Weight loss vs. Cardio

chiquitacraig

I noticed this a long time ago and have always wondered about it so I thought I'd post it here to get some outside opinions. After a workout, I'll do 30-40 minutes of cardio, usually on an elliptical or treadmill. On the particular machines I use, there's a chart that shows the ranges of heart rates for "weight loss (low intensity)" and "cardio (high intensity)" depending on your age. I'm curious as to what the difference is between these two. If you're in the "cardio" range, your heart rate is higher and you burn more calories, right? So wouldn't that lead to more weight loss? If I try to stay in the low intensity "weight loss" range, I don't feel like I'm exerting much effort and I'm not getting a good workout. Any suggestions, comments, clarifications?

BigT555

low intensity can be sustained for longer periods of time so most people are able to burn more calories in a low intensity session than a high intensity one, although it takes longer

renzo211

From my research, high intensity has more (different?) benefits, mainly because these type of exercises make your heart work more, therefore requiere more energy due to the increased blood flow to your body. Plus, it is a fact (i'll try to find some articles) that high intensity interval training (HIIT) continues to bump up your metabolism post exercising. I believe that even 1.5 days after doing HIIT your body is still burning more calories than it normally does. Downside is that you need more time/days to recover.

"Regular" cardio or low intensity like BigT555 said can be sustained for a longer period of time, I consider it very boring but yeah... you can reach the same calorie goal for an exercise.

JoRocka

weight loss settings are typically moderate/low steady state cardio- purely for time- the longer you can go - the more you can burn.

Unfortunately long stead state cardio is extremely useful for building calorie deficit.

Which sucks- because it's BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.

but it has it's uses.

segovm

weight loss settings are typically moderate/low steady state cardio- purely for time- the longer you can go - the more you can burn.

Unfortunately long stead state cardio is extremely useful for building calorie deficit.

Which sucks- because it's BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.

but it has it's uses.

I used to hate doing an hour of cardio in the gym but have way more fun doing a few hours outside in the real world on the bike. I've come to the conclusion that my cardio is solar powered.

WandaMM1

I recall reading some where that your body gets its energy from/in a different way based on your intensity level. I believe at lower intensities, you are more apt to burn fat stores (e.g. convert fat to energy), At higher intensities, your body will use all available "easy" energy first (e.g. as available in your blood supply). Once the easy energy is exhausted, your body will use what is stored (fat or even from within the muscles). Then, it again comes back to duration. If you can work out for an hour, you'll tap on your fat stores at some point. If you can only work out for 15-25 minutes, you may never tap on stored energy.

segovm

I recall reading some where that your body gets its energy from/in a different way based on your intensity level. I believe at lower intensities, you are more apt to burn fat stores (e.g. convert fat to energy), At higher intensities, your body will use all available "easy" energy first (e.g. as available in your blood supply). Once the easy energy is exhausted, your body will use what is stored (fat or even from within the muscles). Then, it again comes back to duration. If you can work out for an hour, you'll tap on your fat stores at some point. If you can only work out for 15-25 minutes, you may never tap on stored energy.

There's a little bit of truth to that but in the big picture I don't think it really factors in from my understanding.

20 minute workout burns 300 calories of sugar for example.

After the workout your body has 300 less calories of sugar to fuel it.

Now as your body fuels itself for the rest of the day it will be 300 calories closer to converting fat back into usable fuel to keep you going.

So even if the workout did not burn fat, it burned other fuels that will drive the body to eventually need fat to keep going along with the day.

chiquitacraig

Thanks, everyone, for the comments and ideas. So, if I understand this correctly, it simply boils down to a trade-off between time and intensity. And, of course, diet is a huge part of calorie burning as well.

So, my next question is this: What about weight training? The process of building muscle burns fat but I don't want to bulk up. So should I focus on more intense/longer cardio?

btw, @segovm, that "my cardio is solar powered" - I like that, I'm gonna keep that in mind from now on :-)

JoRocka

weight loss settings are typically moderate/low steady state cardio- purely for time- the longer you can go - the more you can burn.

Unfortunately long stead state cardio is extremely useful for building calorie deficit.

Which sucks- because it's BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.

but it has it's uses.

I used to hate doing an hour of cardio in the gym but have way more fun doing a few hours outside in the real world on the bike. I've come to the conclusion that my cardio is solar powered.

Yeah- I do much better without side that's for sure- but my problem is- I'm not sweating my *kitten* off in teh gym- then getting in my car to go drive home to go run- and the gym is not located in a place worth running in... so if I don't do cardio at the gym- it mostly doesn't get done.

I occasionally will flog myself into going for a run outside of lifting days- but I'm not kidding when I say flog. it's pretty pathetic how good I am at lifting but how atrocious I am at motivating myself to run.

Azdak

I recall reading some where that your body gets its energy from/in a different way based on your intensity level. I believe at lower intensities, you are more apt to burn fat stores (e.g. convert fat to energy), At higher intensities, your body will use all available "easy" energy first (e.g. as available in your blood supply). Once the easy energy is exhausted, your body will use what is stored (fat or even from within the muscles). Then, it again comes back to duration. If you can work out for an hour, you'll tap on your fat stores at some point. If you can only work out for 15-25 minutes, you may never tap on stored energy.

Unless you are doing an ultramarathon or swimming the english channel, most people never "tap on stored energy" during a workout--at least not stored fat. Between circulating glucose, stored glycogen, and stored triglycerides in the muscles (which is different from the visceral or subcutaneous adipose tissue we are most concerned about), the body normally has ample fuel to complete most workouts. You use up stored body fat after the workout and during the rest of the day.

As a rule people should train for fitness, rather than weight loss. That means including workouts of different intensities and durations. Increasing fitness allows you to work harder and longer, thus increasing overall calorie burn, which increases your daily calorie deficit, which---well you get the idea.

Ignore all charts, labels, etc on cardio machines that describe recommended heart rates, or heart rate "zones".

MeanderingMammal

Unfortunately long stead state cardio is extremely useful for building calorie deficit.

And building aerobic capacity of course. But don't do it on a machine as that causes severe boredom.

MeanderingMammal

On the particular machines I use, there's a chart that shows the ranges of heart rates for "weight loss (low intensity)" and "cardio (high intensity)" depending on your age.

Rate ranges aren't particularly meaningful in terms of weight loss, and only peripherally meaningful for fitness as everyone has a different CV capacity.

Essentially long period moderate intensity builds aerobic capacity and endurance, shorter periods at higher intensity approaching the anaerobic threshold improve your ability to convert fuel and your ability to operate with waste products in your system, and highest intensity very short periods help build your ability to convert oxygen; VO2Max.

The benefit of long duration moderate intensity is that it consumes a lot of calories, so gives you more flexibility to eat lots.