I used to spend one to two hours per day doing cardio.

I thought more, longer, harder was better.

I thought I had to be miserable to get results...

I was always hungry and tired.

Not to mention COMPLETELY bored running in circles or going round and round on the elliptical machine.

And usually I dreaded having to do cardio...but it's what I was supposed to do to stay fit, right?

Well I was wrong...

And honestly I haven't done long, boring cardio in years.

Today, my workouts are rarely over 45 minutes and often only 30 minutes (and that includes foam rolling, a mobility warm-up, strength training, AND cardio).

See MORE isn't better. More often leads to:

1. Pacing yourself. You can only push hard for so long, so when working out longer you simply end up slowing down your pace, fitting in the same amount of work you could do in half the time.

What would it be like to free up that time?

It would give you more time to focus on other things...like spending time with your family or prepping for your next meal ;)

2. Burnout. Working out for hours everyday is very stressful on the body. And you likely have enough life stress as it is, do you really need more?

Going hard all the time will lead to burnout, injuries, lack of motivation, fatigue, and frustration. All which are a recipe for disaster if you want to reach and maintain your goals in the long run.

Working out should leave you feeling energized, not drained. If you're drained you're overdoing it.

3. Hunger. I can't tell you how CONSTANTLY hungry I was when I worked out so long and hard all the time. I was probably just eating back all the calories I burned...and that's often the case.

Working so hard to end up overeating isn't exactly ideal for long-term success.

Actually it makes NO sense...I realize that now.

4. Compensation. Because you're completely exhausting yourself at the gym you actually compensate later in the day by moving less or justifying things like not taking the stairs because you "already worked out". Ucenter Dress bridesmaid wears look glittered and shiny

You crush yourself only to miss out on the little bits of movement everyday that energize you and help move you toward your goals.

So if you're going to workout, keep it short, sweet and intense.

You'll get MUCH better results because you're body stays in fat burning mode and you'll have the energy to really push yourself.

You'll feel more energized throughout your entire day.

You'll stick to your plan longer.

You'll feel more motivated to continue.

And you'll even look forward to working out because your workouts don't crush you.

How cool is that? :)