Cardio Workout Program for Weight Loss Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Cardio Cardio Workout Program for Weight Loss By Paige Waehner Paige Waehner Paige Waehner is a certified personal trainer, author of the "Guide to Become a Personal Trainer"; and co-author of "The Buzz on Exercise & Fitness." Learn about our editorial process Updated on February 28, 2022 Fact checked Verywell Fit content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Shereen Lehman, MS Fact checked by Shereen Lehman, MS Shereen Lehman, MS, is a healthcare journalist and fact checker. She has co-authored two books for the popular Dummies Series (as Shereen Jegtvig). Learn about our editorial process Print Cultura RM Exclusive / Mischa Keijser / Getty Images Setting up an effective cardio program for weight loss can be confusing. The guidelines of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) suggest moderate-intensity exercise for 30 minutes of five days a week or 20 minutes of vigorous cardio exercise three days a week to reap the health benefits. In order to lose weight, the ACSM recommends working up to 60 to 90 minutes of activity several days a week. What the guidelines don't explain in detail is how to set up a routine that incorporates a variety of workout intensities, activities, and durations. If you only do slow workouts, you not only risk boredom, you may experience slower weight loss. Working harder forces your body to adapt by building more stamina while also burning more calories. But too many high-intensity workouts can lead to burnout, overtraining, or even injuries. The key to a well-rounded cardio program is to include all levels of intensity each week so that your workouts don't get stale and your body isn't always doing the same thing all the time. Benefits of Cardio Incorporating cardio workouts into your exercise regime can have many benefits and can lead to improved health and wellbeing. Lowers Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Cardio exercise is, as the name suggests, a way to benefit your cardiovascular system. Studies have proven that increased levels of exercise can benefit your heart and lower your risk of cardiovascular diseases. A 2021 study even found that the benefits of physical activity on cardiovascular health are limitless. Study authors found that there is no threshold at which physical activity does not benefit the heart. Enhances Sleep Sleep and exercise are intricately tied together. You need good sleep to support exercise, and regular exercise leads to better sleep. A 2021 study found that a 60-minute cardio session can reduce the amount of time it takes a person to fall asleep and overall improves sleep quality. Boosts Mood A 2019 scientific study explored the effect of physical activity and mood, and found that adding 15 minutes of vigorous activity (such as running) or 60 minutes of lower-impact activity (such as walking) can reduce the risk of depression. Improves Brain Health Alongside physical benefits, studies have found that cardiovascular workouts also aid in brain health. A 2020 study reported that cardiorespiratory workouts — ranging from walking to running and biking — slow the reduction of brain gray matter volume, which happens naturally when we age. By increasing cardio workouts, researchers concluded, study participants decelerated brain aging. Set Up a Weekly Cardio Program When mapping out your weekly cardio workouts, you'll want to include three different intensity zones so you hit all your energy systems without overdoing it or spending too much time at an uncomfortable intensity (which may turn you off of exercise). You'll want low-moderate intensity workouts, moderate workouts, and high-intensity workouts. Low to Moderate Intensity Workouts This is between 60% to 70% of your maximum heart rate, or a level 4 or 5 on the perceived exertion chart. You should be able to talk easily. This type of workout could be: A slow bike rideA leisurely walkA leisurely swimLight strength training Low-intensity exercises should be done at a casual or leisurely pace. These can be great exercises for those with joint issues, as they generally do not put as much stress on your joints as high-intensity workouts. Moderate Intensity Workouts This is between 70% to 80% of your maximum heart rate, or a level 5 to 7 on the perceived exertion chart. You should still be able to talk, with some effort. Examples of this type of workout: Brisk walkingStep aerobics, Zumba, or other types of aerobicsLight jogging By picking up the pace, you're able to level up the intensity. When performing moderate intensity workouts, you should work up a sweat. Moderate intensity workouts can also be sports. Tennis, for example, can be a moderate intensity exercise which requires brief periods of quick movements or sprints. High Intensity or Vigorous Workouts This is between 80% to 90% of your maximum heart rate or a level 8 or 9 on the perceived exertion chart. You should have difficulty talking. Examples: Jumping rope Running or sprinting High-intensity interval training (HIIT) High-intensity circuit training Tabata workouts High-intensity workouts pack quick movement into short bursts and are generally followed by periods of brief rest. While higher in intensity, HIIT workouts tend to feature shorter moments of movement, but at increased power. You should be breathing hard when finishing a high-intensity workout session. To monitor your intensity, make sure you keep track of your target heart rate or use a perceived exertion chart. Build a Cardio Routine for Weight Loss Below is a chart detailing a sample week of cardio workouts for a person who exercises six days a week. This is simply an example of how to incorporate different types of cardio workouts into a typical week. Modify the workouts according to your own fitness level, time constraints, and preferences. Day Intensity Length Sample Workouts Mon High intensity 20-30 min Sprint interval HIIT workout Tues Moderate intensity 45-60 min Brisk walking or jogging Wed Low to moderate intensity All day Use a pedometer and try to get 10,000 steps Thurs Moderate to high intensity 30-60 min Treadmill workout Fri Moderate intensity 30-45 min Cardio endurance intervals Sat Low to moderate intensity 30-60 min Walking or a long bike ride Sun Rest All day None Start slowly, if you're a beginner, and work your way up to this level of exercise. How much you need is based on a number of factors, including your fitness level, age, gender, and your goals. Be sure to warm up before each workout and cool down after. Stay hydrated, and stretch after your workouts. A Word From Verywell Cardiovascular exercise has many benefits beyond weight loss, such as improved heart health and decreased risk of chronic disease. If weight loss is not your primary goal, you can still garner the effects of these workouts. 7 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Garber CE, Blissmer B, Deschenes MR, et al. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: Guidance for prescribing exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(7):1334‐1359. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e318213fefb Ramakrishnan R, Doherty A, Smith-Byrne K, et al. Accelerometer measured physical activity and the incidence of cardiovascular disease: Evidence from the UK Biobank cohort study. PLOS Medicine. 2021;18(1):e1003487. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1003487 Park I, Díaz J, Matsumoto S, et al. Exercise improves the quality of slow-wave sleep by increasing slow-wave stability. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):4410. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-83817-6 Choi KW, Chen CY, Stein MB, et al. Assessment of bidirectional relationships between physical activity and depression among adults: a 2-sample mendelian randomization study. JAMA Psychiatry. 2019;76(4):399. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.4175 Wittfeld K, Jochem C, Dörr M, et al. Cardiorespiratory fitness and gray matter volume in the temporal, frontal, and cerebellar regions in the general population. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2020;95(1):44-56. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2019.05.030 Messier SP, Mihalko SL, Beavers DP, et al. Effect of high-intensity strength training on knee pain and knee joint compressive forces among adults with knee osteoarthritis: the start randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2021;325(7):646. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.0411 Nystoriak MA, Bhatnagar A. Cardiovascular effects and benefits of exercise. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2018;5:135. doi:10.3389/fcvm.2018.00135 By Paige Waehner Paige Waehner is a certified personal trainer, author of the "Guide to Become a Personal Trainer," and co-author of "The Buzz on Exercise & Fitness." See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Related Articles How to Make Your Home Cardio Workout Worthwhile How Can I Burn More Fat When Exercising? Why You Should Add Cardio to Your Workout Routine Your New Treadmill Walking Plan for Weight Loss Pairing Cardio and Weight Training for Maximum Fat Loss How Vigorous Intensity Exercise Can Be the Best for Your Health What Is Moderate-Intensity Exercise and How Much Do You Need? 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