Who manages cardio 5/6 days a week?

stef827

I'm heading towards cardio 5/6 days a week, 7k trail run or 20 mile bike ride. I know from past experience my body is up for it and I do run/ride at high intensity (85% max average HR for run with regular peaks to 95% on 10-15% gradients, and 80% max average on cycle rides with the same 'peaks').

I'm just waking up some mornings with no energy to go out again!

Does anyone else manage to do 5/6 days a week at this intensity (which I actually think is low - used to run for 1h 30mins easy & compete in 100 mile road races with daily 25-35 mile training loops) and how long did it take you to build up? I've not really done this for a couple of years and seems to be taking longer to build back up than I expected!

Are you doing this for a sport? (good move)
Are you doing this for fat loss? (Really, Really, bad move)

I thought cardiograph is good for fat loss? Would you be able to explain why this would be bad? Thanks

Not cardiograph just cardio, sorry

thecrossfitter

I thought cardiograph is good for fat loss? Would you be able to explain why this would be bad? Thanks

Well... I'd recommend reading this: http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/2011/05/skinny-fat/

I used to be a cardio-acholic lol. I couldn't keep my calories low enough (hungry all the time from running 50 miles a week) to keep a flat stomach like I wanted. Plus a lot of other things. Anyhow, I'd read the article - long but super informative.

I think it depends on your goals

scott091501

Just looked at OP's food log. Dude EAT. 1200-1400 cals is NEVER going to fuel that type of work. You're not overtraining, you're under eating.

BeeElMarvin

I'm heading towards cardio 5/6 days a week, 7k trail run or 20 mile bike ride. I know from past experience my body is up for it and I do run/ride at high intensity (85% max average HR for run with regular peaks to 95% on 10-15% gradients, and 80% max average on cycle rides with the same 'peaks').

I'm just waking up some mornings with no energy to go out again!

Does anyone else manage to do 5/6 days a week at this intensity (which I actually think is low - used to run for 1h 30mins easy & compete in 100 mile road races with daily 25-35 mile training loops) and how long did it take you to build up? I've not really done this for a couple of years and seems to be taking longer to build back up than I expected!

Are you doing this for a sport? (good move)
Are you doing this for fat loss? (Really, Really, bad move)

Fitness Social, Are you insuating that cardio 5-6 days a week for fat loss is a really bad move? Or that his running/biking type of cardio is a bad move. I do the Eliptical 5-6days per week and have lost weight before and recently have lost 5 lbs+ next weigh in and am starting to tone up, everywhere.

Using cardio to create a calorie deficit is a bad move and while more then likely HINDER fat loss gains. If you want to be catabolic factory be my guess. However, if you're looking for improving of body composition, don't do it at all, or very rarely.

As I said athletes are different, they are training for a sport, so they are not trying to create calorie deficit. Their calorie consumption is very high to fuel such sessions. That is why I asked.

If you are going to jump in with information like this, you owe an explanation, please. What do you mean "a catabolic factory"? and what is a "fat loss gain"? Nearly everything that I have read, followed or even considered (not to mention common sense), states that a mixture of cardio and weight training is the best path for fitness and weight loss.

I'll let him speak for himself but if you are doing massive cardio with no strength training you are going catabolic often. This means that once you are past as certain point say 45 minutes or an hour of a run or bike ride, you have depleted glycogen store and your body is using both stored fat and lean muscle mass for energy. This is why some distance runners or bikers take gel paks with them to try to replenish glycogen stores on the fly in order to not burn muscle tissue. To burn lean muscle mass is counter productive for obvious reasons. I'm assuming by "fat loss gain" he means the OP will not progress with losing mostly fat with this regimen.

To the OP, you are overtraining based on your symptoms. There is research on line available for you but I'm guessing you would progress towards you training goal for your sport by limiting your high intensity sessions to 2x maybe 3x per week and mixing in strength training as well as rest days. There are 2 parts to the equation, work/ rest. You are overworking and not resting enough for the body to rebuild.

Thanks for the better explanation. So in plain, simple, dumb-*kitten* terms, don't go overboard. Don't "over-cardio", don't under eat, don't under rest; mix up your workout ->

proper cardio + proper weight training = good workout, right?

That was my point. To simplistically state:
"Are you doing this for fat loss? (Really, Really, bad move)."
"Using cardio to create a calorie deficit is a bad move and while more then likely HINDER fat loss gains."
is misinformation. The OP is overworking and undereating - in dumb-*kitten* terms.

mmapags

Yep, that'd pretty much be it! :laugh:

chattipatty2

I'm heading towards cardio 5/6 days a week, 7k trail run or 20 mile bike ride. I know from past experience my body is up for it and I do run/ride at high intensity (85% max average HR for run with regular peaks to 95% on 10-15% gradients, and 80% max average on cycle rides with the same 'peaks').

I'm just waking up some mornings with no energy to go out again!

Does anyone else manage to do 5/6 days a week at this intensity (which I actually think is low - used to run for 1h 30mins easy & compete in 100 mile road races with daily 25-35 mile training loops) and how long did it take you to build up? I've not really done this for a couple of years and seems to be taking longer to build back up than I expected!

Are you doing this for a sport? (good move)
Are you doing this for fat loss? (Really, Really, bad move)

Fitness Social, Are you insuating that cardio 5-6 days a week for fat loss is a really bad move? Or that his running/biking type of cardio is a bad move. I do the Eliptical 5-6days per week and have lost weight before and recently have lost 5 lbs+ next weigh in and am starting to tone up, everywhere.

Using cardio to create a calorie deficit is a bad move and while more then likely HINDER fat loss gains. If you want to be catabolic factory be my guess. However, if you're looking for improving of body composition, don't do it at all, or very rarely.

As I said athletes are different, they are training for a sport, so they are not trying to create calorie deficit. Their calorie consumption is very high to fuel such sessions. That is why I asked.

If you are going to jump in with information like this, you owe an explanation, please. What do you mean "a catabolic factory"? and what is a "fat loss gain"? Nearly everything that I have read, followed or even considered (not to mention common sense), states that a mixture of cardio and weight training is the best path for fitness and weight loss.

I'll let him speak for himself but if you are doing massive cardio with no strength training you are going catabolic often. This means that once you are past as certain point say 45 minutes or an hour of a run or bike ride, you have depleted glycogen store and your body is using both stored fat and lean muscle mass for energy. This is why some distance runners or bikers take gel paks with them to try to replenish glycogen stores on the fly in order to not burn muscle tissue. To burn lean muscle mass is counter productive for obvious reasons. I'm assuming by "fat loss gain" he means the OP will not progress with losing mostly fat with this regimen.

To the OP, you are overtraining based on your symptoms. There is research on line available for you but I'm guessing you would progress towards you training goal for your sport by limiting your high intensity sessions to 2x maybe 3x per week and mixing in strength training as well as rest days. There are 2 parts to the equation, work/ rest. You are overworking and not resting enough for the body to rebuild.

Thanks for the better explanation. So in plain, simple, dumb-*kitten* terms, don't go overboard. Don't "over-cardio", don't under eat, don't under rest; mix up your workout ->

proper cardio + proper weight training = good workout, right?

That was my point. To simplistically state:
"Are you doing this for fat loss? (Really, Really, bad move)."
"Using cardio to create a calorie deficit is a bad move and while more then likely HINDER fat loss gains."
is misinformation. The OP is overworking and undereating - in dumb-*kitten* terms.

I just don't know what to say! So i will just LMAO!!!:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

thecrossfitter

Just looked at OP's food log. Dude EAT. 1200-1400 cals is NEVER going to fuel that type of work. You're not overtraining, you're under eating.

So wise. I always forget about things like this. I literally eat a minimum of 2500 calories a day and am still shrinking the waist!

diggly

Okay, so from all that I'm reading, cardio work out is okay for fat loss??

Confused newbie here!!

I also do the elliptical at high intensity or intervals plus medium resistance and I have noticed that I'm more toned even though the scales have barely moved... Is my mirror wrong?? I'm getting heaps of comments on my shape too!!

chattipatty2

Fitness Social, Are you insuating that cardio 5-6 days a week for fat loss is a really bad move? Or that his running/biking type of cardio is a bad move. I do the Eliptical 5-6days per week and have lost weight before and recently have lost 5 lbs+ next weigh in and am starting to tone up, everywhere.

I thought running was my way to lose weight. And it worked.... up to a point. I was running about 50 miles a week for seven months, and had lost some weight - but I got stuck at the photo on the left. The photo on the left, taken in August, is what my body had looked like since February, and I just couldn't get past it. I was so frustrated.

Aug, Sept, Nov, Dec


Then I read this: http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/2011/05/skinny-fat/ I started strength training, and replaced my long steady state cardio runs with metcons of with super high intensity! I did not change my diet until the end of November, and ta-da! Since then, I've really cleaned up the diet and have more energy than ever.

That said, it's race season again, and I"m running my third half marathon and my second marathon. Of course I have reinstated the long runs. I need to do this for athletic/sport purposes, and to build my body back up to keep from getting injured in these races. I'm following the higdon intermediate, which allows you to replace 2 of the runs with additional strength training. So I'm keeping my strength and metcon workouts, and then adding one long run, and interval day, and a short run (3-5 miles) per week.

Bump, bump, bump ,bump,bump!! Thank you!!! Im not looking to be an athlete again, but don't want to get stuck either!!! I will read the lit. I would like to friend request you, so I can see what your eating/doing! I am trying to mix up my cardio, now with Zumba, I also adding a group training on Sundays called "Weekend Warriors" for strength training. Still learning!!!.

jennifershoo

bump

mmapags

Fitness Social, Are you insuating that cardio 5-6 days a week for fat loss is a really bad move? Or that his running/biking type of cardio is a bad move. I do the Eliptical 5-6days per week and have lost weight before and recently have lost 5 lbs+ next weigh in and am starting to tone up, everywhere.

I thought running was my way to lose weight. And it worked.... up to a point. I was running about 50 miles a week for seven months, and had lost some weight - but I got stuck at the photo on the left. The photo on the left, taken in August, is what my body had looked like since February, and I just couldn't get past it. I was so frustrated.

Aug, Sept, Nov, Dec


Then I read this: http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/2011/05/skinny-fat/ I started strength training, and replaced my long steady state cardio runs with metcons of with super high intensity! I did not change my diet until the end of November, and ta-da! Since then, I've really cleaned up the diet and have more energy than ever.

That said, it's race season again, and I"m running my third half marathon and my second marathon. Of course I have reinstated the long runs. I need to do this for athletic/sport purposes, and to build my body back up to keep from getting injured in these races. I'm following the higdon intermediate, which allows you to replace 2 of the runs with additional strength training. So I'm keeping my strength and metcon workouts, and then adding one long run, and interval day, and a short run (3-5 miles) per week.

Bump, bump, bump ,bump,bump!! Thank you!!! Im not looking to be an athlete again, but don't want to get stuck either!!! I will read the lit. I would like to friend request you, so I can see what your eating/doing! I am trying to mix up my cardio, now with Zumba, I also adding a group training on Sundays called "Weekend Warriors" for strength training. Still learning!!!.

I think what the young lady who posted the pictures is doing right is mixing in strength training and more intense cardio occaisionally. Her story of what happens when you just do chronic cardio is typical. You plateau. When you start the strength training and add in something like High Intensity Intrerval Training you may not see the scale move right away but you will burn a lot of fat and the scale will eventually reflect it albeit more slowly than you'd like. But you'll know it in other ways, like how your clothes fit. I'd also do some baseline body measurements at neck, waist, hips, bicep, thighs, chest. Check those once a month. It is likely they'll get better and the scale will have moved downward only slightly. You will be leaner but not that much lighter.

Since the first of the year, I have lost 10 lbs. Most of that was in the fisrt 4 weeks from insttuting some discipline to my food intake and getting active again with low intensity cardio, strength training and HIIT. In the last 4 weeks, I have only lost 3 or 4 pounds but my waist is down 2 inches and I'm fitting into clothes that I haven't fit into in a long time!

cowgirlslikeus86

I run 5-8 miles 4-6 days a week and cross train 1-2 days a week.

I run at 85-100% of my max HR

I eat ALOT of carbs. I try for 50-25-25 Carb, protein, fat %'s and I almost always have 2 cups coffee withing 2 hours of my runs

I have tons of energy because I fuel my body. Eat more and watch your macros.

sbrBirdy

Just to add my own experience... I was running 30 miles a week at one point and couldn't get those last 10 pounds off. Started working with a personal trainer doing strength training 3 days a week, with some very short HIIT two days a week (like 18-22 minutes only - mostly inclined sprints on a treadmill), and cleaned up my diet. Dropped 15 pounds and two pant sizes during that time, AND saw a huge improvement in my 5K time.

Stopped working with the trainer, cut my strength training back, increased my run times, let junk food creep back in to the diet, and gained it all back. Sigh...

So while I LOVE the cardio high, it's obviously not the way to go for a fit body.

mmapags

Just to add my own experience... I was running 30 miles a week at one point and couldn't get those last 10 pounds off. Started working with a personal trainer doing strength training 3 days a week, with some very short HIIT two days a week (like 18-22 minutes only - mostly inclined sprints on a treadmill), and cleaned up my diet. Dropped 15 pounds and two pant sizes during that time, AND saw a huge improvement in my 5K time.

Stopped working with the trainer, cut my strength training back, increased my run times, let junk food creep back in to the diet, and gained it all back. Sigh...

So while I LOVE the cardio high, it's obviously not the way to go for a fit body.

This is pretty typical (not the regaining but the earlier results you experienced). I can't remember the trainer's name but in his book, Mark Sisson talks about a guy that trained Olympic marathoners back in tthe 90s I believe. He used a regimen like you are talking about and his athelets killed it! They were always fresher and had that extra kick. Also, what you are describing about HIIIT is what I love about it. I do Peak 8. 3 minute warm up, then 8 intervals of 30 seconds all out followed by 90 seconds catch up with a 2 minute cool down. Done in 22 minutes! Love it!!

sbrBirdy

Just to add my own experience... I was running 30 miles a week at one point and couldn't get those last 10 pounds off. Started working with a personal trainer doing strength training 3 days a week, with some very short HIIT two days a week (like 18-22 minutes only - mostly inclined sprints on a treadmill), and cleaned up my diet. Dropped 15 pounds and two pant sizes during that time, AND saw a huge improvement in my 5K time.

Stopped working with the trainer, cut my strength training back, increased my run times, let junk food creep back in to the diet, and gained it all back. Sigh...

So while I LOVE the cardio high, it's obviously not the way to go for a fit body.

This is pretty typical (not the regaining but the earlier results you experienced). I can't remember the trainer's name but in his book, Mark Sisson talks about a guy that trained Olympic marathoners back in tthe 90s I believe. He used a regimen like you are talking about and his athelets killed it! They were always fresher and had that extra kick. Also, what you are describing about HIIIT is what I love about it. I do Peak 8. 3 minute warm up, then 8 intervals of 30 seconds all out followed by 90 seconds catch up with a 2 minute cool down. Done in 22 minutes! Love it!!

Big fan of Mark Sisson, and yeah I had resigned myself to losing ground in my run times while I focused on lifting. Totally amazed that I got better without doing my daily 5-6 mile runs. My 5K time went from 28-29 minutes to 25!

mmapags

I hear you! The first time I went out to do a run on a warm day after starting HIIT and lifting, I had low expectations. I was suprised by ow much energy and lung capacity I had! Another freind here, Barefoot76, runs halfs and she does HIIT and it's really helped her also. For long term runners, it can be hard to let go of the compulsion to run 5x per week and to realize you do great with a more diverse training regimen and only run a couple times per week!

scottb81

Anecdotally, I have averaged 75 miles running per week since the beginning of this year - most of it aerobic with once a week faster runs at about 90% MHR. By eating sensibly I have lost about 6 pounds in that time and dropped my bodyfat to around 10%. According to the calipers this is fat loss, not muscle loss. I have also gotten faster and dropped my mile time at 52 years old to within 8 seconds of what I ran in my one and only mile race in high school. With some specific speed training at the right time I expect I could drop that considerably more. I haven't raced anything further than that yet since January.

So, based on this experiment of one, you can run high mileage, increase performance, lose weight, and conserve muscle, all at the same time.

meshashesha2012

wow i dont have time to be running 50-75 miles a week, but then again i'm not looking to run marathons either. in general my goal is to see if i can keep my time in the gym and working out no more than 70 minutes a day, so i'm sure by the time i get close to my weight goal i'll be doing some pretty intense 70 minute routines :laugh: but honestly i can't spend more time than that taking work, hobbies, social life and need to sleep and relax into consideration

i do cardio 5-6 times a week, but it's never really any steady state cardio. most of my cardio sessions are 30-45 total where i'll do 12 minutes to warm up for weights then 15 minutes of HIIT afterwards (usually 15 seconds HIIT, 15 secs rest). Those are the hardest 15 minutes of my life.

on other days when it's just cardio, i do 45 minutes of HIIT where it's 2 mins recuperate and 1 minute of HIIT.