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MyFitnessPal Community

*Help!** LEAST 30 minutes of cardio EVERYDAY?

BrittanyBrines

Hi Guys,
I was told that I need to be doing at least 30 minutes of cardio just to maintain my weight and even more if I want to loose more. I am at my "goal weight" but I would still like to loose more (I have an UGW I want to get to and that's 110 pounds.). Anyways, is this true? I was also told that I can stop doing cardio just continue doing strength training each day. I'm so confused!! lol Then if I only do like 20 minutes of cardio, I feel like it's a waste and I shouldn't have even done anything because I was told unless you do at least 30 minutes, it isn't raising your heart rate for long enough...? Help!!!!

Replies

BrittanyBrines

Cindym82

Who exactly told you this?

hulkweazel

lol Then if I only do like 20 minutes of cardio, I feel like it's a waste and I shouldn't have even done anything because I was told unless you do at least 30 minutes, it isn't raising your heart rate for long enough...? Help!!!!

This is false. You can do 20 just fine.

You don't need to do cardio to maintain your weight, as long as you hit your calories/macros. However, it DOES help if you like to eat more, and I'd do cardio/lifting just for the toned look and fitness that it provides.

rduhlir

No you don't -have- to do 30 minutes every day. It is recommended to do 30 minutes every day. But difference in meanings. Do what works for you to maintain.

TeaBea

Weight loss is mostly DIET anyway .... at least 80%. Don't stress about it too much.

Exercise for the health benefits ... not so much for the weight loss. Do cardio for the cardiovascular benefits AND stength training to maintain (or build muscle) mass, both are important.

I like to switch off ... some days cardio, some days strength ... 30 minutes at least.

BrittanyBrines

Okay, I have been eating around 1400 each day, sometimes a bit more, but I try to log and stay in that range.

BrittanyBrines

I am 115 and would like to get back down to 110. What would you suggest for that? More diet c"carefulness" or more cardio/strength training?

DaniH826

Start lifting and build muscle.

crystalflame

Lift heavy and eat at a deficit. Do cardio if you like it, but it's not necessary for weight loss. Also, stop worrying about the scale - what you really want is to look good, not weigh a certain amount.

TeaBea

I am 115 and would like to get back down to 110. What would you suggest for that? More diet c"carefulness" or more cardio/strength training?

You are looking for a calorie deficit....period. Whether that comes from food only .... or exercise only .... or a combination of the 2 .... the choice is yours.

3500 calories (a week) below your total daily expenditure (x7) = 1 pound weight loss for the week. This is really hard to do when you are close to goal. Most people with less than 10 pounds to lose have a weight loss goal of 1/2 pound per week.

When you lose weight too fast ... you risk losing muscle mass along with fat. Part of the reason you strength train in the first place is to keep muscle ... too little fuel (food).... and muscle becomes the fuel.

bamorford

Well I guess a good question to ask your self is "what is my ultimate goal?" Are you mostly concerned with the number on the scale? Or are you wanting to focus on how your body looks and how you feel? I'm sure you've already heard many times that muscle weighs more than fat, but sometimes it's easy to forget. Focus on the areas that you want to improve and use weight lifting (aka: strength training) to get you there! A person weighting 150 lbs who has muscle mass will look healthier and more fit than a person of the same stature weighing 140 with NO muscle mass. Also, lifting improves more than your muscles; it improves your posture, ligaments, bones, blood flow, and overall body efficiency. Cardio will always be a recommended activity because of it's wonderful cardiovascular benefits, the most known being strengthening of the heart and high calorie burning which results in weight loss. But cardio and lifting are like peanut butter and jelly: together they create a perfect sandwich

Another thing to remember is that muscle burns more calories than fat, so the more muscle you build the more calories you will burn during any workout you do.

I have heard a lot of people at my gym and here on myfitnesspal talk about the book "The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess" and I have to say I LOVE the book. There has always been the notion that women can't lift heavy weights because we'll become bulky, but WE CAN NOT become bulky from lifting. It's not in our physical make-up beacuse we don't have the high levels of testosterone like men do. If your goal IS to get bulky, then you take supplements that support that kind of muscle development. Whatever floats your boat! But the normal result we women will get from lifting is a rocking body, and please don't mind me speaking for all women: but isn't that our ultimate goal?!