Forget What You Know: It Pays To Run Slow!

I am back from vacation and as tan and rested as can be! So as promised, it's time to get back on track with a two part entry about how to make your cardio work for you!

I religiously go to the gym (5 days a week) and hit the treadmill hard, clocking about 2-3 miles a session with interspersed intervals. But despite my vigorous regular runs, I still struggle with the same "problem areas." And it's not just me. I often look around and see the same people busting their butts on the bike, working up a frenzy on the elliptical, and simply sweating bullets week after week with no results. So I hit up my pal Cristina Peerenboom, Hollywood fitness guru and creator of "The Brink Effect," to find out why working at a full-blast pace isn't shedding the final flab.

Peerenboom, who works with many celebrities and fitness fanatics, says that despite burning a lot of calories, running at a high intensity level burns the wrong kind of calories and won't take you from fit to fabulous.

"Burning 600 calories in the 'sprint' zone sounds impressive, but of those calories only about 10% are derived from fat," says Peerenboom, who boasts a degree in Neuroscience.

The other 90% come from stored carbohydrates and glycogen (natural sugar), which Peerenboom says your body needs for fuel. This is why she says running at a medium to slow pace for a long distance is the better choice.

"If you run for 40 minutes at the 'conversation pace,' you burn about 400-450 calories, all of which are derived from fat-fuel," says Peerenboom. "So even though you may be burning less calories, the calories you are burning are coming straight from stored fat."

This is why Peerenboom says you may be able to maintain an all over lean look from doing intense workouts, but continually struggle trying to lose that belly bulge or your "muffin top." These are both areas formed by stored fat that can only be completely removed by a fat-blasting workout.

Additionally, fast pavement-pounding drills like sprints and intervals build bulky muscles.

"When we run slowly and for longer distances, the muscles we build are naturally less bulky, and designed to allow us to run with ease," says Peerenboom. "If not done correctly, as in too fast, running makes the muscles bulky and doesn't burn the fat that's covering the muscles."

Therefore, when you sprint you build muscle while your fat ratio remains the same.

"Effect: Your legs will not get slimmer, but will actually grow!" says Peerenboom.

Finally, the after effect of an insane cardio blast, is your body (which has just burned up all your carb/glycogen reserves) is going to crave food...specifically the sugary kind.

"Energy at this intensity makes us crave food to replace the sugar," says Peerenboom. "So when you feel like you can't control yourself near the Pinkberry, it's actually your body's way of seeking replacement fuel. On the flip side, when you perform cardio in the fat-burning zone, cravings for sugar aren't overwhelming and working out doesn't feel so radical."

Now men may say, "But I want bulky muscles!" Peerenboom says this slow run technique is just a baseline, and that sprints/intervals can be added on later if hypertrophy (a.k.a. muscle bulk) is your goal.

"Running slowly benefits everyone," says Peerenboom. "It will not eliminate or burn muscle whatsoever. Also, running slowly strengthens connective tissue which allows sprints, hill-intervals, and weight lifting to be performed without injury and with more ease. So guys benefit too!"

So if a long, lean, fat-free physique is what you strive for, being the quickest isn't the ticket. Stay tuned for the follow up to this entry with Peerenboom's plan to begin your baseline training and glide your way to a flat gut! I'll have all the details on how to mantain a 'conversation pace,' the speed/length to aim for, and when to incorporate intervals/sprints back into your workout plan.