When to do cardio?

GeddesFit

Im a 30 year old mom of 2, im 5'4 and current weight is 164lbs and have a goal weight of 128lbs so I want to lose 36 pounds. I go to the gym 5 times a week and mainly do weights and things like squats etc. I usually do about 5-10 minutes of cardio each time I go to finish off my work out. I know that weight is lost in the kitchen but I do know that cardio helps. My question is should I keep going how I'm going or should I devote 1-2 days at the gym to full cardio to help the weight come off a little quicker ? I also want to get more into the cardio to built up my stamina.

rybo

Doing more cardio or dedicating days only to it, won't likely make the weight loss faster. Nothing wrong with your 10 minute finishers, just make sure they are intense. Google finishers if you need ideas. That said, no harm in adding one day SS cardio for 45-60 minutes either. Just depends on what you like.

barbecuesauce

Adding cardio didn't help the weight come off faster, but I did notice the weight comes off less steadily (nothing for two and a half weeks, two-three pounds at once).

Add more cardio if you like more cardio or want to increase your stamina.

999tigger

Cardio burns calories, which increases the deficit. The cardio you are doing at present will be burning very few calories 25-50 mins cardio is going to be 150-400 calories. It takes 3500 to burn 1lb of fat. You have to do a lot if you wnat to burn significant calories. Building up your endurance and cardio vascular fitness is a good idea.

SezxyStef

exercise is for health and fitness...

I walk typically 4x a week going 4-4.5mph, I run 3miles 3x a week and bike usually 10miles once a week...

It hasn't helped me lose weight...

I lift 4x a week it hasn't helped me lose weight.

s2mikey

SezxyStef wrote: »

exercise is for health and fitness...

I walk typically 4x a week going 4-4.5mph, I run 3miles 3x a week and bike usually 10miles once a week...

It hasn't helped me lose weight...

I lift 4x a week it hasn't helped me lose weight.

If you are really doing all of that and arent losing weight...you must be eating a LOT of food!

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jaga13

Are you counting calories and eating the amount MFP recommends to create a calorie deficit? Are you seeing results? If so, and you don't feel deprived on the amount MFP gives you, there isn't a "need" for cardio. Do it for health reasons, but not for weight loss.

However, if you are following the MFP recommendation and are still hungry/not satisfied, then YES, use cardio to earn more eating power. I do this often. It doesn't have to be a lot. Jogging two miles and adding in lots of walking throughout my day gives me the amount of calories I need to be happy. And to enjoy chocolate.

GeddesFit

I'm completely satisfied with what I eat and I never eat my exercise calories ( they are low since I don't do much calories and work from home so there isn't much walking) a calorie burned is a calorie burned so yes more cardio will help the pounds come off but I didn't know if I should do more weights the rest of my trips and just have one day for cardio or keep cardio in every trip

jaga13

GeddesFit wrote: »

I'm completely satisfied with what I eat and I never eat my exercise calories ( they are low since I don't do much calories and work from home so there isn't much walking) a calorie burned is a calorie burned so yes more cardio will help the pounds come off but I didn't know if I should do more weights the rest of my trips and just have one day for cardio or keep cardio in every trip

OK, since you wouldn't be adding in cardio to eat more, you would be doing it to create a larger deficit, therefore losing weight a little faster, correct? That's fine. It's really a personal choice as to when you should add in cardio. I currently run Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday; I lift weights M-W-F. And in general I keep busy walking a lot every day. I guess it just depends on what weight lifting plan you're on and your personal goals. The lifting plan I'm on only calls for 3 days a week.

jaga13

I also wanted to add that it might be a good idea to get more involved in cardio now because eventually when you are closer to goal you will be given less calories to eat, so it will be nice to be able to do some cardio to eat more if and when you're at that point.

Whatever you decide, it sounds like you're on the right track! Good luck!

Rinkey78

I can tell you what I do I life weights about 4x a week and on my off days I do cardio ONLY! Then one day a week I take off completely. It's a lot of dedication and work but it's helped. Try not to do cardio everyday you weight train. When you train for 30 minutes or more with weights essentially your body will burn calories for the next 36 hours while trying to repair the muscles. However, doing cardio it's easier to see how many calories you've burned. You just want your body to be burning off fat and not muscle

GeddesFit

Rinkey78 wrote: »

I can tell you what I do I life weights about 4x a week and on my off days I do cardio ONLY! Then one day a week I take off completely. It's a lot of dedication and work but it's helped. Try not to do cardio everyday you weight train. When you train for 30 minutes or more with weights essentially your body will burn calories for the next 36 hours while trying to repair the muscles. However, doing cardio it's easier to see how many calories you've burned. You just want your body to be burning off fat and not muscle

Thanks. I do weights 5 times a week normally so maybe I'll make one day all cardio. I'm doing a squat challenge for the month of August and then thinking a plank challenge for sept. I'm excited to drop these 36 pounds by next summer.

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SunnyPacheco

Rinkey78 wrote: »

I can tell you what I do I life weights about 4x a week and on my off days I do cardio ONLY! Then one day a week I take off completely. It's a lot of dedication and work but it's helped. Try not to do cardio everyday you weight train. When you train for 30 minutes or more with weights essentially your body will burn calories for the next 36 hours while trying to repair the muscles. However, doing cardio it's easier to see how many calories you've burned. You just want your body to be burning off fat and not muscle

Why should she not do that? If she's doing it to increase her calorie burn it can only be beneficial in that regard as weight lifting itself doesn't really burn a significant amount of calories.

cwolfman13

s2mikey wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

exercise is for health and fitness...

I walk typically 4x a week going 4-4.5mph, I run 3miles 3x a week and bike usually 10miles once a week...

It hasn't helped me lose weight...

I lift 4x a week it hasn't helped me lose weight.

If you are really doing all of that and arent losing weight...you must be eating a LOT of food!

that's kind of the point...your weight management is largely attributable to your diet, not the exercise you do or don't do.

To the OP...more cardio only helps in that it increases your body's calorie requisites which means A. you can eat more and achieve the same rate of loss or B. you can widen your energy deficit. Option B isn't always a good option and can have negative consequences...the least of which is injury and such from underfeeding your training.

Kalikel

If you want to be your healthiest, you should do both. They used to say 30 minutes of cardio several times a week. Now they're saying more like every day. Cardio isn't just good for weight loss. It's good for your cardiovascular system! It does burn more calories than lifting, though, and will help you lose.

Pick something you enjoy and keep trying new things because you never know what you'll like. I walk and I swim. If I didn't, I wouldn't lose a thing. You cannot separate what you eat from how much you exercise. It all has an effect.

People say that weight loss happens in the kitchen, but I think it happens in the pool, too.

SezxyStef

Kalikel wrote: »

If you want to be your healthiest, you should do both. They used to say 30 minutes of cardio several times a week. Now they're saying more like every day. Cardio isn't just good for weight loss. It's good for your cardiovascular system! It does burn more calories than lifting, though, and will help you lose.

Pick something you enjoy and keep trying new things because you never know what you'll like. I walk and I swim. If I didn't, I wouldn't lose a thing. You cannot separate what you eat from how much you exercise. It all has an effect.

People say that weight loss happens in the kitchen, but I think it happens in the pool, too.

nope...swim all you want but eat over TDEE and see what happens.

SezxyStef

cwolfman13 wrote: »

s2mikey wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

exercise is for health and fitness...

I walk typically 4x a week going 4-4.5mph, I run 3miles 3x a week and bike usually 10miles once a week...

It hasn't helped me lose weight...

I lift 4x a week it hasn't helped me lose weight.

If you are really doing all of that and arent losing weight...you must be eating a LOT of food!

that's kind of the point...your weight management is largely attributable to your diet, not the exercise you do or don't do.

To the OP...more cardio only helps in that it increases your body's calorie requisites which means A) you can eat more and achieve the same rate of loss or you can widen your energy deficit. Option B isn't always a good option and can have negative consequences...the least of which is injury and such from underfeeding your training.

Exactly.

I can lose weight without doing any exercise...I choose to do the exercise for health and fitness...

and yes I eat a lot because I do exercise and I need the fuel...I've lost 60lbs over the last couple of years actually but that was all from eating less food...the exercise I have added in slowly...

Was lifting only at first...added in walking...continued lifting...added in running...

That's how I know all this exercise doesn't help with weight loss.

mbaker566

I exercise because I like to eat. just saying