fed up off reading that cardio isn't beneficial

myofibril

The body prefers to have around maintenance, maybe a little below and then for calories to be taken away thru cardio and a limited degree, resistance training. Too low intake of food may indeed in many, cause leptin to lower t3 release and thus retard the metabolism more than a light amount of calories cut and increased cardio.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

He's probably right though?

A high food + high activity approach (which includes cardio) leads to very good results in terms of body composition and probably better than less food and weights alone (this is speculation though).

The problem is most people do not have the time or inclination to go down that route and opt for something more in the middle (less food but less activity)

jsmamadden

I am so happy there are so many experts on here. This is my opinion and nothing more. You should do what works for you. Some people don't like weights. Some people don't like cardio. If you are getting closer to your goal and you feel good then you are doing the right thing. If you are not getting closer to your goal and you don't feel good then maybe you need to switch it up and try something new. Your goal is different than everyone else. No two people are exactly the same.

blackcoffeeandcherrypie

I like cardio and strength training, but I have yet to be convinced that there is any significant difference between the two. Hopping from one foot to the other whilst obese IS strength training, it's all working the muscle in order to get it to grow. So long as you're eating enough protein, there's no reason that cardio or a low calorie diet would cause you to lose muscle mass. The argument against dieting in the NROLFW is that a percentage of calories is burned up whilst consuming the food, so if you eat less food, you burn a small amount less calories. I consider this fairly spurious, it's like saying your body uses water to digest water, so the more water you drink the more at risk of dehydration you are! EVERY exercise burns fat by creating a calorie deficit, lifting is not superior to cardio in this respect, it merely creates a calorie deficit by building muscle which then goes on to burn fat by having a greater calorie requirement. Ultimately, it's still subject to the law of do more, eat less. If you ate your calorie deficit whilst lifting, you wouldn't be an ounce skinnier than you are now.

jjl0412

Ok, I support any exercise is good exercise. AND not everyone is able to do everything! Each individual who makes an earnest effort to exercise is benefitting themselves. Some of us have physical limitations and must do what we can the best we can. I walk every day, because I cannot run. I go to the gym several times a week and use the Nautalis (sp) equipment because I cannot dead left. I swim because it works everything in ways I cannot. I try to exert my best effort every time, and be consistent and true to myself. Overtime I feel stronger, better able and very proud I am making the effort to exceed. It is another personal challenge I can task myself to achieve. I look forward to my exercise every day.

The best part is my wife has joined me. We are in our 60's and we both are sharing time exercising as a daily event.

ceajules

I started with walking then P90x mixes cardio with strength training now I am doing Turbo Fire mostly all cardio ...

Here is my story by the way since January I have lost 19 inches so yeah cardio works

WElcome this is my story


Since January between P90x and Turbofire I have lost 19 inches!!!
Would would like to do the same?

This is my story

Hello my name is Angel and I am 39 year old former couch potato
I have struggled with my weight and have tried every fad diet there was and hated working out, I wanted that quick fix. A year ago heavier and out of shape I decided to try P90X however I never changed my diet and 66 days into I gave up I didnt see the results I wanted after that I continued to put on more weight after seeing some pictures of myself I said enough is enough and like everyone else on the planet in January I decided to lose weight and exercise after losing 20lbs through healthy eating I did some walking and other DVDS at home but it just wasn't cutting it. I would see the commercials and I thought I need to try that P90X again and finish it this time! After week one I thought what was I thinking I could barely do the push ups on my knees I hurt everywhere and never thought I would get better or even finish I would see myself in the mirror working out many times I cried. I kept pushing play!!! I got stronger I was bringing it! Push ups well I can bust out 100 right now if you would like If I can do this anyone can! I then passed the fit test for Insanity and have been doing that and I hate it and love it all at the same time. I love having muscles I love being strong I love being healthy. I graduated from P90X in August 2012 and I am so proud! and I want to help others so I became coach and began my 2nd workout Turbofire, I was scared at first because I have no coordination but I fell in love with the program and the music and I will see this through to the end 20 weeks I finish it before my 40th Birthday in December and I cant wait to start another program, my goal is to do all of them

Pandasarecool

Bump!

jacksonpt

Quite a few years back my dad started training for marathons. He ran lots and didn't change his eating habits at all. The weight dropped off him. Cardio does work.

Yes but the cardio didn't make him lose, it was the deficit created by the cardio, which he could have achieved not exercising and just changing the eating habits.

Cardio was the tool he used to create a deficit, but it was the deficit not the tool that caused weight loss.

Agreed. For some reason, people seem to have a hard time making this distinction.

SouffleBoy

Why does it have to be so either/or?

Bacon is good. Cheeseburgers are good. Bacon cheeseburgers are amazing.

Cardio is good. Strength training is good. Cardio and strength training together are amazing.

^This.

At the moment I have literally all day to spend exercising. I find cardiovascular exercise far more enjoyable than weight training which I find kinda boring, but because I don't want to lose LBM I force myself to do weight training.

myofibril

So long as you're eating enough protein, there's no reason that cardio or a low calorie diet would cause you to lose muscle mass.

Excessive amounts of cardio (I think 80-90 minutes or so if I recall the Tremblay study correctly) as well as prolonged periods of caloric restriction will change the hormonal environment from anabolic to catabolic which potentially leads to loss of muscle mass, even if protein is sufficient, mainly due to increases in cortisol levels.

The point of resistance training isn't about creating a calorie deficit. If someone tells you that they are misguided. Cardio is superior in that regard, even factoring in EPOC, if for no other reason that you can do it for much longer. It is to try and preserve existing muscle mass (or even build it) by keeping the hormonal environment as anabolic as possible and shunt calories towards muscle recovery and growth meaning more energy drawn from existing fat cells overall throughout a given time period.

Traditional cardio does not impose sufficient load on the muscle in general or do so progressively overtime to fulfill that function reliably. In addition it is generally an aerobic rather than anaerobic activity leading to better conditioning but not muscle preservation or growth.

You are right however that it is a continuum and in some instances there is overlap (obese people simply walking can prompt hypertrophy - muscle growth) or a stuff like Body Pump classes which incorporates both.

Rae6503

Why does it have to be so either/or?

Bacon is good. Cheeseburgers are good. Bacon cheeseburgers are amazing.

Cardio is good. Strength training is good. Cardio and strength training together are amazing.

^This.

At the moment I have literally all day to spend exercising. I find cardiovascular exercise far more enjoyable than weight training which I find kinda boring, but because I don't want to lose LBM I force myself to do weight training.

I think I shall have a bacon cheeseburger for lunch.


Wait, that wasn't the point of this thread? Damn.

bbq777

Some of these comments just make me laugh. :laugh: There are so many "experts on here" I wonder why they're on this forum - you should go out & make some money from all your amazing expertise!! And the guys with the photo's of their rippling six packs...forgive us all for not swooning. :yawn: As for the topic at hand (easy to get distracted by all the expert advise) my personal experience is that cardio is very beneficial for the heart & for mental health. Also I consistently lose more weight in the weeks that I run a few times as opposed to when I just walk - but that's my body, may be different for others.

^^^
Love this.

"rippling six packs...forgive us all for not swooning. :yawn:"

:laugh:

bbq777

Quite a few years back my dad started training for marathons. He ran lots and didn't change his eating habits at all. The weight dropped off him. Cardio does work.

Yes but the cardio didn't make him lose, it was the deficit created by the cardio, which he could have achieved not exercising and just changing the eating habits.

Cardio was the tool he used to create a deficit, but it was the deficit not the tool that caused weight loss.

So instead of eating rabbit food, he could continue eating what he always did. So it was cardio that helped him lose.

zaithyr

Most of my exercise has been cardio exercise. I do want to get into more strength training but at this point I'm doing the activities and exercises that I enjoy and I've lost weight doing so. Compared to doing absolutely nothing, walking and jogging is awesome!

LiftHuff

Threads like this are awesome for fleshing out my Ignore list.

Matt_Wild

Anyone thinking that doing cardio and no weights will maintain muscle mass has another thing coming. Genuinely. Your body is a survival tool - it doesn't require a huge amount of muscle mass to survive. It will burn it if not required.

Matt_Wild

Some of these comments just make me laugh. :laugh: There are so many "experts on here" I wonder why they're on this forum - you should go out & make some money from all your amazing expertise!! And the guys with the photo's of their rippling six packs...forgive us all for not swooning. :yawn: As for the topic at hand (easy to get distracted by all the expert advise) my personal experience is that cardio is very beneficial for the heart & for mental health. Also I consistently lose more weight in the weeks that I run a few times as opposed to when I just walk - but that's my body, may be different for others.

^^^
Love this.

"rippling six packs...forgive us all for not swooning. :yawn:"

:laugh:

I don't see what is funny - I am a prep coach, I make money from it and I know what I'm talking about. I have a six pack yes, I'm a sponsored athlete, am paid to do shows and represent a brand and yes others elsewhere pay to share my knowledge and they do well from listening to what I suggest.

I'm not going to make *****y comments about the users finding this funny because I have better things to do with my time.

Dave198lbs

This site has a lot of knowledgeable folks and a lot good people and also a whole boatload of MACHO NACHOS. These macho men and women have taken a great idea and ran it into the ground.

This cardio is crap and "lift heavy or you are a wimp" mentality has taken on a mob like personality of its own.

Cardio is great. As long as you arent doing more than 45 minutes or so at a whack.

Lifting/resistence workouts are great. But you can do plenty of good for yourself with body weight exercises. Pull ups and push ups for example. Especially if you are starting out.

The whole "lift heavy" is relatively new (unless you want to get bulked up for the purpose of being a bulky person)

There is nothing wrong with lifting heavy and it is beneficial but telling some man or woman who is 200 pounds overweight that they should immediately skip cardio and start lifting heavy is pure macho crap.

Matt_Wild

Good post Dave.

T_X_L

I've been reading through this thread for a while, and have read a lot of snarky comments, no surprise, it's the Internet. How about this rule? Anyone with snarky comments, or otherwise responding with the "I know better and this is why response" ,please post torso to neck shirtless (crop top for ladies) pictures. That way I can gauge the validity of your comment, much like how I wouldn't get financial advice from clients of the soup kitchen (no disrespect to poor people, I used to be one.)

Jynus

I like cardio and strength training, but I have yet to be convinced that there is any significant difference between the two. Hopping from one foot to the other whilst obese IS strength training, it's all working the muscle in order to get it to grow. So long as you're eating enough protein, there's no reason that cardio or a low calorie diet would cause you to lose muscle mass. The argument against dieting in the NROLFW is that a percentage of calories is burned up whilst consuming the food, so if you eat less food, you burn a small amount less calories. I consider this fairly spurious, it's like saying your body uses water to digest water, so the more water you drink the more at risk of dehydration you are! EVERY exercise burns fat by creating a calorie deficit, lifting is not superior to cardio in this respect, it merely creates a calorie deficit by building muscle which then goes on to burn fat by having a greater calorie requirement. Ultimately, it's still subject to the law of do more, eat less. If you ate your calorie deficit whilst lifting, you wouldn't be an ounce skinnier than you are now.

this rambling would be true if fat was the only tissue that can be lost while in caloric deficit. but its not. the tissues lost will differ when u compare weights to cardio.