Examining the Myths Surrounding Carbs and Cardio

Each year, once the New Year’s festivities are over, most of us run out to the gym, determined to work hard and get back in shape as quickly as possible. After having all those delicious desserts and exotic drinks at holiday parties, we can see the change in our bodies. Jeans don’t fit right anymore and love handles suddenly appear seemingly out of nowhere.

If you are one of those diligent people who stuck with it and lost every single kilo of body fat, then kudos to you. Most of us worked out for a month or so and then fell back into our old, comfortable routine. Let’s face it though … we all want to look great in our favourite shorts or swimming cossie, so maybe it’s time to take another shot at getting in shape.

Are All Carbs Bad for You?

Many of the 10-week course graduate personal trainers will quickly tell you that all carbs are evil and should be completely avoided. The human body does require healthy foods containing carbs though. One rule of thumb that should always be observed with any diet and exercise program is not to become so radical that you actually harm your body.

A good balance in our eating habits can be achieved where we enjoy some foods containing carbohydrates (bread, grains, pasta, rice, fruits etc) on a regular basis. Of course, use common sense and good judgment, but don’t spurn any food with carbs. For instance, fresh fruit, especially items like apples and grapes, are healthy, nutritious and they keep your bowels working properly.

Cardio Workouts

Cardio is another area where things can easily get out of hand. Some exercise enthusiasts are sternly against cardio workouts. Unless you work at a very physical job each day, then your body probably does need some cardio training on a daily basis. You can think of cardio training as a good, solid workout for your heart and lungs, and the heart is the most important muscle in your body. A little bit of huffing and puffing that gets your heart rate up each day will keep you cardiovascular system strong well into old age.

In the next blog, we’ll talk about the various types of cardio workouts that can benefit you. We will also discuss how effective they are at improving each area of our physique.