Too much cardio?

rscpnc

Hey Everyone

I am hoping to get some enlightenment from some of you experienced folk out there. I am really new this MFP and exercise and need to know if I am overdoing it (I don't think I am but you never know). At the moment I am going to the gym 5-7 days a week and doing between 45-60 min on the elliptical. I have full intentions of moving up in the world and one day moving to the weight machines but I am new and still very heavy (270lbs), I am really just trying to get comfortable with everything. So for the moment I try to do 60 min of elliptical, lowest resistance....is that too much cardio. I don't find myself overly tired....more bored but my heart rate does stay between 135-155 depending on how hard I am pushing.

What do you guys think?

bufger

Why dont you mix it up so different parts of your body get used to different resistances? If you're getting bored then thats not a good thing.

I've been doing cardio only for the last 2 weeks. I've been walking on the treadmill (cant run due to shin splints). Cycling, rowing and on the eliptical. I've also been swimming which was the hardest 60 minute workout of them all!!

I've just been getting some advice on strength training as well as cardio so im now going to do some weights too.

TrailNurse

I don't think you are doing too much. Your diet is going to play a big part in your weight loss though. You can send me an add and you can look at my diet and exercise. I have lost 90 lbs in the last year. I started at 250 lbs

fatboypup

Cardio till you puke! its KING

knwitall

I couldn't stop looking at your avatar to read your post. Haha

Flowers4Julia

I think an hour a day of low level cardio either elliptical or walking is great! If you get to a point that you are exhausted and hate it then yeah, that is too much...and don't cardio till you puke, that's just bad for the body..

slow and steady will will this race :bigsmile:

glenner

I don't think that is too much- you need to do at least 20 minutes to have any effect. But if you include toning, you will build muscle which burns fat more when you are resting.

firstsip

Nah, 60 minutes is fine, though there are enough studies saying you get premium cardio benefits only at 30 minutes (thought obviously you'll burn more calories at 60). If you're going to the gym, switch it up from elliptical and try doing other things (stationary bike, does it have a pool? etc., etc.). However, how many DAYS you're doing it right off the bat might be rough. A rest day is generally pretty desirable.

I also recommend trying weights sooner rather than later

secretlobster

Sounds like a waste of time, unless you really enjoy the cardio. I'd rather just focus on my diet, then let exercise be things I enjoy doing

MireyGal76

if you're not tired, then up the resistance and go for less time.

also... switch it up.. two days do long duration, slow tempo; two days do med duration, med tempo; one day do fast tempo intervals.

i.e. .long; med; interval; long; med

Camille0502

I don't think you're overdoing it. My goal is to get 60 minutes of exercise 6 days per week. Though I am pretty religious about taking one rest day per week so I never work out seven days in a row without a rest day. My body is just very happy when I take a rest day. That being said, I think you are going to have a hard time sustaining your workout if you are bored already. I use "Cardio Coach" workouts when I use my elliptical and it really relieves the boredom. There are probably other similar workouts that you can download.

I workout at home and have lots of great workout DVDs that include strength training. If you are embarrassed to work out on weights at the gym, consider buying some weights and working out at home. "Collage Video" is a good source of workout DVDs (they incldue reviews) and "Video Fitness" is a website that has consumer reviews of videos.

Good luck on your journey!

sleepytexan

I do a gazillion hours of cardio a week. I teach 15-20 hours of dance, 2 hours of spin, I ride a bike 3-4 hours on the weekend, I go paddleboarding.

Contrary to popular myth, I have neither imploded, nor eroded my lean body mass.

I also eat bananas.

tuffytuffy1

From what I think I have learned in the year+ I have been here, the longer your cardio sessions, the better your heart conditioning; but at a certain point, extended cardio sessions have diminishing return as far as fat loss. If you want to work out that long simply to create a greater calorie deficit so you can eat more, that makes sense. But for fat loss, I believe most would recommend strength training 3 or 4 days per week with a couple of moderate intensity cardio sessions like walking for 2 miles, that sort of thing. Good luck to you!

dsjohndrow

Usually if you are over doing it, you have a hard time sleeping, or you get and injury. Sounds like you are doing fine.

tuffytuffy1

P.S., your avatar is freaking HILARIOUS, I wanna steal it

gsager

Hey Everyone

I am hoping to get some enlightenment from some of you experienced folk out there. I am really new this MFP and exercise and need to know if I am overdoing it (I don't think I am but you never know). At the moment I am going to the gym 5-7 days a week and doing between 45-60 min on the elliptical. I have full intentions of moving up in the world and one day moving to the weight machines but I am new and still very heavy (270lbs), I am really just trying to get comfortable with everything. So for the moment I try to do 60 min of elliptical, lowest resistance....is that too much cardio. I don't find myself overly tired....more bored but my heart rate does stay between 135-155 depending on how hard I am pushing.

What do you guys think?

I'm just commenting on the boredom, I have an iPad and read while I'm on the elliptical, time flies. Good luck, stick with us!

waronmyfat

i dont think your doing to much... I do heaps .. I mix mine up so my body doesnt get use to it and hit a plateau..
I do spin classes, yoga and balance, step class, a body pump class and boxing bootcamp plus i have a personal traning session once a week.. two times a week I do my weights just do what feels comfortable for you and listen to your body