How long should your cardio workouts be and should you have a combination of cardio and weight training everyday? Or should one day be strictly devoted to cardio and other days to weight training?

The ideal cardio workout should be 30-60 minutes or even longer if you have the time. However studies show that you can divide the time up in 10-15 minute segments throughout the day. It is perfectly fine to do cardio and weight training on the same day as long as you have enough energy to get a good workout. It is also just fine to do cardio one day and weights another as long as you are consistent in your training. Cardio can be done everyday but your muscles need rest for a day after weight training so they can repair. If you do cardio daily, try to mix up the intensity so that you are not going hard and furious everyday. For example, you might do a cycle class 2 days a week and a kick box class on another day but then take a long walk around a lake or on the tread mill the next day and then swim the day after that. Then you can hit it hard again. As an instructor I have taught a weight training class two days in a row but then I give myself a day or more to rest afterwards so that I still get the benefit of muscle rest and repair.

Most of us shouldn’t get too wrapped around the axel about time and order. As long as you are consistent in your workout and give you body time to rest, you will be fine.

If you only have one hour to devote to working out, which do you benefits you the most, cardio or weight training?

It depends on what your goals are. Both are beneficial to the body. If significant weight loss is your goal you want to get in a good cardio workout that taps into your fat stores while building up your cardiovascular system. To build lean muscle and keep your bones strong, weight training is essential. Generally within a week, a person should do 3 or 4 cardio workouts and at least 2 sessions of weight training that brings your muscles to fatigue. Again, it is possible to get both cardio and weight training by taking a boot camp or interval training class or doing an interval routine.

How important is it to stretch and cool down after workouts?

It is very important to cool down and stretch after your workouts because your muscles are constricted and tight after being worked. Stretching after a workout keeps the muscles supple and flexible. For example suppose you like to do squats with heavy weight and don’t stretch afterwards. After a period of time, you will notice you will be unable to squat down fully and you will not be able to stand upright fully because the hip flexors will be stiff, constricted and thus shortened. Cooling down refers to allowing your heart rate to return to a resting zone after being up and even in anaerobic zones for some time. Cooling down prevents you from shocking your system if you just abruptly stop after extensive activity. Not cooling down is considered one of the top 10 most common mistakes in exercise by the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

Does it matter if you do your cardio exercise before or after your weight training?

A pro weight lifter will want to weight train first while they are fresh. A competitive endurance runner will want to train cardiovascularly. There is a reason certain professional athletes have a certain build that reflects their chosen sports. Most of us are not elite athletes who engage in a specific sport for a living. For those who just want to improve our overall health and look good at the next high school reunion party, it really doesn't matter if you lift weights first or do endurance training first. Both warm up the muscles and elevate your heart rate. In fact, you can do both at the same time with interval training or circuit training routines or with classes that offer interval or circuit training. The other alternative is to alternate weight lifting and endurance days if you prefer. This allows you to devote more time to each workout. As long as you are consistent with doing your workouts involving cardio training and weight training, the order really doesn’t matter. As a fitness instructor, I often do classes back to back where one is cardio based and the other is weight training.I have done weights before cardio and cardio before weights and find I am able to achieve my goals regardless of the order.

Do you have a specific diet that I can follow?

Actually there are enough “specific diets” already out there. The problem with following a specific diet is they quickly become boring and a chore to maintain. Plus diets are viewed as temporary and you need a way of eating for life – not just temporarily. What I would like to do is help you understand what the macronutrients are, how to find them in their whole state and how to use them to maintain a balanced, healthy eating plan for life.

The macronutrients are carbohydrates, proteins and fats. All carbohydrates are from plant sources. They convert to sugar very quickly. The less refined they are the better. An example would be to choose to eat an orange rather than drink a glass of orange juice.

Proteins are found in anything that at one time walked, swam, flew, crawled, slithered or hopped. These sources contain complete proteins that we all need to maintain our cell structure, our bone structure, immune system and vital organs. Other sources of protein can be found in some nuts and dairy products. Incomplete sources can be found in plants.

Fats are a dense source of nutrition that help repair our body and support healthy cell structures. The best fats to consume are from natural plant and animal sources. We should consume the majority of our fats in the form of monounsaturated fats followed by polyunsaturated fats and lastly as saturated fats. Trans fats are to be avoided.

Having balanced meals of carbohydrates, proteins and fats while maintaining a calorie intake that supports but does not exceed your activity levels will help you eat a variety of foods in the right amounts without feeling confined to a “special diet.” This is the real meaning of “Eat right and Exercise.”