Cardio? The key to a perfect body?

heyitsapanda

My goal is to lose weight in a healthy way to gain a lean body. I am not looking to be built and muscular, just thin and healthy looking. I do a lot of cardio such as walking, jogging, and running with intervals. I have a 1400 calorie limit and I stay under that limit daily.

I wanted some tips on how to gain the lean and thin body that i've been trying to achieve. I am really not a big weight lifter and I exercise at home on a treadmill.

ThePhoenixIsRising

<<< lean body, no cardio EVER!!!(I hate cardio)

I lift heavy things and put them down. It's repetitive, but it gets the job done.

heybales

Well, being in a diet that's a great recipe for losing muscle mass, easily 20% since that's about standard amount anyway for those that don't watch out.

You can save yourself by at least doing 2 of the 3 things needed to retain muscles mass. Or else you'll lose fat and muscle and expose underlying ..... well, not much.

So resistance training is out it appears, though it doesn't have to be strength training, and frankly, as a woman, you'd have to do a lot perfect and eat in surplus to even gain enough muscle to be concerned with. Perhaps you are thinking of women on steroids.
Are cross-fitters bulky by your standards? Here's last years winner.


http://www.popsugar.com.au/fitness/2014-CrossFit-Games-Winner-Camille-Leblanc-Bazinet-Interview-35423230

Also a reasonable deficit for amount to lose and your exercise, which if it's cardio, shoot for 1/2 lb weekly, or 250 cal deficit.

And then enough protein, 0.82 grams per pound of body weight.

Do those last 2 and you can hold on to what you got - hopefully.

And at least approach the benefit of lifting by doing 1 set of intervals per week, though it'll be hard on a treadmill.
10 min warm-up walk and jog slow.
15 - 45 sec all out as fast and/or hard as you can go. So incline may go up with speed.
3 x as long walking for recovery, so 45 - 135 seconds.
Repeat 10 times.
10 min cool-down walk and jog slow.

That's as close as you'll get cardio to the benefits of strength training without doing it.

alikonda

Do whatever exercise makes you happy, OP. You can absolutely lift weights (even heavy ones!) without getting "built," "bulky," etc. The level of muscle definition you see depends more on your % bodyfat.

I'm not huge into weights, but I really enjoy bodyweight exercises & HIIT workouts. (I can do them on my own schedule and with 0 equipment!) Check out fitnessblender.com for a bunch of free videos!

Pinguzaf

I DEFINITELY want Camille's body!! Sigh...:sad:

Kalikel

Try swimming. You'll get toned up, but won't be muscular.

chadya07

there is no such thing as a perfect body. and its subjective anyway.

you wont bulk up doing cardio or strength training unless you do it in abundance... extremes...

the first key to a perfect body is realizing that a perfect body isnt a reasonable goal.

then do what makes you happy. i do both strength and cardio but i enjoy cardio more, so thats what i do most. my body will pretty much be what it wants to be once i meet my weight loss goal. i figure as long as i keep moving i will end up my best me. the best me i can be is way better than perfection.

Mr_Knight

Are cross-fitters bulky by your standards? Here's last years winner.

No thigh gap.

Fail.

annietud

I DEFINITELY want Camille's body!! Sigh...:sad:

Me too! But you saw it first????

Therealobi1

I DEFINITELY want Camille's body!! Sigh...:sad:

yep she looks great

Springfield1970

I think she looks bulky. It's all about personal taste at the end of the day.

OP I lift. Heavy. And I do cardio, but I'm flabbier and bigger when I'm doing just cardio. My goal was to be lean but not too cut or masculine. I achieve this by watching my food, keeping a BMI on 19, and not doing too much chest arms, traps, hams and quads. I concentrate on glutes, back, shoulders. I do a lot of squatting, dead lifting, glute bridges and hip thrusts as heavy as possible.

RedArizona5

<<< lean body, no cardio EVER!!!(I hate cardio)

I lift heavy things and put them down. It's repetitive, but it gets the job done.

Your physique is great, idk what exactly you do, but um who is camille? LOL

RedArizona5

I wish I could help..You can eat clean but eat enough too of anything that came from the earth- nothing packaged. That will hopefully include natural proteins to sustain your muscles and ditch the fat-no cheese unless you already hate cheese then i WISH i was you. some healthy fat is necessary like olive oil, fish oil etc etc. Its my best shot at what your asking for. Do give yourself a a small break and every once in a while give in to a craving to keep your motivation up. Food is the life source of your body's energy and well if you have no energy you can do cardio

TLIVIGNSTON

Are cross-fitters bulky by your standards? Here's last years winner.

No thigh gap.

Fail.

and her arms are bigger than mine... kind of a turn of for me.

wubbykid

How tall are you?

meshashesha2012

I think she looks bulky. It's all about personal taste at the end of the day.

OP I lift. Heavy. And I do cardio, but I'm flabbier and bigger when I'm doing just cardio. My goal was to be lean but not too cut or masculine. I achieve this by watching my food, keeping a BMI on 19, and not doing too much chest arms, traps, hams and quads. I concentrate on glutes, back, shoulders. I do a lot of squatting, dead lifting, glute bridges and hip thrusts as heavy as possible.

I think so as well but as an athlete i seriously doubt she doing stuff in order to get a certain physique. for me personally, many of the crossfit ladies i watched compete don't have a look i'd like for myself. but they got there with A LOT of hard work and eating like champs, so it's not something that happens by mistake

BUT OP, here's an article for you to read: http://bretcontreras.com/how-to-attain-a-slender-look-like-jessica-alba-zoe-saldana/

basically the recommendation is to work out with weights on a strength training plan. if/when you get to the point where you don't like what your body looks like then change the plan a bit.

ninerbuff

I think she looks bulky. It's all about personal taste at the end of the day.

I believe you mean muscular. A "bulky" person usually doesn't display much muscle definition. Think offensive lineman here.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

TLIVIGNSTON

I think she looks bulky. It's all about personal taste at the end of the day.

I believe you mean muscular. A "bulky" person usually doesn't display much muscle definition. Think offensive lineman here.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

True, i guess she could be an offensive line women?? haha.

skinnyinnotime

Lean = Muscle

But you don't want that, so I can't offer advice.

Springfield1970

I think she looks bulky. It's all about personal taste at the end of the day.

I believe you mean muscular. A "bulky" person usually doesn't display much muscle definition. Think offensive lineman here.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I disagree, I think she is muscular AND has quite a bit of fat. It's not a 'cut' look. But she is beautiful too. Beautiful and bulky!

psych101

Camille looks like she could throw me around the room.....and I kinda like that. :drinker:

tennisdude2004

My goal is to lose weight in a healthy way to gain a lean body. I am not looking to be built and muscular, just thin and healthy looking. I do a lot of cardio such as walking, jogging, and running with intervals. I have a 1400 calorie limit and I stay under that limit daily.

I wanted some tips on how to gain the lean and thin body that i've been trying to achieve. I am really not a big weight lifter and I exercise at home on a treadmill.

If you want the best exercises for healthy weight loss and fitness I would suggest dropping the cardio and focus on resistance training and High Intensity Interval Training.

There are plenty of websites that start you off with body weight resistance programs and most are free - a good site for this is nerd fitness (there are of course plenty of other ones).

If you like doing cardio you could always add light cardio sessions into you rest days!

Bottom line - cardio won't get you lean and if you overdo cardio it won't even get you healthy!

ExRelaySprinter

Are cross-fitters bulky by your standards? Here's last years winner.

Erm,...yeah to me she does look bulky!
I understand what you mean OP.....I'm not a fan of heavy lifting either as i'm afraid to bulk up (plus it just seems kinda boring :yawn: )
I use small weights and incorporate that with my Cardio Dvd and i also do Dance.
I'm pretty happy with my arms, but now working on my stomach.
As someone suggested earlier - maybe swimming could help (as well as interval training on the treadmill).

sijomial

If you want the best exercises for healthy weight loss and fitness I would suggest dropping the cardio and focus on resistance training and High Intensity Interval Training.

There are plenty of websites that start you off with body weight resistance programs and most are free - a good site for this is nerd fitness (there are of course plenty of other ones).

If you like doing cardio you could always add light cardio sessions into you rest days!

Bottom line - cardio won't get you lean and if you overdo cardio it won't even get you healthy!

I do support a balanced exercise routine but a few of your points are way off.

Dropping cardio but doing HIIT instead - so that would be dropping cardio and adding cardio? Okay.....
Although HIIT is good it isn't the answer to everything. Like all exercise it's goal dependant.

"Cardio won't get you lean" - that would be a calorie deficit. And if cardio contributes to that it will get you lean. You must have seen quite a few a lean cyclists, runners, swimmers, dancers etc etc?

As for overdoing cardio - that's really not a problem for the vast majority of people let alone making them unhealthy!

fcmonkey50

If you like the cardio, google HIT training. In a nutshell, high intensity to get your heart rate up and then steady pace (elliptical, rowing, biking or running). 20 minutes of HIT will get you better results than an hour of light/moderate traditional cardio.

Don't dismiss anaerobic training though. You can definitely build muscle (which burns more fat) without getting bulky. Diet is the real key. As a general guideline, 3 sets of 15-20 reps will get you results. Once you lose the fat, the muscle you uncover will be toned and look great, not to mention it will get you to your goal faster.

Good luck

tennisdude2004

If you want the best exercises for healthy weight loss and fitness I would suggest dropping the cardio and focus on resistance training and High Intensity Interval Training.

There are plenty of websites that start you off with body weight resistance programs and most are free - a good site for this is nerd fitness (there are of course plenty of other ones).

If you like doing cardio you could always add light cardio sessions into you rest days!

Bottom line - cardio won't get you lean and if you overdo cardio it won't even get you healthy!

I do support a balanced exercise routine but a few of your points are way off.

Dropping cardio but doing HIIT instead - so that would be dropping cardio and adding cardio? Okay.....
Although HIIT is good it isn't the answer to everything. Like all exercise it's goal dependant.

"Cardio won't get you lean" - that would be a calorie deficit. And if cardio contributes to that it will get you lean. You must have seen quite a few a lean cyclists, runners, swimmers, dancers etc etc?

As for overdoing cardio - that's really not a problem for the vast majority of people let alone making them unhealthy!

I think most people would consider cardio and HIIT as different exercises (I do think you are nit picking).

Excessive cardio can be very muscle wasting so no I do not support the fact that cardio gets you lean. I have seen very lean cyclists, runners, swimmers and dancers and I would think that they all got lean through adding in resistance training and some form of HIIT.

I've also seen a lot of skinny runners (I would assume these guys stuck to just the cardio).

I am not saying don't do cardio (it has it's place in a balanced exercise routine), its just for the OP it will not be the cardio getting her the results.

In regards to excessive cardio making people unhealthy - yes it very much does. Just look at most elite runners or even club runners after they quite running!

You may possibly be confusing health with fitness!

As for the average person. I see plenty of the same faces at the gym most days pounding out miles on the treadmill.

Cardio is a great thing to do in moderation, I love a good cardio warm up or 32 mile bike ride every so often. Would I make it the main part of a fitness regime - no.

snowflake954

I have noticed that when people ask for cardio advice on here alot of people belittle cardio and insist that you have to lift to get a great, lean bod. I can only tell you my experience. Three days a week I swim, do acquagym and have been on MFP for over a year. I've lost 20lbs and have gotten alot leaner--no flab, and like the way I look. Now all you lifters out there hang on, because I have nothing against lifting, or the results it gives, but you have to remember that not everyone can ( I have AO, plus wrist issues), or wants to lift, and that's OK. Yes, in my opinion you can get lean with "just" cardio, and the swimmers at my pool sure look lean and healthy. Wishing you the best.

sijomial

If you want the best exercises for healthy weight loss and fitness I would suggest dropping the cardio and focus on resistance training and High Intensity Interval Training.

There are plenty of websites that start you off with body weight resistance programs and most are free - a good site for this is nerd fitness (there are of course plenty of other ones).

If you like doing cardio you could always add light cardio sessions into you rest days!

Bottom line - cardio won't get you lean and if you overdo cardio it won't even get you healthy!

I do support a balanced exercise routine but a few of your points are way off.

Dropping cardio but doing HIIT instead - so that would be dropping cardio and adding cardio? Okay.....
Although HIIT is good it isn't the answer to everything. Like all exercise it's goal dependant.

"Cardio won't get you lean" - that would be a calorie deficit. And if cardio contributes to that it will get you lean. You must have seen quite a few a lean cyclists, runners, swimmers, dancers etc etc?

As for overdoing cardio - that's really not a problem for the vast majority of people let alone making them unhealthy!

I think most people would consider cardio and HIIT as different exercises (I do think you are nit picking).

Excessive cardio can be very muscle wasting so no I do not support the fact that cardio gets you lean. I have seen very lean cyclists, runners, swimmers and dancers and I would think that they all got lean through adding in resistance training and some form of HIIT.

I've also seen a lot of skinny runners (I would assume these guys stuck to just the cardio).

I am not saying don't do cardio (it has it's place in a balanced exercise routine), its just for the OP it will not be the cardio getting her the results.

In regards to excessive cardio making people unhealthy - yes it very much does. Just look at most elite runners or even club runners after they quite running!

You may possibly be confusing fitness with health!

As for the average person. I see plenty of the same faces at the gym most days pounding out miles on the treadmill.

Cardio is a great thing to do in moderation, I love a good cardio warm up or 32 mile bike ride every so often. Would I make it the main part of a fitness regime - no.

Not nit picking - HIIT is a form of cardio. Yes it's different in intensity and (if done correctly) should have short periods to anaerobic levels but it's cardio.

"Excessive cardio can be very muscle wasting" - you had better define excessive. If you research it you will find it's so extreme it's actually beyond the capabilities of 99.9% of people (like ultra marathon running). I'm currently training for a long cycle event and putting in many hours of cardio training (10 last week) including steady state, intervals etc.. Far from being muscle wasting it's having the opposite effect. Muscle wasting is more likely to come from an inadequate diet (and/or excessive calorie deficit) and not from too much exercise.

By the way those ultra lean (6%) elite cyclists actively avoid resistence training - excessive upper body muscle is counter productive for their sport. Anyway enough about elite athletes - pushing the idea that people doing very ordinary amounts of exercise is unhealthy or muscle wasting is ludicrous.

And I do understand the difference between fit and healthy.
Having just lost my Mum to heart failure I really wish she had done some more cardio throughout her life. Resistance training might have saved her from breaking her hip in a fall though. Hence my support for a balance of cardio and resistance exercise for overall health and fitness.

tennisdude2004

If you want the best exercises for healthy weight loss and fitness I would suggest dropping the cardio and focus on resistance training and High Intensity Interval Training.

There are plenty of websites that start you off with body weight resistance programs and most are free - a good site for this is nerd fitness (there are of course plenty of other ones).

If you like doing cardio you could always add light cardio sessions into you rest days!

Bottom line - cardio won't get you lean and if you overdo cardio it won't even get you healthy!

I do support a balanced exercise routine but a few of your points are way off.

Dropping cardio but doing HIIT instead - so that would be dropping cardio and adding cardio? Okay.....
Although HIIT is good it isn't the answer to everything. Like all exercise it's goal dependant.

"Cardio won't get you lean" - that would be a calorie deficit. And if cardio contributes to that it will get you lean. You must have seen quite a few a lean cyclists, runners, swimmers, dancers etc etc?

As for overdoing cardio - that's really not a problem for the vast majority of people let alone making them unhealthy!

I think most people would consider cardio and HIIT as different exercises (I do think you are nit picking).

Excessive cardio can be very muscle wasting so no I do not support the fact that cardio gets you lean. I have seen very lean cyclists, runners, swimmers and dancers and I would think that they all got lean through adding in resistance training and some form of HIIT.

I've also seen a lot of skinny runners (I would assume these guys stuck to just the cardio).

I am not saying don't do cardio (it has it's place in a balanced exercise routine), its just for the OP it will not be the cardio getting her the results.

In regards to excessive cardio making people unhealthy - yes it very much does. Just look at most elite runners or even club runners after they quite running!

You may possibly be confusing fitness with health!

As for the average person. I see plenty of the same faces at the gym most days pounding out miles on the treadmill.

Cardio is a great thing to do in moderation, I love a good cardio warm up or 32 mile bike ride every so often. Would I make it the main part of a fitness regime - no.

Not nit picking - HIIT is a form of cardio. Yes it's different in intensity and (if done correctly) should have short periods to anaerobic levels but it's cardio.

"Excessive cardio can be very muscle wasting" - you had better define excessive. If you research it you will find it's so extreme it's actually beyond the capabilities of 99.9% of people (like ultra marathon running). I'm currently training for a long cycle event and putting in many hours of cardio training (10 last week) including steady state, intervals etc.. Far from being muscle wasting it's having the opposite effect. Muscle wasting is more likely to come from an inadequate diet (and/or excessive calorie deficit) and not from too much exercise.

By the way those ultra lean (6%) elite cyclists actively avoid resistence training - excessive upper body muscle is counter productive for their sport. Anyway enough about elite athletes - pushing the idea that people doing very ordinary amounts of exercise is unhealthy or muscle wasting is ludicrous.

And I do understand the difference between fit and healthy.
Having just lost my Mum to heart failure I really wish she had done some more cardio throughout her life. Resistance training might have saved her from breaking her hip in a fall though. Hence my support for a balance of cardio and resistance exercise for overall health and fitness.

Sorry to hear about your mum!

Just take a look at the elite triathletes or iron man competitors who over the years have died in their 50's or had to retire from their sport early due to cardiac issues or inflamed joints. The hormone cortisol plays a vital role in our lives and is a very essential hormone, but one thing the human body does not need is excessive amounts of it flushing around our system (doing hours and hours a week of cardio will do just that).

As I have said before there is nothing wrong (in fact it is beneficial) with moderate cardio!

And yes you are nit picking, unless of course we agree that all exercise is cardio (due to the fact that at some point our bodies will be in an aerobic state).

Also those ultra marathon runners will be training and competing a probably anaerobic conditions!

heyitsapanda

.

heybales

Sorry to hear about your mum!

Just take a look at the elite triathletes or iron man competitors who over the years have died in their 50's or had to retire from their sport early due to cardiac issues or inflamed joints. The hormone cortisol plays a vital role in our lives and is a very essential hormone, but one thing the human body does not need is excessive amounts of it flushing around our system (doing hours and hours a week of cardio will do just that).

As I have said before there is nothing wrong (in fact it is beneficial) with moderate cardio!

And yes you are nit picking, unless of course we agree that all exercise is cardio (due to the fact that at some point our bodies will be in an aerobic state).

Also those ultra marathon runners will be training and competing a probably anaerobic conditions!

That last line.... huh?
An ultra-marathoner could never finish a marathon in anaerobic conditions, frankly not right up next to that cross-over line either.
You couldn't store enough carbs to do it, neither could you intake enough during the race to accomplish it at that level of intensity.

I think you just made the point with your example of what level of training was required to cause those problems, and why the 99.9% on here wouldn't need to ever worry about it.
And frankly, even at that level, there are different training methods.
Several from past years, and a few currently learning from them, trained max-aerobic state, so while long hours, much less intense except for very specific short periods.
I've seen the training plans of some of the current batch of high placed ones - ya, they are asking for issues down the road likely as well as beating their bodies up pretty good, on same hours but more intense.