In 2019, Keerthy lost around 9 kilograms without following any crash diet or pills (Pic credit: Instagram)
Actress Keerthy Suresh opened up about her weight loss journey, which she undertook a few years ago – which she successfully executed by only doing cardio exercises. However, now Keerthy says she has learnt the benefits of strength training and is focused on a more balanced fitness routine.
How did Keerthy lose weight?
In 2019, Keerthy lost around 9 kilograms without following any crash diet or pills. “I was very chubby. I was a little built… wouldn’t say fat. I am not a very fat person. I did a lot of cardio. When you engage in a lot of cardio, you can lose muscle. So, without strength training, I just did cardio. I lost weight quickly,” she said in an interview with Gallata.com.
“That’s when my face looked sculpted. I agree; I was looking very thin at that time because when I saw pictures from 2019, my face looked so emaciated. It was because I was not working out in my life. I was just sleeping, eating, working, coming back home, and sleeping again, and then repeating,” she added.
What is cardio?
Cardiovascular exercise – also known as aerobic exercise – means you are fuelling your activity through the use of oxygen. It is a type of exercise that uses:
Large muscle groups like your legs, back, or chest Requires respiration or controlled breathing Increases your heart rate and keeps it in an aerobic zone for a set amount of time. A few common forms of cardio include: Walking Jogging Swimming Cycling Fitness classes According to experts, cardio burns calories and helps aid in weight loss, but you need to combine it with at least two to three days every week of strength training workouts that help increase the rate at which you lose weight. The amount of cardio you need to lose weight depends on many factors, like your food intake, daily activity levels, and age.
Does cardio help in weight loss?
For optimal weight loss, you need to create a calorie deficit, which means your calorie intake should be less than the number of calories you burn. How much weight you lose depends a lot on the daily calorie deficit that you create, along with the intensity of exercise you perform.
According to experts, for quick and long-lasting results, you should get at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week. Alternatively, you could also try 75 to 150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise.
What helps you burn off calories?
Experts believe you can use cardio exercise to burn calories through certain activities, which include:
Age
The older you are, the fewer calories you burn
Body composition
If you have a greater amount of muscle mass, you will burn more calories doing the same exercise as someone with a lower amount of muscle mass.
Intensity of workout
If your workout is more vigorous, you will burn more calories
Sex
Experts say men burn more calories and faster than women
Daily chores
You will burn more calories if you are active throughout the day