whats 'wrong' with too much cardio?

lucyhross

i was thinking of upping my cardio, however from reading several recent success stories many people have converted from cardio to heavy lifting.

i think i have my idea wrong (pls someone out there correct me!) but i thought it was necessary to do cardio to get to my goal weight (135lbs-140lbs i am currently 152lb) then start lifting and weight training to tone up.

im really scared of starting weight lifting now because i really don't wont to put on any more muscle (which will make me heavier as muscle weighs more then fat- i know that!) before i have lost the weight i need. i actually have a quite a bit of muscle its just surrounded by flab!!

i currently run twice a week for about 4km and horse ride for 40-60mins twice a week. and i eat about about 1500-1600 kcals

would doing more cardio help my weight loss or not?

kellehbeans

A calorie deficit will help you lose weight - so in answer to your question - yes, cardio will help you lose weight as long as you have a calorie deficit. And you won't put on muscle on a calorie deficit. Lifting will just change your body composition and tone you up.

JoRocka

Probably not.

The problem with chronic cardio is that your body will build/develop the bare minimal muscle it requires to move your feet one foot in front of the other- or one foot up the stairs if you're into steppers.

Cardio - cardiovascular. so once you have the minimal muscularture to do the actual MOVEMENT- all you are training is your cardiovascular system- you know- your heart and lungs.

you are training 0 muscles.

muscles continue to burn energy all day- so more muscles -more burn. I bet you if you started weight lifting you'd see a lot of improvement fairly quickly.

daniellemm1

bump because although I have started lifting I love my cardio!!!

TavistockToad

A calorie deficit will help you lose weight - so in answer to your question - yes, cardio will help you lose weight as long as you have a calorie deficit. And you won't put on muscle on a calorie deficit. Lifting will just change your body composition and tone you up.

this

Amberonamission

Don't get stuck on the number the scale sez. If 150 fits in a size 4 who cares if it is a 150. People who lift look better in their clothes. Ditch the scale and get a very tight pair of jeans to measure your progress.

weightloss_forsuccess

I used to feel the same way...but focus on a healthy weight, not your goal weight. I used to be all about the cardio, til my trainer proved the results of heavy lfiting. The muscle will melt the fat right off, and you have to purposely build muscle to get too muscular. Heavy lifting with a calorie defficit will just make the muscle you already have stronger. Trust me, the results are amazing and its okay to weigh more if you look skinnier!

SOCOLOCO87

I say do both

Weight training is another form of cardio.

billsica

no, cardio and lifting heavy won't help you lose weight at all. Only eating at a deficit.

Right now you are dropping pounds of fat and muscle. The only way to put on muscle is to eat at a surplus. If you continue on your journey here is what is likely to happen.

1) your going to reach your goal and have a lot of endurance. yeah!
2) you aren't going to be happy with your body compesition
3) you want to tone up with 3 - 5lb weights and zumba
4) it doesn't work so you lift heavy
5) now you have to eat at a surplus to build up muscle and gain 10 pounds
6) cut and drop some body fat% because you started lifting the number on the scale doesn't mean anything to you anymore.
7) post before and after pics of how hot you are
8) Troll mfp boards / poptarts and ice cream

you can skip a lot of this if you just go right to lifting heavy. Keep doing cardio too! I do both I love my runs.

mazdauk

If weight resistance is what builds muscle then exercise which uses muscles will do more than just increase your heart/lung capacity. Zumba has had a great effect on my legs in particular, and my toning DVDs have also helped.

(To weight lifters who insist toning does not exist I was weak as well as overweight and now my muscles are bigger and stronger.

ironanimal

You won't put muscle on in a calorie deficit, and most definitely not any noticable amount. It's hard even for guys to do it in a deficit, let alone women. The notion you will get bulky is a fallacy created by womens magazines.

Cardio is good for two things;
1. Being better at cardio
2. Creating a calorie deficit

People make the switch because resistance training helps to preserve muscle and lean tissue mass as you lose weight.

byHISstrength

Just an FYI...muscle does not weigh more than fat. One pound of muscle and one pound of fat both are one pound.

gatorginger

I think you should do both as I feel doing both is good for you as cardio is keeping you active and lifting is helping you tone up.

deksgrl

I'm lifting and losing "fat" without losing Lean Body Mass. You can do a lot of cardio and then when you are at your goal weight still feel flabby and then want to lower your goal weight. Not necessary to wait to start lifting.

@Mazdauk - I went from doing nothing to doing things like Zumba and Jillian Michaels, and yes there was an improvement in my fitness, but now I am lifting and you really can't compare. I had results showing in 3 weeks of lifting that I didn't have in over a year of zumba and Jillian.

BerryH

Adding to a 4km run twice a week is hardly chronic cardio, people!

Yes, extra cardio is one way of creating a calorie deficit. And resistance training will create more muscle which, as an active tissue, will burn more energy even at rest, reducing body fat and, if you maintain that calorie deficit, weight too. Plus it will help prevent running or horse-riding overuse injuries. Do both.

Try adding one more run a week, and make each session different - say increase distance for one, hills in another, sprint intervals for the third.

savithny

If you wait to start lifting until you've lost all the weight, you will have lost a lot more muscle than if you lift while you are losing the weight.

Waiting until the weight is gone and then "frming up" what's left? Is a misnomer. If you wait, the weight that is left, even though it is "normal weight' or "goal weight" will still be a mix of fat and muscle. You can't "firm up" fat. If you lift, you'll have a higher percentage of muscle and lower percentage of fat at your goal weight than if you wait.

RoseTears143

Why are girls so bent on the number they see on a scale? Your muscles need work too, it will keep your bones strong as well. You don't have to lift weights to work your muscles. You can do body weight bearing exercise (push-ups, pullups, squats, lunges, etc). You could actually be a smaller size at a higer weight if your muscles are tight and toned. You won't get "bulky" unless you start producing more testosterone and start taking 'roids and other supplements to allow huge muscle growth -_-. What you will get is a nice shape to your body.

Edited for spelling.

tschaff04

I struggle with this too. I see some cardio hate on the boards but I actually DO love running. I don't do it obsessively. But I run three times a week. I intend to start lifting heavy soon too, but I want to keep my running. I like it! lol

rob_base

wow muscle weighs more than fat?

palmerar

There's no reason to not begin weight lifting in addition to cardio while losing. Maybe you can't build muscle, but why not go ahead and strengthen the muscles you already have.

ktrn0312

Incorporate some strength/resistance training along with cardio. I did make my target loss but, I was not too thrilled because I lack the sufficient muscle tone I was looking for. I did all cardio all the time. I look good with clothes on but, I really want to look good without clothes too. I learned the hard way. I am playing caught up now by doing strength workouts now. It's a case wish I knew then what I know now. The best advice is to do both & find a balance.

Mmmmona

I still have a lot of weight to lose but I am doing both cardio and lifting. Lifting is great because I can do it in front of the tv at night when hubby is home. Cardio is great because I have no lung capacity

wareagle8706

Cardio can help you lose weight but cardio should be used to develop other muscles such as your heart and lungs. You want them strong for your overall health and wellbeing. TOO MUCH cardio can become a bad thing.

Take a look at these two articles:
http://members.rachelcosgrove.com/public/The_Final_Nail_in_the_Cardio_Coffin.cfm
http://www.dangerouslyhardcore.com/5343/why-women-should-not-run/

The way these articles are written may be harsh but just try to take away the premise and concept of what they're trying to say.

Now, it's a common misconception that people need to start doing cardio first to lose weight and then use weights to "tone up." But the truth is weight lifting also burns fat. And weight lifting actually burns MORE fat AFTER the workout is over, as opposed to cardio. So, in short, a nice healthy balance of cardio and strength training is best. And horse riding is great, too!! Keep it up!!

tryclyn

wow muscle weighs more than fat?

when volume is constant, of course.

mhernandez1976

You want a balance of both you want to add strength/resistance training with the cardio so that you lay a foundation of lean muscle as muscle burns more calories while growing then getting rid of fat the weight does not have to be heavy as long as you are doing it myself i do about 40-45 min of cardio an 1hr of lifting but that is me I started at 447lbs eight months ago and I'am now at 365 lbs, good luck in achieving your goals

wareagle8706

no, cardio and lifting heavy won't help you lose weight at all. Only eating at a deficit.

Right now you are dropping pounds of fat and muscle. The only way to put on muscle is to eat at a surplus. If you continue on your journey here is what is likely to happen.

1) your going to reach your goal and have a lot of endurance. yeah!
2) you aren't going to be happy with your body compesition
3) you want to tone up with 3 - 5lb weights and zumba
4) it doesn't work so you lift heavy
5) now you have to eat at a surplus to build up muscle and gain 10 pounds
6) cut and drop some body fat% because you started lifting the number on the scale doesn't mean anything to you anymore.
7) post before and after pics of how hot you are
8) Troll mfp boards / poptarts and ice cream

you can skip a lot of this if you just go right to lifting heavy. Keep doing cardio too! I do both I love my runs.

WTF??? You can't be serious. The only way to lose weight is to eat less?? Cardio and weight training won't help you lose fat??? What planet do you live on? Cardio and weight training both expend ENERGY (calories) to HELP create a deficit in order to lose fat. They definitely help facilitate fat loss. omg... I need a facepalm gif....

Oh, and you misspelled "composition."

estrange22

1. Eat as much un-processed food as possible, make sure you're not hungry but aren't stuffed to the brim.
2. Drink A LOT of water.
3. Lift as heavy as you can, as often as you can.
4. Do some interval training instead of steady-state cardio. Sprint, then walk, sprint, then walk....unless you just love stead-state cardio, then have at it!
5. Sleep enough

Dswolves

yep. the SIZE of that pound is the difference. (and the ugly composition of fat)

kdiamond

Too much cardio combined with a deficit made me skinny and flabby.

Adding weight training made my body firm and shapely.

jhc7324

no, cardio and lifting heavy won't help you lose weight at all. Only eating at a deficit.

Right now you are dropping pounds of fat and muscle. The only way to put on muscle is to eat at a surplus. If you continue on your journey here is what is likely to happen.

1) your going to reach your goal and have a lot of endurance. yeah!
2) you aren't going to be happy with your body compesition
3) you want to tone up with 3 - 5lb weights and zumba
4) it doesn't work so you lift heavy
5) now you have to eat at a surplus to build up muscle and gain 10 pounds
6) cut and drop some body fat% because you started lifting the number on the scale doesn't mean anything to you anymore.
7) post before and after pics of how hot you are
8) Troll mfp boards / poptarts and ice cream

you can skip a lot of this if you just go right to lifting heavy. Keep doing cardio too! I do both I love my runs.

WTF??? You can't be serious. The only way to lose weight is to eat less?? Cardio and weight training won't help you lose fat??? What planet do you live on? Cardio and weight training both expend ENERGY (calories) to HELP create a deficit in order to lose fat. They definitely help facilitate fat loss. omg... I need a facepalm gif....

Oh, and you misspelled "composition."

I think his point was a rif on the fact that you can't out exercise a bad diet.

He even agreed that strength training will help the OP reach her goals more than cardio, but that won't matter if her diet sucks.

ahamm002

wow muscle weighs more than fat?

Oh wow great point! It's really important to distinguish between weight and density in this context . . . or not.