No one seems to like cardio anymore...

These things go in phases. For a long time, lifting weights was considered a low-end exercise for knuckle draggers. Now it's hot, hot, hot! The pendulum will swing back the other way soon enough, and all the CrossFit ads will be replaced by a solo jogger in Nike runners in some beautiful setting with a voiceover saying something about getting "Back to Basics".

The reality is a well-tuned physique requires a combination of strength (from resistance training) and a strong cardiovascular system (from lots of cardio), and that's not going to change for a long long time.

Cardio works the most important muscle of them all, the heart. Some may choose not to do it, but you can't dismiss its positive effect on your overall health. I think some are pushing lifting at the expense of cardio to overcompensate for the cardio only folks, when in reality Lifting and Cardio work best together, My husband is an avid lifter and did virtually no cardio. He is very fit, athletic build. Then one day he started having chest pains, and had to be hospitalized for blood pressure through the roof. He didn't even know he had high blood pressure and was put on meds. His doctor encouraged him to increase his cardio, which he has done and its hoping to eventually get off the meds.

A whole lot of people do cardio in various forms. It's not necessary for fat loss, or just looking good.

Perhaps it is just me but I thought you needed to do some cardio to lose body fat. I know it can be boring at times but isn't it necessary to do in order to get leaner and lower your body fat? It's not that I'm a big fan or anything although I do love to run but I also lift weights too. It just seems that cardio isn't fun anymore.

Thoughts?

You dont have to, if you like it, just do it in moderation is all. I personally don't like running because of the increased risk of injury/compression, I get bored of it and bored of aerobic machine substitutes, and my dogs need to walk which means if I do both I use up too much time. So I eliminate the boredom and combine it and my dog time into hikes with a loaded pack.

You don't need to do cardio to lose fat, but it definitely helps. It helps increase your calorie deficit so you can eat more! I remember a couple months ago someone was raging on cardio, saying no one should do cardio ever except for their health. And I couldn't possibly think of any more awkward phrasing than that.

I get that everyone has a preference. Some people find cardio boring, but maybe that is because they aren't taking advantage of all the different activities that constitute cardio. I have really fallen in love with running this year. It is challenging and rewarding. To run further and faster gives me a great sense of satisfaction. To hold my own in a race makes me feel like I've really accomplished something. There is always room for improvement, whether that be in speed, distance, endurance. I don't get that same joy out of weight lifting. Do I lift weights, yes. But I don't get that same high or sense of accomplishment after a workout. Generally, I want it done as soon as possible. We like what we like. Still It is great that so many, especially women are getting into lifting and pushing their bodies further, but dismissing cardio, that's not so great.

Some people love it and some hate it. The problem comes when someone believes they HAVE to do something. The truth is that to lose weight you only have to eat less than you burn. Thats it. You can just eat less or be more active or a combination of the two.

Then someone will chime in with why would you tell them not to do cardio it is sooooo good for you. I never said NOT to. I said it was not necessary to lose weight.

Then I will point out that "weight" loss is not the same as "fat" loss. If you want to lose mostly fat then you might want to start some form of resistance training (weightlifting is one form not the only form). Many studies show that calorie deficit combined with resistance training spares muscle loss while dieting or dieting with only cardio does not.

Then someone will chime in with..."Yes but you have to do cardio for heart health."

I will politely point out there is evidence that resistance training has great cardiovascular benefits as well. At this point someone mistakes this for a weightlifting VS cardio statement or that I implied weightlifting was just as good for improving heart health or that it is all you would need to run a race.

*facepalm*

Most people don't really want to do any physical activity nor diet if they could avoid it. It's gonna differ from person to person about cardio. Some love running. Some like myself don't, but do it minimally just because. Just like some despise lifting weights, but do it anyway for better muscle tone.
And while cardio does burn more calories than strength training, overall it's going to come down to diet for fat loss.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I do cardio for health reasons, stress relief and to create a deficit, but the results just come SO much faster from lifting than from cardio, and they make me look much hotter.