Do you do much cardio now that you've reached your goal weight?

SuggaD

I'm a triathlete and I train. Each week is full of running, cycling, swimming, and weights. And I walk the dog. And other than training, I kayak, scuba dive, and play tennis when I can. That's how I stay fit and eat a ridiculous amount of food. And its fun! That's the key to long-term success. Find an activity you love so that you can stay active, stick with it, and stay on your maintenance plan.

rainbow198

Everyday. I am full of energy! It feels great and my heart is very happy.

spzjlb

pinkteapot3 wrote: »

If you do cardio, you can eat more. It's exactly the same as when losing.

When losing, I ate 1,240 cals a day plus any exercise burns, so 1,240 to 2,000 cals per day depending on how much cardio I did.

Now I'm on maintenance, my basic cals are 1,710 a day, plus any exercise burns. No exercise day = 1,710 cals. With cardio - anything up to 2,500 cals depending on what I've done.

So, your choice entirely. More exercise and more food, or less exercise and less food.

I agree with Pinkteapot - I am much more relaxed about my calorie intake when I burn calories with exercise. My strategy might be helpful (or not) to you. I workout every single day for at least 30 min. My workouts are intense enough to break a disgusting sweat. But 30 min is easier to fit into my schedule than finding time for a 90 min gym session 3X per week. Good luck!

lemurcat12

oyChihuahua wrote: »

Always seemed to me that the people who had the best luck with cardio are the folks who found an activity they just fell in love with. They keep running, or kayaking, or boot camping or whatever. So my best advice is to try to find something you love doing, then pursue that!

This is how I think of it, and it's also easier if it's part of my life in a significant way -- a hobby, part of my social life, how I de-stress--beyond just the calorie-burning aspect.

Francl27

I do more now (one hour a day in average , but more intense). I have a big appetite. You could always eat less and do less cardio though! My stationary bike was only $100 and I use it a lot in front of Netflix.

vball1121

When I'm trying to lose weight I'll run/jog/walk for 60 minutes a day. When I reached my goal weight I started switching to tredmill intervals, or work out videos to keep things as a change up. I've LOVED the videos especially, makes time go by quickly.

LivingtheLeanDream

dopeysmelly wrote: »

I've found myself doing much more. I didn't do anything other than shovel snow while I was losing, then added in a bit of walking to ease back pain. Now I just enjoy the feeling of moving without the weight, so I do walking, working up to running slowly after knee surgery last year, cycling and will probably add in swimming. I do cardio at the gym as well, particularly the rowing machine. I've found that I have to go faster and longer to get the same benefit as I used to get from just walking.

I do find it gives me a small amount of reassurance if I overeat a bit that it wouldn't have as big an impact on the scale as if I did no cardio at all.

By comparison I find weights quite boring, and find excuses not to do it far too frequently.

@dopeysmelly that was me too ref the weights being boring but I needed a change as I was getting fed up running ALL the time plus I've read so much about the benefits of strength as we age that I decided it was time to hone this body ...I intend to be a fabulously fit grandma lol (and by my son and DILs chat I could be a granny long before I'm 50!)

In just under two weeks of lifting my body has already changing shape and I'm thrilled...

So don't give up on it, it takes only 30 mins 3 or 4 times a week

20yearsyounger

I do less now but I was doing a lot before. Trying to keep it between 6-8 hours per week.

Navybelle

Just try to find ways to be creative about doing cardio When its time for me to mop/polish the floors in my house, i kick my socks and shoes off, grab some terry cloths, and skate around my house, doing some occasional squats and lunges. For me, its not how, or what you look like doing it, its about getting that heart rate up and breaking a sweat each day. Hahaha hope that helps.

eveunderground

I try to do cardio regularly because I love the way it makes me feel. It's necessary for cardiovascular health and it's probably the best anti-aging trick there is...but it's not necessary for maintaining your weight. You can do that by eating your maintenance calories. However, if you can get into a routine of doing cardio a few times a week (as someone else said 30mins per session is fine), you'll be set for life.

If you hate doing machines like treadmill then it's prob not a good idea to buy one! Walking is good or hiking or biking or dancing. I personally love taking classes like body combat.

And you didn't ask but I'll throw it in anyway, strength training is equally important (as someone else said, it's great for shaping your body). I try to do a bit of both every week.

nxd10

I walk 10,000 steps every day I possibly can. It's more important to me now that I'm in maintenance. And I like walking.

MeiannaLee

Cardio is my cake tbh. I do 1-2 hours of cardio 4x a week.
I do it because without exercise, my maitenance calories are around 1300-1450. With exercise its 1700-1900.
AND I LOVE MY FOOD

salembambi

i like how i feel after doing cardio so i continue to do it

probably 3 days of cardio a week not too bad and i mix it up sometimes HIIT sometimes other circuit cardio stuff

Francl27

MeiannaLee wrote: »

Cardio is my cake tbh. I do 1-2 hours of cardio 4x a week.
I do it because without exercise, my maitenance calories are around 1300-1450. With exercise its 1700-1900.
AND I LOVE MY FOOD

Yep!

middlehaitch

I started exercising seven years ago when I started my lose weight get healthy kick, and although I lost the weight years ago, I have continued exercising in the autumn and winter.
I am active enough in the spring and summer, so I don't bother with any structured exercise. But in the winter, when I would prefer to be curled up with a good book, I sign up for a variety of classes, do some swimming, a bit of work in the weight room or 15-30 min on the rowing machine.

I don't find exercise a natural activity, so I keep it varied and social.

Even though I have been maintaining my weight for years, I look on the exercise as maintaining my health.

I make one heck of an active nana.

Cheers, h.

patrikc333

yes, because I want to keep improving performance and love to do it

also, because I love to eat, a lot, and the only way I can do it is to exercise before eating. but on a daily base, I don't save cals for the week end for example

am I going out to eat a super pizza and zeppole (doughnuts) on Saturday? no probs, no stress, no worries, a nice run in the morning, will feel good and then I'll eat my 1500 cals lunch, plus I've done something for my fitness as well

FunnyFit

Only bc I absolutely LOVE Zumba, I still do it regularly and on the days I do not have a class, I go for a walk with the kids. I do weights while waiting for zumba to start so I get all I need in much more efficient amount of time. I only workout on weekdays and leave the weekends for fun with the family!

I hope you find your groove and find what works best for your lifestyle!

cwolfman13

xstephnz wrote: »

I'm wondering what the future holds for me. I like to eat a lot of food, so I'm wondering if I will still need to do an hour or two of cardio a day once I get to goal, or maybe just do 30 minutes a day, then splurge on the weekends.

What is your method? I personally hate cardio. I have thought about getting a treadmill or bike and setting up a tv with movies infront of it and doing some exercise first thing in the morning. Bit short on cash though :-(

cardio has nothing to do with goal weight or not...cardio is short for cardiovascular...as in it is beneficial for your cardiovascular health...while diet and exercise often go hand in hand for the most benefit where weight management is concerned, people really need to wrap their heads around the idea that fitness is for the sake of fitness and overall health and well being...

I ride my *kitten* off just like I did when I was losing weight...i just eat more. diet for weight management, fitness for fitness sake.

also, I've never done more than an hour of cardio unless I'm training for an event...you need to get over this idea that exercise is purely for burning calories...it is a functional bi-product of exercise, but not the purpose.

sixxpoint