One important strategy from the fitness repertoire is cardio training, of which there are many kinds of available options, especially if the current climate and/or season allows for outdoor activities.

Cardio can be done fast or it can be time-consuming, and it can be executed within the spectrum of both high-, medium- and low-intensity training. It can be indoor or outdoor, with the help from machines and/or weights, or with just your own body weight, which often is the case when you run, jog or walk. It can be done in the morning, during midday or in the evening. There is in fact a whole range of options and dimensions to consider in regard to cardio, of which most are very easy to grasp, both in theory and practice.

One good thing with cardio is of course that it helps us to cut calories, whether it is for the purpose of decresing body fat or to burn glycogen ad hoc. In the last instance, the term damage control cardio is rather hitting. There are many possible real-life examples to think of, but for instance after a saturday evening with a lot of extra calories from dinner and desserts, the best thing is definitely not to wait and get that small but still existing extra amount of body fat, as a result of calorie surplus, but to do some cardio!

So what to do then, specifically? I advocate all of the above-mentioned exercise modes and options, and in general the decision should if anything be related to context and situation, but I think that often a rather extensive speed walk (or power walk) session should be appropriate for most people, in quite many settings and situations.

Speed walking can indeed be time-consuming, but about 60-90 available minutes are far from impossible to find on a sunday morning or forenoon. And the best thing is that it allows for either company or lonesome contemplation.

Quite few people – regardless of their respective level of fitness – cannot manage to walk at a decent speed for this amount of time, and the combination with, hopefully, fresh air and physical activity makes it a good opportunity for conversation. It is an excellent time for catching up with a friend or family member, and often freshens the brain acitivity so that you can either discuss interesting topics or think and contemplate on your own.

I can only speak for myself, but it seems to me that a lot of good ideas emerge when one speed walks. In both short- and long-term it will, needless to say, also help to decrease some amount of body fat, or at least decrease the increase after calorie surplus.