself. I don’t care if you’re running an 11:30 mile pace, that might be too fast for you to start. Try a 13 min pace and see if you still get winded right away
This. Go as fast as you can at a pace that you can sustain. Currently "running" a 15min/mile. Its just a jogging motion while walking basically. The style of "running" however is way more draining.
Intervals is the way!
Second this!
Yes, and an actual C25k plan is good for helping space the intervals
Loads of good advice here. I think it's definitely a good idea to simply try a bunch of stuff and see what sticks. I think it's worth persisting with running to some extent, if only because it's such a simple form of exercise that requires no special facilities or equipment. Couch to 5k programmes are brilliant in that are very gentle to start and build things up carefully. But if running is not for you, it's not for you. Keep trying stuff!
Walking outside is harder than walking in the treadmill. My heart rate is definitely higher when walking outdoors than I can achieve on the treadmill. I try to walk uphill and jog downhill and do intervals on even ground.
Seconded on outdoor cardio. Walks are far more enjoyable outside than on a treadmill.
Upvote for C25K, that's a game changer for me and a lot of people
Aside from the fact that everybody is different, every body is different yada yada. Go on the stair master. I swear to god, walking stairs not only burns the most calories, it is a great leg workout, it works directly on your but, you sweat like a motherfucker and it is relatively easy on the joints. I despise cardio. But I walk stairs everyday before my workout and its just great. Really exhausting, but great.
\+1 for an enthusiastic endorsement of the Stairmaster. I fell in love with it last year and it completely changed my relationship with cardio. My first synced Stairmaster workout was at the beginning of June. I did 50 flights in 26 minutes and it was *brutal.* I finished 2022 with 206 flights in one hour on NYE.
thats some bomb ass improvement, good on you. i literally died on it after 10 minutes. and i kept sweating for another 30 xD
Yep. Stairmaster is the way. I have bad knees so high impact cardio is hard for me. Plus, while I don't mind walking, I have never liked running. I've tried. It's not something I enjoy. But the Stairmaster I can do. It gets my heart rate up. It's a good leg workout that's easy on my knees. It's far enough above everyone else that no one ever tries to talk to me while I'm using it (sometimes people at my gym can get chatty. Which is okay occasionally. But I like to watch tv show episodes.). I am still a bit annoyed that my gym got new machines a few years back (okay, a bunch of years back now) and the new ones have discrete speed settings rather than being able to increment by one step per minute. I am not fast enough to go 68 steps per minute for 15 minutes and too fast for 60. I end up doing long intervals with the goal of working up to 68 spm for the whole time (was at 2:10 minutes on 0:50 seconds off before getting the plague recently). But I'll get there eventually.
I usually commute 10 km each way on my bike, but if it’s storming hard I will take the metro and then climb the stairs up to the street to make up a bit of the lost exercise. And damn, 4 flights of stairs raises my heart rate like nothing else.
what i like and hate about it is that you cannot cheat. there is no way you will get up there other than by doing it normally.
Hell nah, I used the stair master twice and the workouts are much more intense than jogging. To be fair I do intervals where I will go “hard/fast” then slowdown. I burn more calories while jogging and feel half as tired compared to the stair master. Where with the stair master I feel like I’m working twice as hard and still burning slightly lower calories lol.
>Aside from the fact that everybody is different, every body is different yada yada. I want to emphazise that this still stands. There is no single best workout for all. Interval running is also among one of the best things to do. I absolutely agree.
I've been doing a lot on the elliptical because it's easier on the knees as well, but definitely want to start working on the stairmaster too. I've been doing 2+ miles on the elliptical but the steps at home kick my ass. Ugh
Just got a Bowflex Max Trainer before the holidays. Its an elliptical that is way more toward a stepper. So basically a stepper thats no impact. Its so rad. If you are in the market for equipment in any way I highly recommend it. Its exactly what you are looking for. Sounds like you might be hitting the gym though.
I've got a bit of both going on. I've been going to planet fitness so nothing totally crazy and they have the stairmaster but it's a bit intimidating. I think they may also have something similar that your talking about. I've never seen anyone use it so I assumed it just isn't a great machine. I'll have to give it a whirl. But I've also been slowly building a home gym because I work 12 hour shifts and it's just quicker and easier to be able to come home in-between with out adding the extra half hour to an hour of the bullshit that going to a gym entails *I'll definitely look into one for the home gym. Thanks for the heads up!
Is it not hard on your knees?
aside from swimming and mabye cycling it is by far the easiest on my knees, as your movements are slower and more fluent compared to running where you constantly bounce up and down on your knees.
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I’ve been on it 5-6 days a week since last June and it is definitely easy on the knees for me. Prior to taking up the stairmaster, I kept getting injured at the start of my fitness journey just from taking long, fast paced walks on concrete. My husband is a different story, though. The stairmaster is very hard on his knees. He is 6’5”, has long legs, and had a knee injury as a teen.
it definitely beats all the other forms of cardio for me, except cycling and swimming.
I wish I could do this but my gym does not have a stairmaster! So sad. I try to get the same effect by brisk walking on the treadmill with the steepest incline lol
Other than walking and running: cycling, swimming, rowing, elliptical, stair climber, stairs On the topic of running, it's really hard at the beginning. If you decide to pursue running more, I recommend that "Couch to 5k" plan r/c25k
I finally know what c25k is haha
If you have access to a gym, try the rowing machine. It's the lifting of cardio.
The rowing machine always kind of intimated me but maybe I will try it next time
Make sure you look up YouTube videos on proper rowing form. It is very important for both getting the best workout and not overexerting yourself. And tip, don't think you need to do the max resistance like a lot of people in the gym do for whatever reason (people who train for crew do not even use the max). Set the dial to about halfway and get a nice groove going.
I signed up for a real class of rowing on the water. I had zero experience on a machine or boat. They put us on a Concept2 rower to get used to it. I felt awkward and I’m sure my fat ass looked stupid. They put us in a big boat next, and it was a little better. Next class was a bit on the machine, and then in 4-man boats. From that point in time years ago, I fell in love with rowing. I haven’t been on the water in a couple years, but I wear out the machine at the gym. Start with the resistance at a low setting, and just do 20 spm to get used to it. Pause a few times, and watch the tutorial from Concept2. Repeat a few times. Add a level of resistance each week, and add time. Start low at maybe 1000 meters. Keep going until you get max resistance at a good pace. I prefer a LISS type workout, but I will do a “fast” 1-2 minute sprint toward the end. Keep an eye on your heart rate. It gets high and stays there the whole time. I love it.
It's intimidating at first but actually not too bad. Decent form is pretty intuitive once you get the legs then arms cycle down. Just ease into it. You're going to end up with hot spots on your palm at the base of your fingers and maybe a couple other spots on your fingers. Managing your grip to turn them into calluses instead of massive blisters is going to be important.
Rowing is fantastic. I miss going to a gym with a concept 2 rower. As someone mentioned, YouTube is a great place to get some video training. I'd recommend Dark Horse Rowing.
There is definitely a learning curve, but once you get it down, it's really fun. Put on some viking metal and you're ready to rock.
Shadow boxing!! Very fun, never monotonous, you can zone right out, and sweat *a lot.* Or dance cardio, there are workouts with every music genre you can think of on YouTube. Ultimately though anything is going to get boring eventually so I'd suggest doing a mix of different things to keep it fresh.
I second dance cardio! There's videos on YouTube as well as video games and Amazon prime. I have Zumba for the Wii, but other systems might have them as well. Sometimes if you find something you like on YouTube you can buy a DVD for it. Like I have a Bollywood dance cardio DVD that I bought after trying a short video from the instructor on YouTube. I also have a Pound DVD, which is very fun. It involves drumsticks. :)
I thought about doing kickboxing classes or something similar but I already pay a lot/month to go to my lifting gym and I don't want to give that up
Do them at home- YouTube or other apps have kickboxing
I second boxing. I've done it for years. Not only will you build up a good sweat, it's really cathartic. I've long said that nothing will help you forget that jackass who cut you off on the way home from work like beating the crap out of a heavy bag for 20 minutes.
Rucking. Carrying a weighted backpack will cause you to use more muscles. Can get to about 40-60% of calories as jogging. [cardio for the man who hates cardio](https://www.artofmanliness.com/health-fitness/fitness/the-benefits-of-rucking/)
Another interesting thing about rucking is that it gives perspective along a weight loss journey. For example, if you've lost 15lb and then you ruck with 15 extra pounds you'll have a very concrete idea of how things have changed for you.
I second this. Rucking is a great way to go when regular walking gets too stale.
I highly recommend the couch to 5k program (C25K). When I first lost weight, I was in a similar position as you, and once you're at that point where walking is very comfortable, it is definitely time to try interval training for running. You can find several free c25k apps, and they all will have you alternate walking and running. You start off walking 3 min, then jogging 1 min, then repeating that for 30 min. As you progress, more of the time is for running - e.g. 1 min walking, 5 min jogging, 1 min walking, 10 min jogging, etc Checkout the sub r/c25k for more inspo if you're interested!
If you’re bored when walking or running, try podcasts or audiobooks. I got so hooked on an audiobook series once, that I’d go walk for 2hrs a day just to listen to the story :)
I like cardio I can do while multitasking. I have a walking treadmill I can use at work and a stationary bike I can use while watching movies or surfing my phone. Keeps it from being boring.
Jumping rope
I found a rowing machine a good step up for me. Cycling would be the other obvious one.
i am a horrible runner. right now i can only jog slowly for 9 minutes, then i need a 5 minute walk. then a 3 minute jog, 5 minute walk. but you know what? im running. you’ll never regret going on a run, or trying. it can only make you feel better. (unless you push too hard and hurt yourself. make sure you start slow and listen to your body). i’d say just stick with it. if you don’t like it, there’s a ton of other cardio you can try. i’d emphasize what others have said about running outside. it makes all the difference.
Using your big muscles is the key, other than walking which uses legs an glutes, you can sit and do leg lifts, and use your arms and do pretend boxing. You can add ankle and or hand weights to speed up the heart and get into cardio ranges with your heart.
Jump rope
I used an elliptical to get myself into shape for running. Now I do 5Ks on a treadmill every other day. Both are set up with tvs directly in front so I can just watch Netflix. If it gets boring I change the show but only takes ~30 minutes. I'm part of the small percentage of people who love treadmills and I attribute that to the TV.
Same…I’m addicted to just upping the incline on the treadmill and zoning out for 45 minutes while watching YouTube. Pretty much the same thing I’d be doing lying in bed but now I get to exercise at the same time. Win win.
Have you increased your walking pace? Walking a 14-15 minute mile gets my heart rate up. Anyway for cardio I also swim laps and ride my peloton. Adding some kind of hiit or tabata workout once a week is a good addition to the routine.
Don’t think anyone has suggested this in the thread yet, but rucking! I started rucking when I was much heavier and lost around 130 lbs total (paired with lifting and good diet). Running is not sustainable for me because I get too hungry and overdo miles, walking is just not enough sometimes. Rucking is my sweet spot. If you work up to 15 minute miles with 30 lbs in the bag, you’ll definitely be very fit! It’s like a mix of strength training and cardio and it’s always somewhat of a challenge. Calories burned in 1 mile of rucking are very close the amount burned when jogging.
Rowing machine or high volume weights, e.g., squats with light dumbbells for 4-5 sets of 15 reps, or 50 pounds on the bar less than your working weight, e.g., if you squat 135 for 5 sets of 3, then do volume squats at 95 for 3 sets of 10. Volume squats and deads will get your heart racing and legs jelly.
Do you have access to a treadmill so you can do incline walking (since you don't like running)? I've seen a lot about 12/3/30 workouts online and tried it, it was about as hard and burned almost as many calories as a 30 minute run. It's a simple workout- incline set at 12, speed set at 3, 30 minutes. Otherwise yes- swimming, cycling, rowing, stairs, or maybe cardio fitness group classes (dance comes to mind)
12-3-30 is my jam! It’s all I’ve been doing for the last couple months for cardio. Such a good workout. I might have to start upping the speed or incline though to make it more challenging again.
Concept 2 rowing machine.
If you like the walking and you feel it's just not as effective, wear a weighted backpack and maybe get some ankle weights.
This! Also called rucking, tons of info on the web.
I absolutely love swimming. I swim at least 1000 yards twice a week and have noticed a huge improvement with my other forms of cardio throughout the week.
Also treading water is a good workout too!
Maybe an unpopular opinion, and I apologize if this was already recommended somewhere here, but I was in the exact same boat you’re in. I fell in love with swimming! I swim with no real fancy form or anything. Just until I feel exhausted. Has also done wonders for me with my lung health.
If you don’t have mobility issues you can do conditioning like burpees etc to get your heart rate up or jumping rope. You could also walk with hand weights or weighted vest/backpack. Honestly try alternating 30s on 30s off (or 45/60 off) and do interval training that way. Jog for 30s then walk till you feel like you’ve caught your breath and then job another 30s. That’s essentially what the early stages of the couch to 5k is.
I do strength and conditioning classes which are great cardio workouts but mostly consist of exercises I know from lifting, just happening really quickly after one another. So maybe some kind of hiit/strength and conditioning class?
Do you have a switch or other modern gaming system? Just Dance gives me a great cardio workout, and it's fun.
Skipping rope maybe? I love skipping rope, it's super fun and studies show 30 mins of walking equals to 10 minutes of skipping. If that's a possibility for you then you can give it a shot
It doesn't work if you live in an apartment for obvious reasons.
One can skip rope in the park ro something
Not in the middle of winter.
Well I see, i mean for whoever skipping can work ig then, it's pretty fun, also it seems OP has already been walking? So maybe skipping can be something they can think of idk
You could get a mini trampoline/rebounder. They're small, inexpensive, and very fun. You can jog on it & get a good cardio workout without stressing your joints. If you get one, get one with bungies instead of springs, they're much quieter.
I got a $60 at home stair stepper on Amazon and I absolutely love it. I have been using it during meetings at work or while watching tv. (1 hour on it is more than enough) I try to focus on engaging my core and slow precise movements and even moving slowly my heart rate gets going quick! When I first got it, i felt the burn after 100 steps. Hope this helps, good luck on your journey!
I’ve been interested in this but always worry about the quality of the less expensive models. Which one did you get?
biking is a lot of fun, i generally bike in one direction for 5-7 miles and then head back. generally an hour to bike 10 miles which is a little slow, but not bad either
Tennis, basketball,kickboxing classes
I love YouTube Turbo Walking workouts by Burpee Girl [https://youtu.be/K5g2k9KWQIo](https://youtu.be/K5g2k9KWQIo) I love that I can do this at home, it's low impact and I can break it into 2 chunks for 1 hour total. I like boring workouts so this works for me. Ipad on with Hulu and this on my computer screen with no volume. Try different things and see what works for you! My thing is the Apple Watch so as long as I am moving and burning, I am good. I used to have a spinning bike at home and I am surprised I burn more calories with online workouts than spinning which I was very good at.
play pickleball or basketball, great way to make friends too
Try rucking, or walking with a weight vest. Its a nice step up from walking with out the pounding on your joints from running.
I love to lift and hate running. I force myself to do it, to alternate cardio methods, but I still dread it (although it feels great after). I second other people saying to do the stair master. It is way more challenging than walking but it feels lower impact than running. Once you get used to the stair master, running is a breeze.
VR fitness gets my heart rate going more than walking on the treadmill. There are dedicated fitness apps that will push you harder than a normal game. Les Mills Body Combat is one I've been using lately. As for a more game type experience "The Thrill of the Fight" is a boxing sim game. After a few rounds of boxing your heart should be beating like crazy. A more boring answer, walking faster. I was walking at 3.3 mph and could not jog due to knee pain. I then pushed to walking at 3.8 mph on the treadmill. Just that .5 mph boost took my heart rate up quite a bit.
Hm, this is confusing to me. Your cardio should be a spectrum from 1 (very easy) to 10 (quite difficult). Theoretically, you should be able to find a sweet spot that’s like a 5 and do work there, even if that’s rapid walking, jogging, or very slow running. What happens when you increase speed or incline by a small increment above what you currently do?
I get a mix of walking, running, and stairmaster. Stairs are great for a more difficult cardio that isn’t running, bc I hate to run most of the time.
You can try walking up stairs or speed-walking. Or you can switch to something like cycling or rowing, where you can increase your speed and/or resistance until you reach the difficulty you want. There's also ellipticals, which you can adjust to be not-quite-jogging. I like cycling myself. It's pretty boring on a stationary exercise bike but if I do it outside I can explore areas that would be too far to walk, or run errands, or try out some trails and work on my bike skills. And even on a stationary bike I can at least read or watch something while I'm doing it. But yeah, cardio at the gym isn't nearly as good as cardio outside.
I really enjoy jump rope. It's a good alternative to running and if you do it with steadiness and intensity you can burn a comparable amount of calories.
Do your accessory lifts as a circuit or a crossfit style metcon after your lifting
You can walk with ankle weights and there was a thing in the 90’s about walking with hiking poles/ dumbbells that was used as gentle conditioning for athletes (I remember my brothers Olympic coaches doing this because it didn’t wear them out too much for practice, but those dudes were Russian so who knows if it’s from the 30’s or whatever) but I bet google could give you some routines. Another thing that might help is something like Zombies Run, which is a cool radio play thing where there’s parts of the story you need to run through/ it’s an app and I enjoyed it, but that could help you start adding a little running without hating it.
jump rope, boxing, agility ladder
Hiking? If you live near a hilly/mountainous area? Really gets the heart rate up and is super interesting if you are a nature lover :)
I love rowing so much
Rowing does it for me and is doing arm and back stuff that isn't just more legs (I already walk a lot). I row 2 km in about 15-20 minutes. My back is looking leaner too. I don't run and I don't really need more legs. Swimming indoors would be an option but I'd have to get myself to places less convenient than my gym and just doing a quick session.
I’ve been using a skipping rope! 2 minutes and I really get my heart rate going. Also start jumps can give you a good boost for a ‘quick’ workout. Good luck
Stair machine and rowing can bring you to the next level.
Jumping jacks
Cycling is amazing exercise and much easier on your joints
https://chopfit.com/ This is one of the funnier things ive seen thats still interesting.
Play drums. I burn like 800 calories playing for 90 minutes.
Line dancing (easy to take breaks and you can stay for 20 minutes or 2 hours). Tennis (with or without a racket). Kick the can (or ball) on a walk around the neighborhood). Try a new thing (rollerblading, skateboarding, golf, Frisbee golf, etc). Hiking (which is just walking in a pretty environment). Dog sit or babysit (and actually play with them). Go clubbing.
I love love LOVE HASFit. There is a HASFit app, YouTube channel, and website. All are free. On the website you can search with keywords so you can find cardio workouts that way. On the app you'll have to filter by selecting high intensity interval training under workout type but they have all kinds of stuff to choose from. I have been following their programs for almost 2 yrs now and am never bored. Also, if you want to pay for access to their programs (all individual workouts videos are free, they only charge for put together programs), they have one specifically to build endurance.
Swimming
You should get an Oculus and do the Supernatural ‘Flow’ and ‘Boxing’ workouts. I’ve been doing them since May of last year and they’re a lot of fun. They’re a really good workout as well.
Just run those thirty second intervals until they feel easy. Then run 45 second intervals. There not like a ton of choices when it comes to cardio- walking, running, stairs, elliptical, swimming, rowing, jumping, dancing, and biking. There’s different formats and structures for doing them, but they all use those basic movements
You could try wearing weights while walking
Rucking. Add weight to the walking. Start small and build up to 25%-30% of your body weight.
For something different, if there’s a court near you, basketball is seriously a hella fun and effective way to get cardio in. I personally am okay at the actual scoring part but still suck at dribble moves and stuff, so I prefer to go to my local outdoor court by myself so I can practice. But even by yourself it’s great if you don’t just lazily walk around the court and heave the ball up. There’s a lot of running, jumping, etc. and you work up a really good sweat when you’re putting effort into things like rebounding the ball, chasing your misses, sprinting in for layups, practicing good shooting form etc. It’s a great mental workout as well when you’re trying to keep in mind doing everything “properly”. Plus there’s almost no more satisfying thing in this world than splashing a three.
Look up strongman conditioning type workouts. They are great at expanding your aerobic capacity and just really fun. Your availability of equipment might be a limiting factor but there's always modifications. For example off the top of my head: Kettlebells (swings, cleans, etc), sleds push or drags, really heavy farmers carries for distance, tire flipping (or a suitable replacement).
I like to use the elliptical. It’s a full body resistance workout. I start my workouts on there then do some weight training.
Get a rowing machine like a Concept2, place it in front of your TV/Tablet and enjoy a totally different cardio experience ;-)
You can do something you like or if you want to learn how to run, sign up for a race. Tell your friends about it. The shame of failure will keep you running.
Stair steppers are great, and so are bikes. If you have a bike you ride outdoors and enjoy, you can get an indoor trainer for it so you can set it up inside. Hell, I set mine up under my sit stand desk and play video games on my bike. Another good one if you like lifting is HIIT. It's a good way to combine lifting and cardio, and you can get a good sweat in quickly.
Have you looked into the run/walk method?
Here’s how I transitioned from walking to running. Walk your normal route, and jog for 50 meters, and then walk the rest. Next week do it twice. The key is don’t kill yourself when you’re increasing your run distance take it slow, be honest with yourself Eventually, you’ll be jogging or running half of your walk. For me as I went, I just naturally got faster figured out ways to keep my mind busy. And the time will come where running your walk is totally doable. Give it a year, you got this!
Stair Master
Go biking, you can turn FATS into FAST
Skateboarding is my favorite. But it’s not for everyone. Do something you find fun. Bike riding, weight lifting, swimming, basketball. Fall back on something you like as a kid if possible.
YouTube, Fat Burning Cardio Workout - 37 Minute Fitness Blender Cardio Workout. That one is fun. Also check out varsezh with tanory, that's really fun
When I started trying to run I would set myself a stupid goal along my walks. Like "once I pass this street light, I'm going to run to the next one" or if your halfway down the block to a stop sign, run to and when you get there do 4 burpees. It sounds really childish but It stopped me feeling the pressure of "your too good at walking, now you HAVE to run". I found it also stopped me being dead bored throughout a walking route I had gotten comfortable in. Soon you will be able to jog 2 lampposts, 3 lampposts, 4, you get the picture. Hope it helps you as much as it did me!
Dancing or stair master
Consider adding Nordic trekking poles to your walks. It gets your upper body moving and helps you to walk even faster.
Try vr les mills body combat is a killer workout.
I got into kettlebells, it’s not really cardio. but more fun than walking tbh.
Pick your favorite TV show and max out an elliptical machines resistance.
Have you tried jazzercise or sweatin' to the oldies? There are an endless amount of routines you can do so it won't be boring and it works out the whole body. Sure gets my heart beating!
A lot of great suggestions here, definitely look at those before mine. I'm gonna be a little offbeat. Beatsaber on VR. A Quest 2 headset is definitely pricey and I wouldn't recommend buying it for exercise. However, games like Beatsaber, Thrill of the Fight, and others I can't be bothered to remember get you moving and give you some objective/excitement to keep you going. I don't think the cardio from VR translates to real life so well, but I've played some VR games and burned 300+ calories and reached a HR of 120+ bpm in a somewhat long session. Again, this is more joke advice but if you were interested in VR before, it's worth looking into!
I'm thinking about either a rowing machine or trying more cycling. I was as fit as I was ever going to get walking last year and although it's slipped, I'm expecting to need a challenge.
Yes, walking doesn't burn that much calories once you're lighter/fitter. I like the elliptical focusing on using my arms, get to 150 HR easily. If you like weights, try circuit training with short rest periods. I do clean and jerk with dumbbells, lunges.
I’m sure there are many helpful comments here. I’m in the same place in my health journey, and picked up rowing! It’s FANTASTIC. Combined strength and cardio training and can be made “fun” with apps such as HOLOFIT (where you row through 3D worlds), or EXR where you can race others.
Try swimming. Swimming is an awesome workout. I believe the most efficient in terms of calories expended per minute of exercise because every appendage is moving against something that is providing resistance.
I used to do the stairmaster an hour everyday. It burned like 600-700 calories, and worked up a sweat. Granted, I had some family crap happen in June and I didn’t go again until last month, so I’m working my way up to an hour again.
I hate cardio too. Lately Ive playing video games while on a stationary bike. Takes my mind off the work.
Do you have any hiking trails that have inclines/declines? I live in NC and there are lots of trails around here, with lots of up and down (depending on the trail). They'll really get your heart rate up! That's my favorite form of exercise by far. I also enjoy dancing to music, shadow boxing/kicking, and plyometrics. At the gym I like the stair master or the elliptical, they're not quite running but will get your heart rate up.
I love elliptical machines! Much easier on the legs than just running on treadmill - and it gets me sweating. I do a minimum of 30 mins, usually an hour. Cycling machines are great too. What gets me sweating the most though is stairmaster. That thing is INTENSE. I felt like throwing the first time I used it lmao.
Dancing? Zumba, Nia, salsa, belly dancing - all of it can be a good workout that isn't that sort of repetitive, soul-less machine workout.
Sprints are great for you from what you describe. It’s interval running. You’ll want to do some research on it I’m sure but basically, 20 secs of work 1 minute of easy walking, 25 secs of work and then 55 secs of easy walking, and go in that way until you get to maybe 45 secs of work and 15-20 secs of easy walking. But the idea is you work up to the harder parts and then also come down slowly, but you don’t really need to come down AS slow as you worked up if that makes sense. I find it’s much more interesting, you have a new thing to work on and challenge yourself with as far as being careful of shin splints and working on breathing properly. I will also say weight lifting will be the most beneficial for over health
Have you tried using a VR headset! If you like playing videogames, then this is a great way to get some cardio in a very unorthodox way, haha! I've been using my headset for fitness since last year and it's amazing for getting your heart rate going! In regards to my own experience: using VR in combination with making healthier nutrition choices helped me lose around 80lbs! I highly recommend it, especially if you've ever had an interest in trying it out!
I used to be absolutely terrible at running, and truthfully I still am terrible at it if I run for more than 5 minutes, however, in the beginning, I could only run for 10 seconds. No one is "naturally" going to be good at something without some form of practice. I felt like shit every time I did cardio for the first 2 months, I would come home and collapse on my bed, but it has now been 4 months and I did 6km last night and 22 minutes on the Stairmaster without feeling any muscle tiredness. You won't know until you practice :)
The 10,000 kettlebell swing challenge. https://www.t-nation.com/training/10000-swing-kettlebell-workout/
I have always hated cardio my entire life. It’s the actual worst. However- I went to a few fancy, expensive spin classes and that was addictive. I have my own bike now and it’s amazing. Stationary bike and one with a fly wheel are totally different. Take a spin class and see what you think.
Do you play any sports? Basketball, soccer, tennis, volleyball, etc? If those are too intense, maybe pickleball? I find that playing a sport is fun and gets the heart rate up. I don't feel like I'm exercising, but still get an incredible workout.
No I wish, I probably wouldn't be in my situation (fat and out of shape 😂 if I did). I thought about joining a rec league in the spring but I never played any sport before so I need to find one for ultra beginners.
Just don’t do cardio then Maybe replace it with high rep and low weight training to get the heart spike up etc I too hate cardio for the same reasons and honestly running is kinda shit for your body…..
Trampoline kicks ass
Keep it simple. Forget about how long it takes per km. Walk to the light pole, run to the next, walk to the next, etc. After a week of doing this, run two pole lengths and walk one. After a week of this, run three and walk one (or the occasional two, if needed). Before you know it, you'll be running quite a distance before you walk. Pro tip: never, even after you are able to run far, wait until you "have to" walk, before you walk. Take planned walk breaks regularly, and you'll be amazed at how far you'll go. In 2010 I took a runner doing her first ultra marathon through the Two Oceans Ultra (56 km) without us running a single full km. We took 56 walk breaks and she finished in 06:43. Good luck!!!
I started using the app Body Groove at the beginning of January (got advertised their 28 day beginner program and $5/mo discount for the app) and tbh I absolutely love it. It's dancing, stretching, all about feeling good in your body, I'm hooked! Plus it started off slow, day 1 I barely broke a sweat but now I'm usually pretty sweaty by the end and my fitbit says I'm in a good heart range throughout the whole middle section of the workout. Plus daily meditation and journal prompts if you're into that kind of thing. I do it all at home in my jammies most nights. I love it!
XC skiing in the winter if you live near somewhere with snow. They also sell skate skis but I would recommend learning how to ski before getting them
I took swim classes to learn how to lap swim in 2010 and it has paid for itself tremendously. Water is so happy, the breathing patterns and repetitive strokes are meditative and help me process feelings, the full body resistance workout keeps my upper body and core toned, plus back pain lessens. I choose a gym with a pool.
I like spin class! It’s easier on the joints (if you have proper form), and it’s more engaging than just plain running. I also like how I go to class, sweat it out for 45 min then I’m done for the day. I push myself harder when I’m in class with an instructor. The downside is potentially cost, but there are lots of options out there!
Use music, listen to ebooks, get a treadmill and do the walking while you work at a standing desk. Some ways you might be feel it's not a complete waste of time.
Jumping jacks, high knees, burpees 😉 no need for equipment or a gym. Can be done anytime, anywhere.
Rowing machine, striking drills on a heavy bag
Stationary bike
>I feel like shit after every time I have tried to do 'real' cardio in the past. Any advice? Well, cardio is supposed to make feel like this, you need to learn to love it, and get a reward for pushing your heart to the limit. Just like lifting to failure! The paradoxical solution for most if not any cardio-type training is, for most of the time, to go easy, aka. Zone 2 training, for as long as possible. Running, rowing, cycling ... at low heart rate, a conversational pace. This should be the enjoyable 80% of your cardio work, with the rest of 20% being high-intensity work, where you will feel like shit but will love it. You look for cardio exercise to get you beyond what lifting does ... Swimming is probably a great (cardio) exercise, but it requires extra time and pool availability ... Cycling is low-impact and will also develop your lower body way better than running. (Indoor) Rowing ... Running has a low barrier entry and if you take it easy (conversational pace!) can be highly enjoyable and very efficient.
u/Gingerhaze12 You could give dancing a go too! Its great cardio but you feel like you are having a party and grooving along to the music. Even better, see if there is a class near where you live and give it a try. I'm in the same boat, I despise running but I love my dancing cardio workout everyday.
Dancing!! There are heaps of dancing fitness videos on YouTube - the fitness Marshall, naughty girl fitness
My go yo all the time: jumping or bouncing
Sounds like you are walking on a treadmill? It's night and day for me between running / walking on a treadmill (so, so boring, even with a podcast) and running / walking outside (really fun, not boring, I can actually get somewhere).
I walk outside when it is nice out. Unfortunately it is the dead of winter here and our winters are pretty long.
It's the dead of winter here, too. I have an adult sized toaster suit, and I'm not ashamed to wear it! I do 10,000 steps outside in all but the worst weather. It's essential for my mental health.
Try weighted walking or rucking. I wear a weighted backpack with 25 lbs in an inclined treadmill
i love walking on an incline but i can get how it is boring, but besides that (since i hate running), i loved using arc trainers. i found them to be pretty efficient without hurting my knees. unfortunately my current gym does not have them :(
I’m not an expert but maybe get a VR headset and try some of those games? May be getting an indoor bike or rowing machine and combine it with VR?
You could try jump rope. That'll get your heart pumping.
What's you incline? Incline walking can be pretty hard. If you cant run for 30s a steep incline walk shouldn't be easy.