No one seems to like cardio anymore...
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Good for you that you have seen these kind of results. But in the case of my husband, lifting heavy was not enough and he is now on blood pressure and cholesterol meds and told to increase his cardio by his doctors. He still doesn't do a lot of it, but now sees the benefits. Obviously so many factors come into play when talking about your overall health and fitness, diet, exercise, genetics. Some people can do nothing or everything with no negative impact on their health, while others will find that that a balance diet and exercise regimen is their key to avoid or minimize health risks.
It's true it does depend on a person's particular situation. For instance, I can't run, as much as I want to. I have shin splints, and I'm simply still too heavy to get away with it. Maybe after I lose another 40, maybe not. There are people in worse health than me who can run. Really wish I could.
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Good for you that you have seen these kind of results. But in the case of my husband, lifting heavy was not enough and he is now on blood pressure and cholesterol meds and told to increase his cardio by his doctors. He still doesn't do a lot of it, but now sees the benefits. Obviously so many factors come into play when talking about your overall health and fitness, diet, exercise, genetics. Some people can do nothing or everything with no negative impact on their health, while others will find that that a balance diet and exercise regimen is their key to avoid or minimize health risks.
It's true it does depend on a person's particular situation. For instance, I can't run, as much as I want to. I have shin splints, and I'm simply still too heavy to get away with it. Maybe after I lose another 40, maybe not. There are people in worse health than me who can run. Really wish I could.
Let' not forget old people. Always tough seeing a senior citizen pass you by. But I think one day that will be me passing thirty somethings.
Still, the American Heart Association while suggesting people incorporate strength training because it works both the muscular and cardiovascular system, it says it is not a replacement to cardio, but a complement. Some people have chosen to ditch cardio completely and as wonderful as strength training is, it alone can't deliver all the health benefits as it would when combined with cardio.0 -
These things go in phases. For a long time, lifting weights was considered a low-end exercise for knuckle draggers. Now it's hot, hot, hot! The pendulum will swing back the other way soon enough, and all the CrossFit ads will be replaced by a solo jogger in Nike runners in some beautiful setting with a voiceover saying something about getting "Back to Basics".
The reality is a well-tuned physique requires a combination of strength (from resistance training) and a strong cardiovascular system (from lots of cardio), and that's not going to change for a long long time.
thank you for saying so. Can I add balance in everything????0 -
I lift... I run... I try and do as much cardio as I can without interfering with my recovery between lifting sessions..
Today was 2.5mi of intervals the run before that was 3.5 miles of tempo... the run before that was 5 miles at 9min miles. I have no aspirations to be a runner.. This is conditioning..0 -
I'm thinking about doing Pilates for a while, which also works your muscles against your own body weight. Does this count for weight training? I'll probably throw a few cardio days in there, too (Zumba, Tae Bo, or Hip Hop Abs).0
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These things go in phases. For a long time, lifting weights was considered a low-end exercise for knuckle draggers. Now it's hot, hot, hot! The pendulum will swing back the other way soon enough, and all the CrossFit ads will be replaced by a solo jogger in Nike runners in some beautiful setting with a voiceover saying something about getting "Back to Basics".
The reality is a well-tuned physique requires a combination of strength (from resistance training) and a strong cardiovascular system (from lots of cardio), and that's not going to change for a long long time.
:flowerforyou: :drinker: 0 -
I like the way I FEEL from doing cardio, and I like the way I LOOK from doing weights. So I do both.
Since I started lifting weights, I can see definition in my body for the first time since college. But also since I started doing cardio, my anxiety and depression has almost completely gone away. I really like all of that!0 -
Cardio is great for your overall health. Weightlifting is good too, and seems to be especially useful in body composition. It probably depends on your goals and what you enjoy. I enjoy both, so I do both.0
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I love cardio! If I don't get to run regularly I really miss it and personally I find it's the easiest way to acheive a calorie deficit. Otherwise there would be very little opportunity for pizza and muffins in my life
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Massive cardio junkie here.0
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I love cardio, dancing is my passion!!
I cant lift heavy so i dont roll with that crowd but i do weight train with what I can lift.
Need both!0 -
Just wondering, because ya know, logic says yes, but I've yet to read it anywhere on the forums. It might be there; I just haven't seen it personally.
Doesn't the fact that someone who is very obese, like me, hi there! -- trying to lose 100+ pounds, is moving more weight than the average sized person, doing cardio is also building muscle? I mean are you going to tell me that under my fatty tissue, I'm devouring my muscles via diet and cardio? That I'm just imagining that my body is changing, my calves are getting defined, my butt is lifting, etc etc?
I mean, I would just think that if I'm carrying around an extra person on my body while doing exercise, ANY exercise, I'm getting some 'resistance training' in. It's called me vs. gravity. I don't think I need to pull on rubber bands or weight machines.
Is that not valid?0 -
I really like cardio, I have a hard time getting into strength training but I know it's important too.
This is me too0 -
"Low-intensity, steady-state cardio can be good for recovery and/or for giving you more calories to eat. However, higher intensity cardio is very hard on your central nervous system and will make progressive lifting more difficult. Doing it a couple times per week? Fine, if your other recovery practices are in check (sleeping, eating, joint mobility, soft tissue work, etc.). Doing it 5 or 6 times a week? You won't be lifting heavy, and you won't be lifting for long. That's going to mean that a lot of whatever weight you lose will be muscle, and that's going to mean that you just look like a smaller version of what you are now. Not leaner, just smaller. So, decide on your priorities (fat loss, weight loss, race training, etc.), and base your training on that. It's not as simple as "just do what you like." Not if you have physique goals."
Can you explain to me how MMA fighters look the way they do? Their workouts incorporate tons of high intensity cardio (not to mention actually fighting) and yet they somehow don't seem to lose all their muscle mass or physique. Same with a whole lot of different kind of athletes who do much more than just heavy lifting.0 -
Perhaps it is just me but I thought you needed to do some cardio to lose body fat. I know it can be boring at times but isn't it necessary to do in order to get leaner and lower your body fat? It's not that I'm a big fan or anything although I do love to run but I also lift weights too. It just seems that cardio isn't fun anymore.
Thoughts?
You need cardio for cardiovascular health.
A calorie deficit is necessary for weightloss. Cardio may help you achieve this deficit (ie allow you to eat more and still be in deficit), but it's not necessary for this goal.
It's not really that complicated!0 -
I have days where I really love cardio or HIIT workouts, & others I can't stand doing them. Mostly depends on the time of the month, haha. I get sluggish sometimes. But I do enjoy it when I'm feeling into it.0
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I love cardio! If I don't get to run regularly I really miss it and personally I find it's the easiest way to acheive a calorie deficit. Otherwise there would be very little opportunity for pizza and muffins in my life
Thank you. I mean, some of us didn't gain our weight just by having back to back triplets. We gained weight because WE LIKE FOOD. The idea of just getting a deficit through diet seems well above my realm of possibility right now. Although, the one thing I find most intriguing about heavy lifting is that some ladies claim they eat like 2,400 calories per day just to maintain 130 lbs due to heavy lifting.
My problem with heavy lifting or any exercise I can't get into is that it can derail my entire exercise program to the point that I stop exercising altogether. This has happened to me in the past so I just can't really risk it again. Those who prefer lifting may have similar issues.0 -
I do, I do 200miles a week on my bicycle commute to work, even though I only live 4 miles from work :smokin: :laugh:0
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Strength training is beneficial and I think people shouldn't be afraid of it, but cardio is great for your overall health, Your cardiovascular health should be just as much a priority as the number on the scale. What is the point of having physique goals and not having overall health goals. Some very cut people still have heart attacks, still end up on high blood pressure and high cholesterol meds.
I've improved my heart health, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health doing heavy lifting. It's not like you don't get your heart rate up doing it.
Good for you that you have seen these kind of results. But in the case of my husband, lifting heavy was not enough and he is now on blood pressure and cholesterol meds and told to increase his cardio by his doctors. He still doesn't do a lot of it, but now sees the benefits. Obviously so many factors come into play when talking about your overall health and fitness, diet, exercise, genetics. Some people can do nothing or everything with no negative impact on their health, while others will find that that a balance diet and exercise regimen is their key to avoid or minimize health risks.
I hate to be indelicate, but please consider that thin, healthy people do get sick, too. Obesity does increase your chances for certain diseases but I always thought that heredity, etc played a role as well. I do look forward to a testimonial that cardio helped him get off the meds, but I suppose there's not an actual way to prove that he would never have needed them if he was a runner.0 -
swimming is an all rounder for me, as well as cardio it's toning as I'm pushing my body through water and working all my muscles! phew!0
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I LOVE weight training! Only started 7 weeks ago but the results are so much more amazing than cardio alone has done for me before.
That being said, I still love a hot and sweaty, hearts jumping out of my chest cardio session now and then!
Opinions are like buttholes, everyone's got one
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I LOVE resistance training. I've always hated running and most forms of cardio. I do really enjoy hitting and kicking the punching bags as well as agility ladder work. I do a fair bit on the treadmill because it is easy and I can goof off on my phone.0
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Strength training is beneficial and I think people shouldn't be afraid of it, but cardio is great for your overall health, Your cardiovascular health should be just as much a priority as the number on the scale. What is the point of having physique goals and not having overall health goals. Some very cut people still have heart attacks, still end up on high blood pressure and high cholesterol meds.
I've improved my heart health, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health doing heavy lifting. It's not like you don't get your heart rate up doing it.
Good for you that you have seen these kind of results. But in the case of my husband, lifting heavy was not enough and he is now on blood pressure and cholesterol meds and told to increase his cardio by his doctors. He still doesn't do a lot of it, but now sees the benefits. Obviously so many factors come into play when talking about your overall health and fitness, diet, exercise, genetics. Some people can do nothing or everything with no negative impact on their health, while others will find that that a balance diet and exercise regimen is their key to avoid or minimize health risks.
I hate to be indelicate, but please consider that thin, healthy people do get sick, too. Obesity does increase your chances for certain diseases but I always thought that heredity, etc played a role as well. I do look forward to a testimonial that cardio helped him get off the meds, but I suppose there's not an actual way to prove that he would never have needed them if he was a runner.
Genetics play a role, but most of us, myself included are trying to get fit or maintain a certain level of fitness to improve our health and avoid or minimize risks for those illnesses. Your parents having high blood pressure doesn't doom you to the same fate. Both of my parents have high blood pressure, I have always had low blood pressure. Sometimes dangerously low, but low nonetheless. In my husband's case he didn't know his family history but still thought he was leading a health lifestyle. His protein packed diets, no fast food and supplements is how he has always been. He works hard in the gym and has for years, but never thought of cardio as a priority. His doctor is the one that said you can keep lifting, but throw some cardio in there. He lifts to maintain his physique, but now sees the combination of strength and cardio is better for his overall health. The funny thing about MFP, I see some people give thumbs up to people who say they lift heavy and do no cardio, while some folks are so critical of the cardio only crowd. In my opinion, it shouldn't be an all or nothing, but both.0 -
Love cardio, just another thing I can do to push myself and improve at! I tend to jog 2 miles 3 days a week (on rest days) and it's keeping my weightloss going at a steady rate.0
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Weights!!
For the love if god, thank you for weights!!! Nothing beats feeling that burn in your legs, not being able to pee and everything drops on the floor after you've done a leg session!!!
It's hilarious!!!!0 -
I absolutely loves cardio, keeps myself heart rate up0
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Yes. I do both. :drinker:0 -
i like cardio, but i also like lifting. But which one is better?
there's only one way to find out......
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You only need a calorie deficit to lose fat. Cardio helps this, it also helps improve CV fitness, but doesn't directly cause fat loss, nor is it the only way.0
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I think the consensus is that cardio is very effective depending on how it is performed and how it compliments your other training and/or your diet. For example, high intensity interval training has been identified as a successful way of helping lose body fat...this is still classed as cardio.0
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