If you’re anything like me, then you hate cardio equipment as much as I do. Cardio is like the necessary evil of fitness. Necessary because we all need to get our heart rate up to promote a strong cardiovascular system. Evil because steady state cardio on a machine that goes nowhere is as boring as standing in line at the DMV. Even if I cover up the time and put on my favorite playlist, listen to an interesting podcast, or tune the built in TV to an episode of Forensic Files, I’m still fighting every monotonous second of it.
If I’m going to run, I would rather be outside then on a machine at the gym. But getting out on a jogging trail is not always possible, especially when you live in a place where the weather can be so bi-polar. And let’s be honest, I really don’t like to run for any lengthy period of time. The idea of going out and running a marathon crossed my mind about 5 years ago for approximately 10 minutes. Subjecting myself to that much wear and tear on my body only to finish with a banana, a medal and a “26.2” bumper sticker to put on my car, doesn’t seem fair. I will do a 5K all day long if I know there will be free tacos and a skinny margarita waiting for me at the finish line. Anything more than that and I will completely fall out and disengage from anything that requires mental or physical energy at that point.
I’m just not for the 60-minute cardio session most experts advise to maximize fat burning. Thirty-ish minutes seems to be my sweet spot. Zone 3, fat burning, steady state cardio is like fitness purgatory. That middle seat on an airplane, where you need to stretch out your legs in the isle, or rest your head on the window, but there’s nowhere to go. I hate that feeling. That’s why I always lean toward interval training… Balancing the highs with the lows, never in-between, but still arriving at the same place. I can cut my treadmill time in half and still burn a ton of calories.
If you can relate to any of this, then you must try this 35-minute treadmill workout. This workout never allows you to settle into a treadmill coma, and because you’re constantly changing the variables, the time seems to fly by. You will get your heart rate up, challenge your muscles, torch a ton of calories, and most importantly you will not get bored!
