No one seems to like cardio anymore...

I would MUCH rather do cardio! Just today I forced myself to work with the fitness person at work to get a routine set up with some hand weights, then I did a TRX class for resistance.

I like non boring cardio...

Rowing Machine
Kayaking
Kettlebells
Burden runs
Hiking

Honestly, I adore cardio. It's something that gets my blood pumping and I get to spend time with my dog. I do weight lifting only because it's good for me. A lot of times, I just do body weight exercises.

OP- Thank you for this post. I have a herniated disk in my neck and can not lift per doctors orders until 4 months after my fusion and even then am not to go over 50# for the rest of my life. All the posts here about lifting lifting lifting being the only thing that works for fitness has been really depressing when the only things I can do are elliptical, biking, and walking.

So glad to hear some pluses for cardio!!

I lift with an upper back/neck disability! I don't do most of the lifts folks mention here because I'd be a screaming pile of nerve pain all the time if I did that twice a week, but I do very isolated lifts for the upper body. And I lift like crazy for the lower body I agree, though, that the lifts most often mentioned aren't useful for our sort of situations. Holding lots of weight on a big barbell using the arms at all is a big no-go

Cardio helps you to lose it and weights makes it ALL look good

Cardio helped me lose over 20 lbs, keep it off for over a year, and lower my blood pressure & triglycerides.

I think it's a GOOD thing!!!

My husband runs marathons. He has never been overweight. He has never gone for a run because he "felt like he should", or to lose weight. He goes because he loves running. He has never gone into a gym and lifted weights. He has a lean, strong body with all his muscles toned and visible, 6 pack abs and all. He says if only people knew how good it felt to be able to get outside and run and run. I really envy him. I would love to get to that psychological stage with my running. (First, I have to get out the door more often).

Anyway, I think his example shows that for some people, pure cardio can be completely adequate to produce a fit, strong, lean body.

So, back to the OP question: Is cardio necessary to lose body fat? No, not at all. But it does compliment weight loss very nicely and speeds the whole process up, although is not needed. Fat loss can be achieved through just careful diet alone but will often take a lot longer which is why most people tend to supplement cardio into their routine when trying to lose weight

"Trail running, hills and sprints - weeee! And just plain walking! "...

Not weeee, Wii! Yup gotta do it...gotta put in a plug for Wii! LOL Just dance...if you don't get your heartrate up doing this, you got issues! LOL Not boring either! Low impact, don't use your legs so much...works for those if us who aren't in shape enough to run, etc., or find other things too boring!

Boring and unnecessary. My preference is to do active things that are actuallyfun .

An observation from this thread and others like it: people who are pro lifting (particularly heavy lifting) tend to be roughly 847 times more knowledgeable about diet and fitness than people who say things like "I just don't feel a sense of accomplishment from lifting."

This all depends on your goals. Running is fine if you enjoy running. If you like the high that comes from finishing a race or improving your mile time or whatever, then by all means, go for it. If you think it is necessary for weight loss, you are wrong. If you think it is superior to heavy lifting for fat loss (assuming an accompanying calorie deficit), you are wrong. To lose FAT and to retain your lean mass (which is what you want if "toning" is your goal), a calorie deficit, adequate protein intake, and a progressive resistance training program are your best bet.

Low-intensity, steady-state cardio can be good for recovery and/or for giving you more calories to eat. However, higher intensity cardio is very hard on your central nervous system and will make progressive lifting more difficult. Doing it a couple times per week? Fine, if your other recovery practices are in check (sleeping, eating, joint mobility, soft tissue work, etc.). Doing it 5 or 6 times a week? You won't be lifting heavy, and you won't be lifting for long. That's going to mean that a lot of whatever weight you lose will be muscle, and that's going to mean that you just look like a smaller version of what you are now. Not leaner, just smaller. So, decide on your priorities (fat loss, weight loss, race training, etc.), and base your training on that. It's not as simple as "just do what you like." Not if you have physique goals.

That's all I have to say.

An observation from this thread and others like it: people who are pro lifting (particularly heavy lifting) tend to be roughly 847 times more knowledgeable about diet and fitness than people who say things like "I just don't feel a sense of accomplishment from lifting."

This all depends on your goals. Running is fine if you enjoy running. If you like the high that comes from finishing a race or improving your mile time or whatever, then by all means, go for it. If you think it is necessary for weight loss, you are wrong. If you think it is superior to heavy lifting for fat loss (assuming an accompanying calorie deficit), you are wrong. To lose FAT and to retain your lean mass (which is what you want if "toning" is your goal), a calorie deficit, adequate protein intake, and a progressive resistance training program are your best bet.

Low-intensity, steady-state cardio can be good for recovery and/or for giving you more calories to eat. However, higher intensity cardio is very hard on your central nervous system and will make progressive lifting more difficult. Doing it a couple times per week? Fine, if your other recovery practices are in check (sleeping, eating, joint mobility, soft tissue work, etc.). Doing it 5 or 6 times a week? You won't be lifting heavy, and you won't be lifting for long. That's going to mean that a lot of whatever weight you lose will be muscle, and that's going to mean that you just look like a smaller version of what you are now. Not leaner, just smaller. So, decide on your priorities (fat loss, weight loss, race training, etc.), and base your training on that. It's not as simple as "just do what you like." Not if you have physique goals.

That's all I have to say.

I have yet to see post that suggest cardio is the only way to lose weight. Most here seem to support the idea of doing both and are questioning why some people have chosen to avoid cardio altogether for lifting. You don't have to run or lift anything to lose weight. That can be done completely with a calorie deficit and sitting on your butt. Strength training is beneficial and I think people shouldn't be afraid of it, but cardio is great for your overall health, Your cardiovascular health should be just as much a priority as the number on the scale. What is the point of having physique goals and not having overall health goals. Some very cut people still have heart attacks, still end up on high blood pressure and high cholesterol meds.

I may never feel the same sense of accomplishment after a lifting session as I would after crossing a finish line, but I suck it up and do it because it is good for me. Same goes for cardio. The duration, intensity and activity is up to you, but I have yet to see a legitimate reason not to do it period. (it's boring is an excuse not a legitimate reason).

I like cardio.. I've lost almost all my weight by leaving my car in the driveway, walking to work, and walking for errands (plus hiking on the weekend). Hiking in nature is so uplifting I wouldn't trade it for anything. It has raised my whole quality of life.

Editing to add do what you love and do what you can do, whatever it happens to be.

Find a sport! I love tennis because I'll run/sprint as much as I possibly can, but I just don't think of it as 'exercise'.