Cardio exercises tend to get pushed into the back of our minds because the big muscles and physique we want comes primarily from weight lifting. So, most guys getting into the discipline of a weight lifting routine tend to leave out the cardio exercises or at the very least push them to the back burner where they often are neglected. Believe it or not, that muscular physique you are looking for depends as much on cardio exercises as it does on weight lifting. An optimal workout plan will consist of both!

The first thing you'll want to do is choose your primary and alternative cardio exercises. Once you know what exercises you're going to do, you'll need to do them at least 3-5 days each week for any noticeable weight loss. Doing them three times each week is the absolute minimum!

If you want maximum weight loss success, howevver, you really need to do cardio exercises five times each week. Three times a week will improve your overall health and cardiovascular endurance AND will result in weight loss (assuming you have a healthy diet), but it won’t give you dramatic weight loss results.

Recommending cardio exercises five times each week is usually met with some resistance. I always hear people complain they don’t have the time to exercise that often. If weight loss is that important to you (which I’m assuming it is or you wouldn’t be visiting this site), you will find the time.

The best time of day for cardio exercises is in the morning, especially if you work full-time or generally have a busy schedule. People who procrastinate and put them off until evening often times find it too easy to blow them off.

When I started my workout plan I was working full-time and I knew I would never be able to stick with an evening exercise routine. This meant I had to exercise early in the morning before work (5 a.m. to be exact). I was not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination.

My idea of “early morning” was 8 a.m. I never dreamed I would be able to get up at 5 a.m. to exercise! To my surprise, it was easier than I expected. The first week was rough, but after sticking with it for a couple weeks, it became second nature. Whether mornings, afternoons or evenings work best for you, make a commitment and stick with it. However, cardio exercises in the morning are the best time over any other time of the day and here’s why:

1. Studies show that 75% of those who do their exercises in the morning stick with their program compared to 25% of those who do their exercises in the evening.
2. Cardio exercises in the morning gives your metabolism a boost and keeps it elevated throughout the day. As a result, you burn more calories throughout the day.
3. It doesn’t allow for excuses and makes it harder to blow off. For example, if you exercise in the evenings, you will be more susceptible to “things that come up.” You know what I’m talking about…you had a long day at work and you just want to go home and relax, or blah, blah, blah. By exercising and getting those cardio exercises knocked out first thing in the morning, you eliminate those excuses and will not have any guilt later on that night when you are trying to relax.
4. Cardio exercises first thing in the morning will help you cope better with stress throughout the day.
5. When cardio exercises are the first part of your day, you automatically make them a priority.

The added benefits of morning exercise are obvious, but if morning doesn't work for you, it doesn't work - no big deal. Don't let that stop you from pursuing your weight loss goals. The most important thing is that you do your cardio exercises 3-5 days each week. So regardless of when you decide is the best time to do your cardio exercises, just make sure you do them so that you are one day closer to that body you know you deserve!