Why has cardio become a swear word on MFP all of a sudden?

poofy7

i couldn't function without my cardio fix ... i do strength training and toning too but nothing gives me that feel good feeling as much as a decent 10k run. the other benefit being i eat well and still lose weight

Sidesteal

people are lazy. and they think HEY IF I LIFT WEIGHTS THE MUSCLES WILL BURN OFF MY FAT WHILE I SIT ON MY *kitten*.

which is way freakin wrong... lazy lazy lazy lazy.

Spoken like someone who's been too lazy to lift a weight. :drinker:

^ Do the pink ones count?

andreanicole686

Cardio is great for MOOD.

Anyone who struggles with depression and anxiety can tell you a good bout of cardio on a regular basis will do more for your emotional health than weightlifting. (Or than many prescription medications for that matter!!!!!)

Nothing beats a good old fashioned cardio high.

I will be doing strength training to help with sustainable weight loss and body composition though. I think its the general lack of knowledge about how helpful weights can be in building a great body that has lead to the current emphasis on strength training.

Agree it helps so much with my anxiety!

Journeyingascrystal

i love both and do BOTH 6 days a week...

katmix

Cardio leads to "skinny fat" and some people seem to have issues with the whole "skinny fat" look and think that every muscle should be worked hard and defined.. Yea sure I do strength training but I do not wanna get "ripped"

I'd like to have a "skinny fat" body.. But if people hear me say that I get stick for it

Thank you. I am what people on MFP call "skinny fat", and you know what? So what? I do my light cardio and light lifting (I do what fits my busy lifestyle and exercises tastes), and no one will ever mistake me for a buff girl. So what?! I'm happy in my skin...

We're not on here to please anybody but ourselves...

You make it seem like you're either skinny fat or "buff" There's a huge area in between.

Actually, I was encouraging the OP that she needs to do what works/is right for her, and disregard being called "skinny fat" (a term which I find derogatory as it assumes a person is skinny for skinny's sake, and not health).

modernmom70

people are lazy. and they think HEY IF I LIFT WEIGHTS THE MUSCLES WILL BURN OFF MY FAT WHILE I SIT ON MY *kitten*.

which is way freakin wrong... lazy lazy lazy lazy.

Wow...now there's some bashing!

Personally I prefer lifting....hamster wheel so boring to me and I feel I get more benefit from lifting for 45 minutes than on the wheel. I do however get in cardio, I walk alot and I will hop on the stationary at a moderate pace a couple times a week.
Everyone has thier own goals and preferences. But if you want to have strong muscles than too much cardio can be detrimental to that.

butterfly10398

Personally.... I do cardio every day of the week, and have recently started adding strength and resistance training about 5 days a week.

Acg67

Cardio leads to "skinny fat" and some people seem to have issues with the whole "skinny fat" look and think that every muscle should be worked hard and defined.. Yea sure I do strength training but I do not wanna get "ripped"

I'd like to have a "skinny fat" body.. But if people hear me say that I get stick for it

Thank you. I am what people on MFP call "skinny fat", and you know what? So what? I do my light cardio and light lifting (I do what fits my busy lifestyle and exercises tastes), and no one will ever mistake me for a buff girl. So what?! I'm happy in my skin...

We're not on here to please anybody but ourselves...

You make it seem like you're either skinny fat or "buff" There's a huge area in between.

Actually, I was encouraging the OP that she needs to do what works/is right for her, and disregard being called "skinny fat" (a term which I find derogatory as it assumes a person is skinny for skinny's sake, and not health).

Well skinny =/= to healthy either

MissFit0101

people are lazy. and they think HEY IF I LIFT WEIGHTS THE MUSCLES WILL BURN OFF MY FAT WHILE I SIT ON MY *kitten*.

which is way freakin wrong... lazy lazy lazy lazy.

Spoken like someone who's been too lazy to lift a weight. :drinker:

:laugh: love it

Z_I_L_L_A

people are lazy. and they think HEY IF I LIFT WEIGHTS THE MUSCLES WILL BURN OFF MY FAT WHILE I SIT ON MY *kitten*.

which is way freakin wrong... lazy lazy lazy lazy.

Man you really ask for it on that one.

skinnydream115

ANY ADVICE FOR ME.. I really don't want to be skinny fat but I really don't want to be fat fat either lol
I like cardio and try to do about 45 mins 5 times a week more or less kinda depends Im too scared to lift weights right now because when I weigh In I will literally freak out if I gain anything... so I know not to weigh or even worry about the number but thats one of the things that reallly really keeps me going so I need it!

So my plan is cardio cardio eat right! anddd then once Im at my goal weight 115 I will add more muscle.. will that be okay ?? Im so worried about doing something wrong ahhhhhhhh! there is just so much carbs, protein, cardio, weight lifting, reps, sets, when to eat, healthy fats, like i feel ike if i dont do everything perfect ill never get to where I wanna be ah HELP

killagb

people are lazy. and they think HEY IF I LIFT WEIGHTS THE MUSCLES WILL BURN OFF MY FAT WHILE I SIT ON MY *kitten*.

which is way freakin wrong... lazy lazy lazy lazy.

Spoken like someone who's been too lazy to lift a weight. :drinker:

^ Do the pink ones count?

Darn tootin they do!

Leahnh

There should be a good solid balance of the two. I lift 3x per week and do cardio 3x per week and take Sunday's off completely. It seems to be working well for me as a well rounded work out plan.

astrampe

I can't help to notice that cardio has been getting a seriously bad rep lately....

I get the idea that strengh/resistance whatever you want to call it is a vital part of losing weight and staying healthy, but there are more and more threads where people get told that 2 days of cardio per week is too much????

What about the health benefits of regular cardio vs just "heavy lifting"?

I know what works for me (cardio 4+ times a week from 30 mins to 1.5 hour on long runs, and lifting (though i doubt that some cousins of the Incredible Hulk on here would call it heavy! ) 3 times a week....
it gives me an all round program, burns calories, sustain lean muscle and makes me happy - oh, and got my bp down from borderline hypertention (139/89 to 117/70) and my body fat % down from 49.6 to 29%, so why the dislike of it?

Any ideas on why cardio is bad all of a sudden? :flowerforyou:

Hulk no like cardio girl,grrrrr

:bigsmile: :bigsmile: :laugh: Aaaawwwww no Hulk, be nice!!:flowerforyou:

Nataliethin81

<---- Pro cardio + strength training

Me too!

penrbrown

people are lazy. and they think HEY IF I LIFT WEIGHTS THE MUSCLES WILL BURN OFF MY FAT WHILE I SIT ON MY *kitten*.

which is way freakin wrong... lazy lazy lazy lazy.

WHAT was THAT? MWAHAHAHA

cathie2903

Bump. - lovin this thread!

erickirb

So my plan is cardio cardio eat right! anddd then once Im at my goal weight 115 I will add more muscle.. will that be okay ?? Im so worried about doing something wrong ahhhhhhhh! there is just so much carbs, protein, cardio, weight lifting, reps, sets, when to eat, healthy fats, like i feel ike if i dont do everything perfect ill never get to where I wanna be ah HELP

It is much easier to lift and do cardio now, to retain the muscle you already have, that way you will not have to gain muscle when you get to your goal weight, (gaining lean muscle is much harder then retaining most of what you already have) and you will have a lower BF% at your goal weight, when you get there if you start incorporating strength training now.

If you are in a caloric deficit you will not gain weight from lifting, other then some initial water weight which helps protect and repair your muscles.

thecarbmonster

If anybody has a prob with just straight cardio, kettlebells is the way to go. I am still learning how to use them, but just the basics done as a HIIT workout has me panting for 20 minute still after the workout lol. Definitely great cardio + ST mix.

faylenechung

I dont know, maybe cuz I want to cuss while I am doing it, lol. I still do it everyday.

amccrazgrl

I say do what you want, its ultimate up to what you want.

I personally am not a fan of any cardio even though its good for the heart. The 1 piece of cardio equipment I can stand is the Arc trainer. I hate the treadmill and elliptical. Now that I'm moving somewhere with bike trails I might do some bike riding.

I like lifting weights 5 days a week. On occasion I get in a spurt where I walk my dog a few times a week for a few weeks in a row and then stop.

dicars79

I think cardio is good--if only to relieve stress levels. A good workout on the elliptical and I'm as good as new!

belgerian

Ive been primarly doing cardio for the last year and that was worked great to slim down, but now I am getting interested in some type of resistance training to tone up. I will still do my running I love it helps my focus, Keeps depression and anexity away, and I burn A lot of calories.

amymrls

love cario and high impact aerobics they rock.

Gwendalyne

I do both. I use to be all cardio and I was losing the weight, but I found that although I was getting smaller, my body didn't look like I wanted it to, so I did P90x which is a combo of cardio/strength..Now I'm into lifting heavy weights and I love it. Doesn't mean I don't run my 4 miles. I think a healthy balance between the two is key.

But there is no cookie cutter formula, do what works for you.

Z_I_L_L_A

Hulk faster and stronger than super cardio girl....Actually I do both...

Fit_Canuck

There should be a good solid balance of the two. I lift 3x per week and do cardio 3x per week and take Sunday's off completely. It seems to be working well for me as a well rounded work out plan.

This exactly! This is what I'm doing too and it's worked like a charm for me. Muscle is great to have but not at the expense of my cardiovascular health. I enjoy the best of both worlds

tlhorsley

I think it comes down to what your ultimate goal is and what you enjoy.

I am going to speak from my own personal experience. I trained last year for a Half Marathon and, of course, did a TON of cardio. With that said, I felt good and looked decent.

Now I am lifting heavy and the only cardio I am doing is a 5 minute warm up on lift days (bc I am doing the New Rules of Lifting from women. I am in week 3 and as of yet he doesn't have me doing cardios).

I will say that in the 2.5 weeks that I have been doing little cardio and lifting heavy I have seen more positive changes in my body then I did in the MONTHS I ran, and ran, and ran.

siloparek

Speaking of... anyone used the Zombies, Run! app successfully in their area?

BPayton27

I will never stop doing cardio. I will never replace cardio with lifting, either. I strength train twice a week to tone and get some definition, but I enjoy cardio more. I like the feeling of sweat dripping down my face and my heart gurgling. :P