Is Twenty Minutes of Cardio Effective for Losing Weight?

Twenty minutes of cardio can be effective for losing weight as long as you are burning more calories than you consume on a daily basis. Moderate to high-intensity exercise should be performed during those 20 minutes to maximize the number of calories burned. Twenty minutes of cardio, combined with resistance training and a low-calorie diet, are sufficient to yield weight-loss results.

To achieve moderate weight-loss goals, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, five days a week, or 20 to 60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise at least three days per week. While 20 minutes is sufficient for weight loss to occur, more time could be necessary to achieve significant weight-loss results.

Choose a moderately challenging activity that will cause you to burn more calories within 20 minutes. For instance, if you already walk a lot during the day, you may want to jog or run for 20 minutes as your cardio workout. If you enjoy sports, 20 minutes of basketball or soccer would burn more calories compared to baseball or golf. The more vigorous the activity, the less time is needed to achieve cardiovascular benefits, according to the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America.

Intensity is how hard your body is working during the exercise. To increase the intensity, you can increase the speed or add resistance. Running up hill or in water for 20 minutes will add resistance and increase the intensity of the workout. Interval training, or alternating between high and low intensity during an exercise, is also a way to increase the intensity and to burn more calories. Walk for two minutes then run for one minute, repeating until 20 minutes are complete.

Researchers have demonstrated that exercising in multiple bouts throughout the day can be as effective for weight loss and cardiovascular benefits as exercising for one continuous bout, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Instead of one long workout, perform two or three shorter workouts throughout the day to maximize weight-loss results.