Just say no to Cardio!

randa_behnam

Interesting that so many of you are so quick to attack an article so readily when I doubt that more than 1% of you are health professionals.

I thought that people on here would find more information useful to add to their arsenal in the fight against fat. But as there's not much respect for other people's views on here - I'll not bother again.

I thought the posts on this site were for general discussion and debate to be honest, but what do you expect when hundreds of people on here are working hard to lose weight and are then told that its all a waste of time because of someone's theory. You are right, we arent all health professionals but any exercise is good for you. I thought cardio was good for the heart and helps you build stamina. Please dont take offence, again this is a discussion and if you didnt want any negative views then maybe next time think before you post.

Not everyone will agree on the same thing. different things work for different people. no one is attacking you, they are your views and if they work for you then good for you. But the article was a bit strong to imply that cardio is a waste of time.

corpus_validum

Can I ask about the cortisol thing? I've never heard of it before and am interested. What is, how is it produced and what would be classed as "overdoing it" on cardio workouts?

Many thanks

Lanfear,

Here is a really good article on cortisol and excessive cardio:
"Why Big Caloric Deficits and Lots of Activity Can Hurt Fat loss"
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html

backinthenines

I have no idea what the original first post said as it was deleted before I could look at it, however the debate about excessive cardio and weight gain is a very interesting one and one I personally experienced while training for an Ironman in 2009.

Rachel Cosgrove's article "The final nail in the cardio coffin"
http://figureathlete.t-nation.com/free_online_article/training/the_final_nail_in_the_cardio_coffin
is basically a very good summary of what I also experienced.

I spent something like 15 hours a week doing cardiovascular exercises and lost muscle mass, gained abdominal fat, and generally ended up weak and out of shape.

I know a lot endurance cardio peeps (triathletes, ultra marathon runners etc) and many don't believe in incorporating strength training into their schedules, but personally I feel a darn site better for it.