How much cardio do I need?

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spm2010
spm2010 Posts: 197 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I really do like to walk and its the best thing for me right now as I am a single mom so can just push my son in the stroller and I have a bad knee. I used to walk 3-4 hours a day, obviously not going to happen again but I was wondering. In order to lose the 18lbs I want with my reduced calories and 3 times a week strength training program, how much walking should I do every day to speed things along. I would love to do intervals or biking but it causes my knee so much pain I end up not being able to move at all. My goal is at least 12 pounds by July 1st

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  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    if your bike is causing you knee pain, you should really make sure it is properly sized up for you. you are either not extending your knee enough, or too much. i bet that the seat is probably too low. the proper height for a bike seat is so that when you are sitting on it, you can barely touch the ground with your tip toes.

    just like strength training, you can build up your cardio little by little. do not work through the pain. warming up properly with some dynamic stretching and some body weight squats will help "lubricate" your joints for the upcoming work out.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,302 Member
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    I really do like to walk and its the best thing for me right now as I am a single mom so can just push my son in the stroller and I have a bad knee. I used to walk 3-4 hours a day, obviously not going to happen again but I was wondering. In order to lose the 18lbs I want with my reduced calories and 3 times a week strength training program, how much walking should I do every day to speed things along. I would love to do intervals or biking but it causes my knee so much pain I end up not being able to move at all. My goal is at least 12 pounds by July 1st

    OP a rough calculation for walking is 1 mile=100 calories. So, 35 miles=1 pound of loss, assuming rough and estimate are fairly close and assuming all things being equal. So, how many miles a week you walk will provide your additional weight loss. Best of luck, heal the knee, and pushing the stroller probably gives you a few more calories(shhhhh.....do not try to count them). Again this is an estimate, good luck.
  • spm2010
    spm2010 Posts: 197 Member
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    Def up hills Id bet it does lol. I was thinking 1 hours a day, 30 minutes than head to park and 30 minutes back home so me and the kid both get what we want
  • fionarama
    fionarama Posts: 788 Member
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    you don't have to do ANY cardio at all to lsoe weight, its a matter of getting your calorie quota right FOR YOU (ignore all the stupid TDEE stuff on here just experiment).
    If you are already losing weight at the calorie level you have set now, you will lose more if you start doing more cardio. If you are staying the same weight at your calorie level but not so far doing any cardio a bit of cardio added in might be enough to help you start losing.
    If you are gaining weight at the level you are on starting cardio will help also.
    I think to be honest if you have a small child you need to get out for a walk every day anyway - for the child's sake not yours! That said having a young baby, weight training and still recovering from the birth, being a single mom AND having a bad knee - you've got a bit on your plate so please please don't try to kill yourself doing hours of cardio every day as you'll over do it.
    If you get your calorie level right the cardio really isn't as big of a deal and if you get too stressed it gets too hard to manage your diary.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    I really do like to walk and its the best thing for me right now as I am a single mom so can just push my son in the stroller and I have a bad knee. I used to walk 3-4 hours a day, obviously not going to happen again but I was wondering. In order to lose the 18lbs I want with my reduced calories and 3 times a week strength training program, how much walking should I do every day to speed things along. I would love to do intervals or biking but it causes my knee so much pain I end up not being able to move at all. My goal is at least 12 pounds by July 1st

    You just need to eat less than what you need in order to lose weight.

    The exercise portion of it is optional.....but people do it while they eat less in order to achieve some goal they have set.
    And plus it can help the process, as exercise requires more fuel/energy.....thus more calories.
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
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    the proper height for a bike seat is so that when you are sitting on it, you can barely touch the ground with your tip toes.

    Sorry, that's incorrect. the Seat hight should be set relative to the PEDALS not the ground!
  • Anniebotnen
    Anniebotnen Posts: 332 Member
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    Weight training, walking and reducing your calories should work just fine! As others have said, it's not necessary to do hours of cardio, and doing anything that hurts to the point you cannot move would be totally counterproductive (and not smart). Good luck reaching your 18 pound objective! And if it takes a little longer, big deal - you'll get there!
  • prestigio
    prestigio Posts: 181 Member
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    I was always told to set the saddle to hip height when standing next to it. Ofcourse the height can vary a bit as pedals can be lower/higher from/to the ground, but it is more a rule of thumb.
    Stand next to the bike, raise/lower saddle to hip height and get along :D
  • KaterinaTerese
    KaterinaTerese Posts: 345 Member
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    07995eb97a008cb4f93be609caf52540.jpg
  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,367 Member
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    also, if pedaling on the bike makes your knees hurt, then you are doing it wrong. the bike should be an aerobic exercise (not a strength exercise) which means that you should pedal faster with less pressure on your legs and not slower and more pressure.

    a good rule of thumb is to have the pedals rotate at least 45 times a minute - I usually pedal at 60+ but I have quite a bit of experience and time on the bike. this was very hard for me when I first started riding, but now it as natural as walking.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    the proper height for a bike seat is so that when you are sitting on it, you can barely touch the ground with your tip toes.

    Sorry, that's incorrect. the Seat hight should be set relative to the PEDALS not the ground!

    true, however the way i said is pretty good way to approximate the right riding height.

    this is an article on how to adjust your seat. http://www.ebicycles.com/article/determining-your-bicycle-saddle-height.html
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
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    also, if pedaling on the bike makes your knees hurt, then you are doing it wrong. the bike should be an aerobic exercise (not a strength exercise) which means that you should pedal faster with less pressure on your legs and not slower and more pressure.

    a good rule of thumb is to have the pedals rotate at least 45 times a minute - I usually pedal at 60+ but I have quite a bit of experience and time on the bike. this was very hard for me when I first started riding, but now it as natural as walking.

    My cycling cadence is between 75 and 90 - typically I aim for about 80.
  • HopeNShelton
    HopeNShelton Posts: 59 Member
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    I do a cardio workout 6x a week and on Sunday I relax and walk. I feel amazing and have awesome weight loss results. :smile:
  • spm2010
    spm2010 Posts: 197 Member
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    I really do like to walk and its the best thing for me right now as I am a single mom so can just push my son in the stroller and I have a bad knee. I used to walk 3-4 hours a day, obviously not going to happen again but I was wondering. In order to lose the 18lbs I want with my reduced calories and 3 times a week strength training program, how much walking should I do every day to speed things along. I would love to do intervals or biking but it causes my knee so much pain I end up not being able to move at all. My goal is at least 12 pounds by July 1st

    You just need to eat less than what you need in order to lose weight.

    The exercise portion of it is optional.....but people do it while they eat less in order to achieve some goal they have set.
    And plus it can help the process, as exercise requires more fuel/energy.....thus more calories.

    I am also trying to really firm up and I know if I don't workout I slowly lose weight and don't look so hot lol
  • spm2010
    spm2010 Posts: 197 Member
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    07995eb97a008cb4f93be609caf52540.jpg

    lol
  • spm2010
    spm2010 Posts: 197 Member
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    I do a cardio workout 6x a week and on Sunday I relax and walk. I feel amazing and have awesome weight loss results. :smile:

    What kind of cardio......and its not that I cant ride a bike I hae something going on with my knee that I need to go see a specialist for, makes a popping and cracking sound if I bend
  • colin_mccomb
    colin_mccomb Posts: 6
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    Calories in, calories out. If you want to lose 12 pounds by July 1. You have 7 weeks - that makes 1.5 lbs per week (roughly). Set your goal in Fitness Pal to lose 2 lbs per week so you have room to spare, and ensure you set your diet to meet your calorie goals. After that, any cardio you burn should be a bonus to help speed things along. The diet is more reliable than the cardio, as exercise tends to build muscle, which can add weight, rather than decrease it. Measure inches as well as weight to keep more accurate tabs on your overall progress.
  • HopeNShelton
    HopeNShelton Posts: 59 Member
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    spm2010.... I go to Curves and do the complete smart cardio program there. I lost 21 inches the first month and 21 pounds. I feel 20 yrs younger since Ive started losing weight and working out. I would suggest if you have a Curves program near you to try that. They are really good at modifying the workout if you have injuries or any type of disabling condition that makes regular exercise difficult for you. I wish you luck in whatever you choose to do. Just watching calories and losing weight doesnt mean you will maintain a healthy body.

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