THIS is how to change your cardio routine if you want to lose 10 pounds

If you're racking up lots o' cardio time on your quest to lose weight, you might be doing something wrong. Logging 45 minutes on the treadmill every day or slogging through long, steady runs five times a week won't help you blast mega calories.

And after a while, you might become bored and start skimping on sessions (or skipping them entirely), says Jeff Gaudette, owner and head coach of RunnersConnect in Boston. If you want to lose 10 pounds...

Do This: Prioritize HIIT, advises Gaudette. High-intensity interval training increases the post-workout calorie burn by up to 15 percent compared with steady-state sessions, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

Do two interval workouts of any mode of cardio, spaced throughout the week: Warm up at an easy pace for 10 minutes, then alternate a minute at high intensity with a minute at low intensity for 10 to 15 minutes, then cool down.

Add in two moderately-paced workouts on days in between. (Dance your way fit with Women's Health's High-Intensity Dance Cardio, the first-ever socanomics DVD!)

Drop This: Obsessing over numbers. "If you're married to your watch, you can't listen to your body," says Greg Justice, an exercise physiologist and owner of AYC Health and Fitness in Kansas City, Kansas.

"Sometimes it's better to go with the flow and let your body dictate the workout." The same applies for tunnel-visioning on calorie displays or the leaderboard at cycling class.

Sure, it can be motivating to see your effort quantified, or how you're measuring up to everyone else sweating beside you, but it often paints an inaccurate picture of how hard you're working.

For more cardio tips, check out the April 2017 issue of Women's Health on newsstands now.