is cardio really going to help me lose weight?

amy_marlene
amy_marlene Posts: 178 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
so i'm doing 30 minutes of cardio 5 - 6 times a week.
4 years ago i've lost 17 lbs in 2 months only by eating less and not working out. will my weight loss be slower because of cardio ( if i'm going to gain muscle ) ? i know that cardio is important to burn calories but does it slows down your weight loss ?
please don't give some negative comments,i'm just curious :)

Replies

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    No, it will not necessarily slow down or speed up weight loss, if you are following MFP guidelines. For every calorie you burn in exercise you should eat them back to make sure your body is sufficiently fueled, this works because MFP gives you a caloric intake to lose your goal amount of weight with no exercise (essentially you lose the same amount per week whether you exercise or not) So if you exercise you need more calories then MFP originally gives you.

    What the cardio will do is make you more fit, make you feel better, increase endurance, and strengthen the heart. You may also want to look at strength training as diet and cardio alone tends to lead to a loss of lean muscle mass, not just fat.
  • abbybean11
    abbybean11 Posts: 122 Member
    just the opposite - it will speed up your weight loss by burning fat and revving up your metabolism! if you can, try to add a little bit of strength training too, for toning.
  • ejohndrow
    ejohndrow Posts: 1,399 Member
    Why would cardio slow down weightloss?
  • Geramie
    Geramie Posts: 2
    I highly suggest you read this article http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/fat_loss_training_wars.htm

    It explains everything so clearly
  • amy_marlene
    amy_marlene Posts: 178 Member
    No, it will not necessarily slow down or speed up weight loss, if you are following MFP guidelines. For every calorie you burn in exercise you should eat them back to make sure your body is sufficiently fueled, this works because MFP gives you a caloric intake to lose your goal amount of weight with no exercise (essentially you lose the same amount per week whether you exercise or not) So if you exercise you need more calories then MFP originally gives you.
    yes,i'll try to eat my exercise calories. thank you :)
  • suztheq
    suztheq Posts: 168 Member
    I highly suggest you read this article http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/fat_loss_training_wars.htm

    It explains everything so clearly

    Fantastic article. Thank you for posting it!

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