Cardio isn't for "fat burning".

ninerbuff

bump for people who just think cardio is the only way to burn fat (I was messaged on this)

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Whatsthemotive

Thank you for this helpful post. Focusing on the real purpose of exercise is actually calming. I’d have to work out for hours at my current ability level to burn enough calories to be significant. I am mostly working out to gain strength, stamina, and flexibility, but if it burns a few calories, that’s a bonus. I think media like The Biggest Loser where they made those people exercise for hours on end to get the desired results have given a lot of us unreasonable goals.

Youngfrankenstein

I just read all of that. It really opened my eyes to see exercise's true roll in my fat loss. Thank you.

FitAgainBy55

Whatsthemotive wrote: »

Thank you for this helpful post. Focusing on the real purpose of exercise is actually calming. I’d have to work out for hours at my current ability level to burn enough calories to be significant.

While I certainly agree with everything @ninerbuff had to say, he isn't saying exercise can't play a significant roll in weight loss. I eat at maintenance and essentially all of my deficit is based on my activity level. The more fit you get, the more of a roll this can play in weight loss. I started to say, I'm lucky to be fit enough to burn 700 calories in an hour running -- truth is it wasn't luck but I also didn't start there ... in the beginning I couldn't jog for longer than a couple minutes without stopping.

ninerbuff

FitAgainBy55 wrote: »

Whatsthemotive wrote: »

Thank you for this helpful post. Focusing on the real purpose of exercise is actually calming. I’d have to work out for hours at my current ability level to burn enough calories to be significant.

While I certainly agree with everything @ninerbuff had to say, he isn't saying exercise can't play a significant roll in weight loss. I eat at maintenance and essentially all of my deficit is based on my activity level. The more fit you get, the more of a roll this can play in weight loss. I started to say, I'm lucky to be fit enough to burn 700 calories in an hour running -- truth is it wasn't luck but I also didn't start there ... in the beginning I couldn't jog for longer than a couple minutes without stopping.

Correct. Exercise helps to burn more calories overall in a day and if combined with and eating program that keeps one in deficit, weight loss happens.
Many people tend to think that just because they exercise for an hour, they are allowed to drink that 400 calorie latte and still eat the same thinking that they are just slow losers.

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jdbly3373

RUN_LIFT_EAT wrote: »

You can't outrun a bad diet.

For me it helps a lot to exercise. I don't think people should be discouraged from exercising. Theres no way I can stick to the calorie allowance ever without exercise. I feel like I can't eat anything. But if I add an hour or two of exercise it makes all the difference. Losing weight is possible and sustainable.

jdbly3373

missyfitz1 wrote: »

CindyFooWho wrote: »

Being in good cardio vascular health makes you feel fantastic. And that should be enough

Also, I don't think enough this is promoted enough. It's the one thing that keeps me motivated to stick to my workouts. Even when exercise helps me with CICO, that isn't why I do it. The results take too long.

I do exercise to be able to eat a little more and still lose weight, at least eat enough so I'm content with what I'm eating.

Whatsthemotive

I understand that exercise will always burn some calories. I started at a very poor fitness level, which is gradually improving. My weight loss has to be based mostly on reduced intake, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not getting a benefit from exercise. The benefit is better fitness, strength, and stamina. It would be very stressful for me to feel like I needed to exercise enough to burn 500 to 1000 calories. At my current fitness level, that goal would likely be impossible.

ninerbuff

Whatsthemotive wrote: »

I understand that exercise will always burn some calories. I started at a very poor fitness level, which is gradually improving. My weight loss has to be based mostly on reduced intake, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not getting a benefit from exercise. The benefit is better fitness, strength, and stamina. It would be very stressful for me to feel like I needed to exercise enough to burn 500 to 1000 calories. At my current fitness level, that goal would likely be impossible.

The idea of exercise should become intrinsic to someone and not extrinsic. The majority of people on a weight loss plan do it for extrinsic reasons. And once they reach their goal, the let up or practically quit exercising altogether.
Once the goal is reached, that's basically the end for many. But IMO it's MAINTAINING that's the real test because you have to be able to do it for years rather than just a few months.

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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ninerbuff

bump