Is cardio necesarry for fat loss??

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Replies

  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    If you go on hikes and haven't maintained your cardiovascular system all year and have just lifted weight, you'll be in for a world of hurt. I did Bikram Yoga for almost a year, and they say it is cardio. Yeah, you increase your heart rate now and then, but not sustained the whole session. I found that I could barely hike a couple of miles. When I do cardio, I am healthier, and it is good for my heart.

    This applies to me too. I love hiking, but it's not as fun when you're the huffing and puffing straggler keeping everyone behind, with your heart racing with each step.
  • amcx2mommy
    amcx2mommy Posts: 2
    Totally agree
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    If you don't do cardio, when you lose the weight, it will come back on. YOu need to build cardio into your daily routine and log it here. You will then look at food and stop yourself eating it because you know how much cardio to have to do to burn it.

    Cardio is essential for increasing your metabolism - essential for weight loss when you start to plateau.

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  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,733 Member
    Cardio is not essential... The only thing essential to fat loss is having a caloric deficit and that can be done by diet alone.

    that may be true, but for practical purposes, some people do need to do cardio.

    if you need to lose 300 lbs, that would take you 3 long years eating at a 1000 calorie deficit. very few people could manage to stick to that for that long a period of time. mixing in cardio can cut that time down by perhaps 40%. that's not insignificant, especially if somebody has to lose the weight for health reasons.

    also, there is a whole movement called 10,000 steps which advocates that walking that much per day is the key to long-term health and longevity. there's really no reason why anyone should exclude cardio from their weight loss and fitness regimen, unless they have some health condition that prevents it.
  • WendyFitMomCHANGED
    WendyFitMomCHANGED Posts: 311 Member
    If you don't do cardio, when you lose the weight, it will come back on. YOu need to build cardio into your daily routine and log it here. You will then look at food and stop yourself eating it because you know how much cardio to have to do to burn it.

    Cardio is essential for increasing your metabolism - essential for weight loss when you start to plateau.

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    My thoughts exactly. Building muscle helps you have a better metabolism and more muscle helps you burn fat. Cardio, however, is good for your heart health. So, do you need cardio to burn fat = no. Should you do some to improve other aspects of your health = yes.
  • alevett
    alevett Posts: 79 Member
    Just to be different from everyone else that is dogging on you, I loved your post. It is very lengthy and has a lot of information and I do agree with some of it. Building muscle is important but cardio is too. I believe a combination of both is best for most people. They both burn calories. Cardio strengthens your heart and muscle training strengthens everything else. I workout on the treadmill but not just a walk or run, I do a combination of fast walk, run, incline, walk, run, incline ... and my heart is stronger for it. I am not panting as much as when I started 2 months ago. After the treadmill and I am very sweaty and heart rate raised, I work out with a few weights. Both have been working well for me.
    Again, not everyone is going to agree with you and although I don't 100%, I appreciate the effort you went to making the post.
  • JulesAtkinson1
    JulesAtkinson1 Posts: 219 Member
    Just to be different from everyone else that is dogging on you, I loved your post. It is very lengthy and has a lot of information and I do agree with some of it. Building muscle is important but cardio is too. I believe a combination of both is best for most people. They both burn calories. Cardio strengthens your heart and muscle training strengthens everything else. I workout on the treadmill but not just a walk or run, I do a combination of fast walk, run, incline, walk, run, incline ... and my heart is stronger for it. I am not panting as much as when I started 2 months ago. After the treadmill and I am very sweaty and heart rate raised, I work out with a few weights. Both have been working well for me.
    Again, not everyone is going to agree with you and although I don't 100%, I appreciate the effort you went to making the post.

    Award for the most pleasant and sane response to the initial post. :drinker:
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    No. It isn't necessary. Calorie deficit is the only thing that is necessary for fat loss.

    When it comes to how you exercise, you do what you like that will get you the body comp and shape that you like. Some people want muscular and strong looking, some people want to look thinner with smaller muscles. So pick your burn method of choice, or do both. But if you don't like cardio, you don't need to do it.

    I like it all, so I pretty much go with that. Plus, it is getting me the physical results I am hoping for.
  • upgetupgetup
    upgetupgetup Posts: 749 Member
    Cardio is not essential... The only thing essential to fat loss is having a caloric deficit and that can be done by diet alone.

    Just because it CAN be done by diet alone doesn't mean it's easiest, or a good idea, necessarily. Even if you don't care about the other x y z straight cardio can offer, or reckon lifting does the same cardiovascular things.

    The main one for me: ***moderate aerobic exercise can help reduce appetite***. This point for me is more relevant than the calorie burn I get from swimming or whatever. In my case, 30-60 minutes of steady, slightly challenging aerobics makes a significant difference in hunger and intake. I usually eat about 300 calories less than I otherwise would, and it makes it PAINLESS.

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