Does cardio mean I just eat more calories???

aweigh2go

Would like the input of the MFP community...

The way I see it, if my TDEE is calculated at 2,500 calories (assuming sedentary) and I eat at a 20% deficit, that's 2,000 calories per day to eat.

Scenario A1>>>> If I strength train 3 days a week at 45 minutes and burn 300 calories per session, that adds an average of 138 calories (900 calories divided by 7 days) to my daily total for a total of 2,138 calorie per day.

Scenario A2>>>> If I add 3 cardio sessions to scenario A1 at say, 600 calories per session, that's another 1,800 calories per week or 257 calories per day to add to my daily intake. My daily totals go up to 2,395 calories per day.

*Calories burned for strength training and cardio are estimates!!!

Now in which scenario would I tend to lose more weight? I understand that cardio enhances cardiovascular health.

My goals:

1) To maintain the lean body mass
2) To decrease the fat mass (28% bodyfat)

yoovie

here is the simplest thing I can tell you.

two things actually.

1.If youre weight training and doing cardio two - four days a week- change your setting off of sedentary- youre not sedentary.

2. Imagine you can drive your car all the way to your fitness goals. BUT - you're only willing to give it enough fuel to get you to the parkinglot. you know you are trying to go farther than you ever have before BUT you're unwilling to provide it with more fuel than youve ever given it before. Will willpower win over the engine? or will fuel win it over?

Chief_Rocka

If you goals are focused on body composition, I would recommend starting the weight loss without cardio. Keep it as a tool in your back pocket that you can use when you hit a plateau.

I lose fat just fine and maintain strength better in a deficit not doing cardio.

iWaffle

Would like the input of the MFP community...

The way I see it, if my TDEE is calculated at 2,500 calories (assuming sedentary) and I eat at a 20% deficit, that's 2,000 calories per day to eat.

That's me in a nutshell. My TDEE is 2500 calories. I'm down to about 210 (This morning actually 209.2) from about 250 at the first of this year. What did I do to achieve this.

#1 Lots of great strength training. (3-4 days a week)
#2 Eat about 2000 calories a day. (Keep your protein intake high)
#3 Light cardio 4-5 days a week (30 minutes at 5 mph)

Now on eating back calories, I did eat back calories burned off from cardio but I didn't try to calculate or eat back strength training calories. To me that's too speculative and varies so much based on intensity and rest periods that it wasn't worth the risk of calculating. I was losing a pound almost every week. Of course there were times when I'd get stuck for a week and a half but just sticking with the program it eventually started moving in the right direction.

Things you should be aware of. Save your money. None of my pants fit well at all. I seriously need to buy more clothes. Going from 250 down to 210 is a major change in waist size. As long as you don't go overboard on the cardio, keep your protein intake high and do lots of strength training you're not going to lose much muscle mass. Any bit you do lose will be offset by the fact that you're leaner and it looks better. I can't tell you how many comments I've gotten asking me if I'm lifting heavier now. The answer is no. I just look leaner and that shows off muscle better.

needamulligan

here is the simplest thing I can tell you.

two things actually.

1.If youre weight training and doing cardio two - four days a week- change your setting off of sedentary- youre not sedentary.

2. Imagine you can drive your car all the way to your fitness goals. BUT - you're only willing to give it enough fuel to get you to the parkinglot. you know you are trying to go farther than you ever have before BUT you're unwilling to provide it with more fuel than youve ever given it before. Will willpower win over the engine? or will fuel win it over?

Good analogy!

aweigh2go

bump

FullOfWin

As far as body comp goes cardio is an optional tool for creating a calorie deficit. If you want to\can do it with diet alone, have at it.